Top 10 Iconic Video Games from the 1990s -Jeremy Pewter

Top 10 Iconic Video Games from the 1990s

By Jeremy Pewter

(content manager for Stylin Online)

The 1990s were an exciting era for video games. This decade was mostly successful due to tough competition between Nintendo and Sega, which produced a tremendous technological innovation. 

This can be easily seen by taking a quick look at the 80s, where 1985 was one of the biggest years for video games. This is when the Nintendo Entertainment System was released in North America and allowed Nintendo to dominate the gaming market. However, Sega became a strong competitor in 1989, and console manufacturers began a major marketing battle for dominance.

During the 1990s, gaming came into its own and became firmly entrenched in our pop culture.

Today, many people are turning to classic consoles and emulators that allow them to run games that were published more than 20 years ago.

If you are willing to take another look at the iconic games of the 1990s, here’s our suggestion of the most addictive titles that will keep you entertained even today.

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 – 1992 (Sega Genesis)
As one of the most popular platform video games of its era, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 was Sega’s effort to popularize its Sega Genesis console. This was, in fact, the system-defining video game for this console

Many believe this game set a new standard for speed in a platform. Sonic explored a forest, a casino, and a factory, where each level was filled with loop-the-loops and corkscrews that were inspired by rollercoasters, which quickly became the most popular features of this franchise.

Doom – 1993 (PC)
Doom was the game that first introduced the public to first-person shooting games. Released in 1993 as a shareware demo, Doom quickly became one of the most popular game series ever.

Doom was also important from a technological aspect. It brought WAD files that were easy to modify. This allowed players to edit levels, graphics, and music, which was unheard of in the early 90s.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening – 1993 (Game Boy)
The original Legend of Zelda was released in 1986 for the Nintendo Entertainment System and soon became what is today considered a classic.

No one believed that a game designed for a black-and-white handheld system could achieve such massive success. Even though its controls were simple, people were captivated by its gameplay that allowed them to freely roam and explore different environments.

The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening was a prime example of how Nintendo managed to build a franchise using several different platforms. Nintendo later updated it with colors and added new content to promote the launch of the Game Boy Color in 1998.

Super Metroid – 1994 (Super Nintendo)
Super Metroid was set on a planet called Zebes, where the main character named Samus Aran had to rescue a baby Metroid. The player would start with minimal weapons and was forced to explore and find more weapons and new abilities. This was what set this game apart from the rest and attracted fans of the original Metroid game, in addition to expanding the fan base.

Super Metroid received raving reviews due to its atmosphere, gameplay, music, and graphics. Even today, many are convinced this is the greatest video game of all time.

Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest – 1995 (SNES/Game Boy Advance)
Donkey Kong Country 2 brought the next-level design that was backed up by the memorable soundtrack. This is what set this game apart from its predecessor, the original Donkey Kong Country 2.

This game was later re-released for the Game Boy Advance in 2004 and was even available on the Wii’s Virtual Console in 2007.

Super Mario 64 – 1996 (Nintendo 64)Super Mario 64 was impressive due to its full-fledged 3D environment. In addition, a big technological leap was needed to be made to allow Mario to be able to do all kinds of acrobatics in 3D, like jumping, walking, running, and taking big leaps. Suddenly, Mario could interact with different kinds of environments in new ways: running up the hill, standing or running over snow and ice, and more.

Resident Evil 2 – 1997 (PlayStation)
Even though the original Resident Evil was extremely successful, its successor was mainly responsible for promoting the survival horror genre. Back in the day, this was one of the most terrifying games available.

Resident Evil 2 brought numerous horrifying locations, in addition to more enemies like the dreaded Licker. This game wasn’t only twice as scary as its predecessor, but also twice as big and required two discs.

Pokémon – 1998 (Game Boy)Even today, Pokémon is hugely popular, as the last year’s iOS game proved. However, many of those who are playing the iOS game aren’t aware that the 1998 Pokémon game was the phenomenon that triggered this franchise’s popularity.

Pokémon was released in 1998 in Red and Blue versions for the Nintendo Game Boy. Each of those versions came with a specific number of creatures you could catch, and, to get them, all you had to do was trade with the other version. This kind of innovation, and the game’s addictive gameplay, made this little black-and-white game unforgettable.

Banjo Kazooie – 1998 (Nintendo 64)
Banjo Kazooie was inspired by Super Mario 64 in more ways than one, but this didn’t stop this game from becoming a classic. Taking place on a spiral mountain, evil witch Gruntilda kidnaps Banjo’s sister Tooty, so he heads out to rescue her with his bird friend Kazooie. While exploring nine worlds, the music notes open new areas in the hub-world.

This title is remembered today for its addictive gameplay, colorful graphics, and an unforgettable music score.

Gran Turismo 2 – 1999 (PlayStation)Often seen as the best game in the series, Gran Turismo 2 helped define how games are made and played today.

After its release, everyone was astounded by the game’s 600 cars from a variety of manufacturers. The game offered an enormous selection of roads and tracks, and it introduced endurance races and license tests.

Gran Turismo 2 is one of those games that are easy to learn but hard to master.

Conclusion

Many of us will agree that the 1990s were the most exciting era for video gaming. Aside from tremendous technological leaps, the 1990s also gave us numerous video-game franchises that still attract millions of players.

If you ever played games belonging to franchises like Age of Empires, Civilization, Diablo, Grand Theft Auto, Mortal Kombat, or Warcraft, you should know that these games originated from this amazing era.

Image Links
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https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Sega-Genesis-Mk2-6button.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/PSX-Console-wController.jpg

Interview: Comic book and YA Writer Dan Jolley

Hello Dan! Welcome to the Flock. Gef is our go to comic reviewer and the only guy on the I Smell Sheep staff. He wanted to ask some very thoughtful and serious questions about comic stuff. He has no idea I am dropping in on his interview to ask my type of questions <G> Easier to ask forgiveness, right? His thought provoking questions are first…then mine, sorry ahead of time.

Gef's Review issue #1

Gef: Bloodhound saw its resurgence last year with Brass Knuckle Psychology released as a graphic novel through Dark Horse, after quite a few years since its original debut through DC. Now, we have this new five-issue series, Crowbar Medicine. I assume the working relationship with Dark Horse has been agreeable thus far?
Dan: It has indeed! It’s funny, Dark Horse was one of the first companies I sold anything to, waaaay back at the beginning of my career, right around the time the last dinosaurs were dying out. I did a few projects for them, but when both of the editors I knew there left the company, I pretty much did too. So I hadn’t worked for Dark Horse for about fifteen years. Then I got the chance to do some promotional comics to support the video game Prototype 2 (I was lead writer on that game), and the game studio approached Dark Horse, and all of a sudden I was back in the saddle with them, so to speak. That opened the door again, and I showed them Bloodhound, and they really went for it. Bloodhound is a much, much better fit at Dark Horse than it ever was at DC, and they really just let me tell whatever story I want to tell, so yeah, it’s been great.

Sharon's 5 sheep review of Prototype mini series

Gef: It seems like Bloodhound is one of several series to be resuscitated in one form or another, Joss Whedon's Serenity and Rob Thomas' Veronica Mars springing immediately to mind. Was Bloodhound's resurgence prompted by some outside force that got your wheels turning, or have you been clamoring for this for some time?
Dan: I don’t know that I’d say I’d been clamoring, but I definitely had not let go of the property in my head. It took a while to get the rights back from DC, but I finally reclaimed the property outright, and I was determined not to do it any disservice if I ever took it back to comics. So when Dark Horse offered to reprint the original series, and then do a whole new mini-series--AND had the budget to hire back the original creative team--I knew the time had come. Honestly, I don’t know that I’ll ever truly step away from Clev and Saffron. If there aren’t more comics, I’ll most likely start writing Bloodhound novels.


Gef: Despite his lack of superpowers, Clevenger seems like the LAST guy you want to mess with in this universe. Is there something particularly appealing to the idea of an "ordinary" man curbstomping superpowered foes? Sure, Batman does it, but Clevenger pulls it off minus all the nifty toys.
Dan: Definitely. The older I get, the more appealing I find telling stories about just plain ol’ people. I think about some of my favorite movies and TV shows, for instance, and I love stuff like Sling Blade and The Usual Suspects and The Wire. Not a hint of anything genre in any of those--just people faced with extraordinary (often extraordinarily bad) circumstances. I first designed Bloodhound to fit into the DC universe, and it’s really easy for an ordinary human to be a massive underdog in that world, when you’re facing people who can set your face on fire with a thought. So my goal, in creating Travis Clevenger, was to build a non-powered guy who could stand up to superhuman criminals. So Clev is big and intimidating, but the things that really set him apart are 1) he’s really smart, 2) nothing intimidates him, and 3) he takes a lot of punishment without giving up. (Practically every case he solves ends with him in the hospital.) But those are qualities anybody can have. You don’t have to be an orphaned alien with magic jewelry and billions of dollars to be intelligent and determined.

Gef: Up here in Canada, we can't help but marvel at the fetishism of firearms down south, and reading Crowbar Medicine, it's hard not to notice the gun control debate as an undercurrent with the ability to gain superpowers made available to everyday Americans. An AR-15 is one thing, but shooting fireballs out of your fists is quite another. When introducing politics like that into a comic book, are you tempted to offer your personal biases as the viewfinder or do you strive for a "fair and balanced" approach?
Dan: Well, first off, I don’t actually see much difference between an AR-15 and the ability to shoot fireballs out of your fists. Both can cause massive destruction and loss of life, and both can be horribly misused. That’s the thing that I find so profoundly disturbing about the gun situation in this country: you’re giving people the power of life and death. It might as well be the freaking avada kedavra spell from Harry Potter. You put an object in your hand, point it at someone, twitch your finger and a human being dies. Now, I know there are responsible gun owners out there. Do I, personally, think anyone should have guns outside of the military or the police? No. But I know there are people who respect them and know how to use them. My problem lies with all the bone-stupid homicidal lunatics who have the same access to that power of life and death as anyone else.
But that’s my own personal bias. Crowbar Medicine does have a point, yes, and if I’ve done my job properly, it’ll come through, but the last thing I want to do is just flatly tell someone what they should think. No one wants to be lectured to. So my goal with this mini-series is to entertain, and engage readers emotionally, and present them with a set of circumstances that, given the world it’s set in, could plausibly happen. They can draw from that whatever conclusion they want.


Gef: Bloodhound has a great look to complement the writing. How did the collaboration with Leonard Kirk, Robin Riggs, and Moose Baumann come about? Who takes the lead in that aspect of the book, you, Leonard, or one of Dark Horse's muckety-mucks?
Dan: Originally, Drew Johnson was supposed to draw Bloodhound, but before he could do more than a few character sketches he got yoinked away and given Wonder Woman. So I spent the better part of a year fleshing out the characters and the world and writing scripts all on my own, while my editor, Ivan Cohen, looked around for the perfect art team. He finally came back to me, months later, and said, “How about Leonard Kirk?” I was all for it, and I basically just trusted Ivan to fill out the rest of the team as well. So Ivan can take credit for assembling the Bloodhound artists.

The way I go about writing scripts is that I try to put in every bit of description that needs to be there, and none that doesn’t. I’m not of the Alan Moore school where, if you’ve got a scene in a library, you list all the titles on the shelf; I’ll just say something like, “They’re standing in an old-fashioned, very well-stocked library,” and let the artist interpret it from there. So once I knew Leonard had the right feel for the characters, I was basically able to just write the scripts, hand them over and watch Leonard and Robin and Moose do their magic. I have immense trust in their art and in Rob Leigh’s letters.

Gef: What other irons are in the fire for you through 2014?
Dan: Starting this month, I’ve got a six-issue Terminator mini-series coming out from Dark Horse, called “Enemy of My Enemy,” drawn by the hugely talented Jamal Igle and Ray Snyder. I’m also starting a couple of new projects at companies I haven’t worked for before, so that’s really exciting, but it also means I can’t say anything about them yet. (Typical for freelance work.)

*hands Dan a Moon Pie and some Kool-Aid. Cracks knuckles*

Sharon: Not only do you write horror comics, you also write young adult fiction and graphic novels. You have a YA series called Alex Unlimited about a young girl. Tell us a bit about the series and how you tap your inner girl?
Dan: Mmmmmm, Moon Pies…
Um. Yes! Alex Unlimited. That’s a story about an eighteen-year-old girl who works for a secret government agency, and who has the ability to summon different versions of herself from alternate realities. She can pick and choose, too, so whatever situation she’s in, she can find the version of herself best suited to handle it. Need a nuclear bomb disarmed? Alex can find a nuclear physicist with bomb squad training. Need an ancient language deciphered? She can summon an Alex who’s a brilliant linguist. The problem is that all of these alternate versions are super-smart, beautiful, tough, and talented, while Alex herself is a scrawny, thoroughly mediocre girl (at least in her own opinion). So she’s always stuck being her own sidekick.

Alex Unlimited started out as a pitch for a comic book at dear departed Tokyopop. Not only was it supposed to be a comic, but the main character was also originally a boy. Tokyopop loved the concept, but asked me if I’d be willing to change the protagonist to a girl. I said “sure.” Then they had trouble settling on an artist (Mike Norton did some character sketches, and I really wanted to work with him on it, but for some reason I don’t remember, Tokyopop didn’t go for it.) Eventually I just said, “Would you rather I just write this as prose?” They agreed, and suddenly I was a YA author.

I had no idea at the time how I was going to write a young female protagonist, but as my (now ex-) wife pointed out, apparently my inner child actually is a thirteen-year-old girl. Everything just sort of came naturally, and the books got a lot of praise from actual teenage girls who identified with Alex. Honestly, I don’t think it’s a male or female thing, I think I just wrote the character from the perspective of someone who spent a lot of time as a teenager being insecure. I do know a lot about that. 

Sharon: That is an incredible premise (grabbing an alternative ‘you’) would make a great TV show for either SyFy or Disney and helpful in household chores.
Dan: Funny you should mention that! ...Wait, let me check my NDA...oh. What I meant to say was, "Thanks, I really appreciate that." *ahem*
Sharon: Be sure to keep us updated on...nothing ;)

Sharon: When switching between the adult horror comics and the action YA stories, do you need to clear your head so you don’t have Travis (Bloodhound) wanting to get a facial or Alex decapitating an annoying version of herself?
Dan: Yeah, it’s kind of a mental gear-switching thing. It happened a good bit when I was writing the video games Transformers: Fall of Cybertron and Prototype 2 at the same time. The urge to have Optimus Prime refer to Megatron as a “motherf***ing son of a b****” got pretty strong.
Sharon: That would be so hawt…I mean cool…


Sharon: OMG! You wrote the Transformers games. Everyone here knows I have an unnatural attraction to Optimus Prime. You wouldn’t be able to hook a girl up? Maybe just get me an interview…make him declare his love for me in the next game?
Dan: I don’t know about hooking you up, but I am an awfully big Optimus Prime fan myself. I had a massive fanboy moment when I went out to L.A. to help with some of the voice recording sessions for the Transformers Prime game. Peter Cullen was there, and let me tell you, that guy is basically the voice of my whole childhood. He was Venger on the Dungeons & Dragons, cartoon, he was Eeyore in Winnie the Pooh, he was Commander Hawkins in Voltron (which I wrote for a while as a comic book for Devil’s Due), and there he was in the booth, recording Optimus Prime dialogue THAT I HAD WRITTEN. It was surreal. I got a photo.

*and now Sharon has a photo too! (do NOT judge me!)*

Sharon: I would have been all “say my name!” (You probably don’t get the Barron’s reference from Karen Marie Moning’s Fever Series, but let’s just say I would melt into a puddle right there) I had no idea he did Eeyore…that is disturbing considering the thoughts I have about that voice…
Dan: When you said, "Say my name," I immediately went to "Breaking Bad." ;)

Sharon: What is your guilty pleasure? Listening to Miley Cyrus? Eating French fries dipped in chocolate milkshakes? Dressing like Freddie Mercury (who rocks by the way!)
Dan: Sometimes I do find myself listening to some really horrible pop songs. It has a lot to do with the rhythm, I think; when I need to come up with ideas, I like to drive around aimlessly and listen to loud, aggressive music, stuff like Disturbed and White Zombie and Avenged Sevenfold. It does something good for my brainwaves. But now and again something like Katy Perry or Ke$sha or Lady Gaga finds its way in, and I’m thinking, “Ugh, Lady Gaga, time to change the channHEY THAT’S A CATCHY SONG.”

(Also, who DOESN’T like French fries dipped in chocolate milkshakes?)
Sharon: I knew I liked you. I have a driving play list with all of the above on it. I keep a notebook in my car because all my best ideas happen when I drive.

Sharon: At Christmas time do you have to endure Holly Jolly jokes? My daughter is named Holly. She feels your pain if you have.

Dan: Oh, not just at Christmas! I mean, definitely at Christmas, yes, but it’s not limited to that--I get a lot of Jolly Green Giant (don’t know if you have that Up North -- it’s a brand of canned vegetables), and Jolly Rancher (don’t know if you have that Up North, either -- if not, it’s a kind of candy), plus near where I grew up there was a restaurant called The Jolly Ox. It was a pain in the keister when I was a kid, all the way through high school, pretty much, but as soon as I got to college it was like someone flipped a magical switch somewhere. Instead of poking fun at it, I started hearing a lot of people say, “Wow, that’s such a cool name!” So now I’m fine with it. I was at the airport not long ago, and the TSA guy looking at my ticket said, “Are you JOLLY today?” And I grinned and said, “Yes I am!”
Sharon: Gef is from Canada. I am from NC, hence the Moonpies. I have a case of double decker ones in my pantry. True story.


Sharon: Thanks for much for taking the time to talk with us. Grab a weapon from the box, we’re going to give you a tour of our dungeon. Just don’t make eye contact with Jake…our dragon…

About the Author:

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I'm Dan Jolley. I write novels, comic books, children's books, video games, and the occasional screenplay.

Currently I'm working on my creator-owned comic book Bloodhound as well as a new Terminator mini-series called "Enemy of My Enemy," both at Dark Horse Comics. (You can read the first issue of BLOODHOUND for free by Clicking Here.)

Sheep Movie Review: Wreck-it Ralph

Wreck-it Ralph, directed by Rich Moore, and starring John C. Reilly, Jack McBrayer, Sara Silverman, and Jane Lynch is a video game adventure packed full of nostalgic moments and visually stunning graphics. 

Plot: 

Ralph (John C. Reilly) is tired of being overshadowed by Fix-It Felix (Jack McBrayer), the "good guy" star of their game who always gets to save the day. But after decades doing the same thing and seeing all the glory go to Felix, Ralph decides he's tired of playing the role of a bad guy. He takes matters into his own massive hands and sets off on a game-hopping journey across the arcade through every generation of video games to prove he's got what it takes to be a hero. On his quest, he meets the tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun (Jane Lynch) from the first-person action game Hero's Duty. But it's the feisty misfit Vanellope von Schweetz (Sarah Silverman) from the candy-coated cart racing game, Sugar Rush, whose world is threatened when Ralph accidentally unleashes a deadly enemy that threatens the entire arcade. Will Ralph realize his dream and save the day before it's too late?

As you can gather from the movie trailer, Wreck-it Ralph is based on the premise of a game villain wanting to be the good guy for a change. After 30 years of being the bad dude that every one hates he sets out to win his own medal of valor and find his place among the champions. But no hero's journey is ever easy, and Ralph soon realizes all the various challenges that lay ahead. John C. Reilly really helped bring his character to life with his pretty amazing voice acting. From tender to beastly, Reilly hit all the marks when needed. 

So many aspects of this film really spoke to me, ranging from the old school games to the characters themselves walking around game land and throwing back a few cold ones at the local tavern. But at the top of the list would be the almost lifelike quality each character had to its voice actor. Jane Lynch had maybe the funniest character of them all as Sergeant Calhoun! Wait 'till you hear about her backstory, had me laughing so hard my tummy hurt. 

Wreck-it Ralph is going to entertain you while at the same time getting across the message to both young and old that it's always important to know who you are. More then anything else, don't stop trying and always help when you can. It's a good life lesson but one that comes coated in sugar goodness! If you're not craving a sugar sweet by the end of the film you better check your pulse! 

Getting 4 'laughing taffy vine' Sheep

KD 

Space Marine: Chainsword Fun

So you're all probably wondering where the heck I disappeared to for the past week. Well for those of you in the know, you're probably aware that Warhammer 40k: Space Marine became available on September 6th. Since I had a gift card that covered most of the cost of the game I decided to get it and see if it was any good. Anyway, as part of my overall role as Warhammer 40,000 expert here at I Smell Sheep, I figured I could go ahead and review the game for the flock. I know it's kind of unusual, but since I managed to finish it within a week of getting the game, I think it calls for a little change-up.

The plot of the game focuses on an Imperial Forge World which has been invaded by a large and vicious horde of Orks. Imperial Authorities ask if they should nuke the planet from orbit, just to be sure, but because the Forge World produces mighty Titans (giant war robots) and other war materials for the Imperium, they decide it's too valuable to destroy. Thus a liberation fleet is sent to repel the Ork invasion and reclaim the planet for the Imperium. Spearheading the liberation is a band of Ultramarines, one of the many chapters of Space Marines, lead by Captain Titus. The Space Marines are genetically engineered super soldiers, given the best weapons and armor the Imperium can provide. Although there may be only about a million of these warriors in the galaxy, they are worth dozens if not hundreds of enemy opponents.

Overall, I found the game to be okay, maybe a little better than okay, but not mind-blowingly fun. To be fair, I haven't had a chance to try the multi-player yet because my X-Box isn't connected to my router, so I'm judging just the single-player campaign. I do have to say that the plot is probably It starts out: "There are some Orks! Go kill them!" and pretty much stays there until Inquisitor Drogan shows up. There is a plot twist, which I guess I shouldn't spoil, but if you're familiar with Warhammer 40,000 at all, you're going to see the plot twist coming from nearly a mile off.

Gameplay wise, I found it pretty enjoyable. Granted, I died a ton, but probably because I suck at video games more than anything else. The chainsword is a fun weapon to have, and you're going to use it a lot. Also there's a nice selection of ranged weapons which I felt allowed for varying play styles. Granted I stuck with my trusty bolter most of the time, but the lascannon was nice to have for those tougher targets. By far, my favorite part of the game was the portions with the jetpacks. I really hope I can get to try being an Assault Marine in the multi-player for more jetpack goodness.

Another thing I feel is worth mentioning is the voice acting, because Warhammer 40k games have a history of some rather hammy acting, but Space Marine manages to avoid this. There are a couple of portions where it feels people are just reading off of a script, but most of the voice acting feels real and reasonable for the situations in which the characters find themselves. True, I kind of liked the ham in previous 40k games, but at least the actors seemed to take themselves seriously.

Perhaps the greatest thing I appreciated about this game is that it really got into the lore of 40k. I specifically remember the game mentioning the Skitarii, a unit of soldiers that to my knowledge only appears in the 40k fluff and probably not many people know about. Also, various audio logs you can collect across the game give you a couple of windows into the 40k universe that really embraces the vast body of material that's been developed over the years. A couple of backgrounds in the game also made me feel like I really was on a Forge World of the Imperium. Any fan of Warhammer 40k is going to be delighted by all the fluff goodies the design team packed into this game.


Overall, the game is okay. If you're a fan of Warhammer 40,000 or a fan of shooters, this game is definitely worth picking up. But if you're more into RPGs or puzzle games, you're going to be sorely disappointed. Overall I give it a rating of three and a half sheep because while it's great for what it is, it's not really accessible to people outside the genres it's catering to. As always, Warhammer 40k: Space Marine is available at Amazon.com. (Please buy something! We need the ad money!)

BAK

The Art of Alice: Madness Returns

Legendary game designer American McGee created one of the most visually arresting games of all time in Alice. Eleven years later, McGee returns with a sequel just as groundbreaking as his critically acclaimed classic - Alice: Madness Returns! Just in time for Madness Returns, Dark Horse and Spicy Horse Games invite Alice fans to take a journey through the wonderland of American McGee's imagination for a look at this magnificent and disturbing world. With text by Madness Returns lead writer and executive producer R. J. Berg, and featuring an introduction by McGee, The Art of Alice offers an intimate look into the artwork behind this blockbuster interpretation of Lewis Carroll's enduring masterpiece.

Review:

This book depicts amazing, macabre and wonderfully disturbing art. The talented artists behind the video game The Art of Alice: Madness Returns (Electronic Arts will publish the game in 2011 for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC) have helped create a book of their journey from original concepts to the finished product.

In 2000 the PC game American McGee's Alice emerged as an early action adventure game and then kind of faded into obscurity. 11 years later McGee and EA are releasing a sequel to his macabre work. Dark Horse Comics and Spicy Horse Games have given fans a 184 page sneak-peak at the game and an amazing visual experience. The concept art work is captioned by McGee or a producer telling how a picture was created and describes the goal they were trying to achieve. There are also many finished pieces that made it into the game. There is an introduction by McGee and the rest of the book is broken down into chapters that focus on different aspects of the game such as locations, characters, and Alice’s costumes. You also get to see some brainstorming sketches that were eventually scrapped for one reason or another.

The art work is beautiful and horrible at the same time. Horror fans, gamers and casual or occasional readers of comic like me will appreciate this collection. This isn’t your mother’s Wonderland .

5 Artistically creepy sheep!

SS (heavily edited by BAK)