Tagged: american mcgee

McGee making new Alice and Oz games; Alice to be Kickstarted, not hack-and-slash as expected

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Beloved Alice is coming back once more! American McGee, the developer behind Alice and its interesting sequel, has revealed that Spicy Horse, his studio, has been working on a new entry in the series as well as a new game based on The Wizard of Oz.

The Facebook page for Alice: Otherlands reveals the game, noting that it’s going to be funded through a crowdfunding campaign run on Kickstarter. They’ve revealed potential backer rewards and have launched a competition looking for the best Alice cosplayer. There’s a UI mockup as well, and it seems the game won’t be a hack-and-slash title but something else entirely.

As for the Oz title, the studio simply noted that “it’s already in the works.” However, Kelly Heckman, community manager at the company, noted that it’s not related to the ill-fated 2004 game that was in development at Atari.

So, what does this all mean for Alice? The first was excellent, and so was the sequel. However, the direction McGee is taking her in doesn’t seem very good. I’d love to see another action game similar in vein to Devil May Cry or God of War. The concept does sound interesting, however, especially in how Alice will be traveling in the minds of various prominent figures of Victorian London. Mark Twain, Thomas Edison, and Jules Verne are listed as probables on their Facebook page. Let’s see how this turns out, though I hope it’s as awesome as the first one.

Bad Day LA Gets Euro Publisher

Coming from the genius behind the awesomely amazing Alice, American McGee’s Bad Day: LA has gotten itself a publisher in Europe: Lexicon Entertainment. The game is due out during Q4 2006 in UK and PAL territories on PC.

McGee’s latest game, “Bad Day LA,” is a spoof of disaster films like “The Day After Tomorrow.” “In simple terms, ‘Bad Day LA’ is every blockbuster disaster film funneled into one insane day as experienced from the perspective of the world’s ultimate politically incorrect antihero,” McGee said, adding that the story and events are meant to humorously highlight what he called the ridiculous nature of the “fear culture” in the U.S.

Los Angeles resident McGee said that the game will bring the vibe of the city into this context. For example, in the midst of natural disasters, the game’s residents remain on their cell phones as they watch citizens on fire run down the street.

The protagonist is a homeless man who abandoned his privileged life as a successful Hollywood agent after losing his self-respect. McGee said supporting characters in the game are a recognizable cross section of broad stereotypes, including a blond Beverly Hills bimbo, a Hispanic yard worker, a gung-ho action hero and a middle-class white kid.

Although the game will not use celebrity talent, McGee said certain household names provided inspiration for several of the main characters. Among those he cited are Dave Chappelle, Haley Joel Osment, Danny Trejo, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Paris Hilton.

McGee is in talks with publishers for distribution in North America and other territories.