Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
PLOT - The story begins when Alice's house is burnt down by an accidental fire, killing her family and leaving her as the only survivor. As time progresses Alice loses touch with reality. She is institutionalized in Rutledge Asylum, where she is observed and treated by Dr. Heironymous Wilson. Alice's only possession in Rutledge is a stuffed rabbit. Ten years after Alice was committed to Rutledge, she finds herself sucked back into a Wonderland that has been twisted by her own broken mind. The White Rabbit summons Alice to aid a radically altered Wonderland, which became a twisted version of itself as it came under the horrible rule of the Queen of Hearts. The Cheshire Cat serves as Alice's companion throughout the game, frequently appearing to guide her with cryptic comments.
SETTING - The game's setting presents a considerably more macabre rendition of Wonderland than seen in Lewis Carroll's original portrayal. Wonderland, being a creation of Alice's mind, has been corrupted by her insanity. Alice's primary objective is to save Wonderland, and in doing so restore her own sanity. The new Wonderland is composed of nine provinces. When Alice falls down the rabbit hole, she Finds herself in the Village of the Doomed, the home of the Torch Gnomes. The village of the Doomed is composed of a network of tunnels and caves, patrolled by the 'Queen of Hearts' card guards. Beyond the subterranean village is the Fortress of Doors, where the main attraction is a school of insane children. Within the school lies an ancient book of recipes for magic potions, as well as the ingredients for one concoction in particular, which will be useful to Alice. Beyond the fortress and across a rough, uncharted landscape lies the Vale of Tears, where Alice's friends Bill McGill and the Mock Turtle reside, along with the Duchess. A giant river runs throughout the gloomy, mist-shrouded landscape, and another aquatic location is accessible through a well inside Bill McGill's house. The well is sealed until the Duchess is slain. On the other side of the Vale of Tears lies Wonderland Woods, one of the largest regions in the game. The woods are initially Filled by ponds, cliffs, and jump mushrooms, but much deeper into the woods is a region of rock and magma. This section leads to several new regions including the Cave of the Oracle, the Pale Realm, the Jabberwocky's Lair, and the Majestic Maze. - The Pale Realm makes a transition to the surface of a chessboard, as delving further into this area leads to the White Castle of Looking Glass Land, which is home to life-size chess pieces; the White pieces join Alice in the Fight against the Red pieces. Alice is twice transformed into a chess piece herself to pass certain obstacles. Following this is a distorted version of Rutledge Asylum (where Alice has been incarcerated since her parents' tragic deaths). It is run by Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum and also houses the Mad Hatter's laboratory. The path to the Jabberwocky's Lair leads into the Land of Fire and Brimstone, a volcanic region of Wonderland and a reminder of the Fire in which her family died. It is here that the terrible Jabberwocky—a semi-mechanized servant of the Queen of Hearts and the incarnation of Alice's guilt-resides, in the remains of Alice's old home. The Majestic Maze ends on the road to Queen of Hearts Land, a region heavily guarded by card guards, boojums, and other members of the Queen of Hearts' personal army. Queensland is the Final province of Wonderland. In it lays the Heart Palace from which the Queen of Hearts commands. Tentacles and other repulsive appendages are seen protruding from every organic wall in this area, and numerous areas even resemble body parts, giving the impression that Alice is travelling through her own body.