American McGee announces next 'twisted tale' project after Grimm

by Jason Dobson { Feb 4th 2008 at 10:25AM }

We're not sure what it is about American McGee that makes him so fascinated about putting dark spins on Western tales. The former id Software developer and Electronic Arts' consultant found his niche in 2000 with Alice, though since that release he's done little to make us believe that his name slapped on the front of a game's box carries any more weight than the UPC code on the back.

His latest project is a morose 24-episode take on the Brothers Grimm in development at McGee's Shanghai studio Spicy Horse, a project that according to a blog post by McGee is halfway completed. Excited, the developer has let the proverbial cat out of the equally proverbial bag by confirming work on another project. While details are light, McGee writes that the game will be built on Epic's UE3 engine, and is a "big publisher, multi-platform, twisted tale project." This of course makes us think that McGee will once again be paying a visit to the children's section of the local library in search of inspiration. Might we suggest Winnie the Pooh, as nothing is quite as frighting as a vicious bear that's rumbly in his tumbly.

[via Gamasutra]

Tags: alice, american mcgee, AmericanMcgee, grimm, ue3, unreal engine 3, UnrealEngine3

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Moofree @ Feb 4th 2008 10:40AM

American McGee presents: Into the Woods.

Geist @ Feb 4th 2008 10:42AM

Oh crazy McGee. Alice was fun. Grimm could be fun, considering how crazy and twisted the tales are in the first place, but just don't screw it up, alright?

Intentless @ Feb 4th 2008 10:47AM

That would be interesting to have nightmares of "I've got a rumbly in my tumbly"

Jerk Face @ Feb 4th 2008 10:51AM

I can't believe that guy's name is actually American McGee. I mean, I really thought it was just kind of a stage name.. but nope. Wow. Just, wow.

PsionicMonkey @ Feb 4th 2008 10:55AM

Oh my God, I would love a game like that. If McGee did it, it'd be a near-emo teenage Christopher Robin returning to the Hundred Acre Wood to find it all dystopian and depressing. Winnie the Pooh has gone on a murderous rampage ("Rumbly in my rumbly" indeed), Piglet is a masochist (and probably the guide in the game), Tigger is a homicidal retarded lunatic from banging his head too often, and Rabbit is a gun-toting recluse in a fortified hole protecting his stockpiles of "Hunny" for the coming Poohgeddon.

Intentless @ Feb 4th 2008 11:02AM

Bravo spot on pretty much what I had in mind too!

paragraph @ Feb 4th 2008 11:01AM

American McGee Presents: The Little Engine that Could
American McGee Presents: Where's Waldo
American McGee Presents: Pat the Bunny
American McGee Presents: Baby Eienstien

:D

I like that last one...

Anyways, i like the idea, I read some of the Grimm books... they were pretty twisted... and i like the idea of a horror game bieng made based on them...

but when i saw the whole 24 games thing... i really don't want to see a Wii Version with Minigames... anything but that.... THAT WOULD BE SO FRIGGIN SCARY!

.>

Anywho...

Marty @ Feb 4th 2008 11:17AM

Haha, that Baby Einstein thing cracked me up.

ThornedVenom @ Feb 4th 2008 11:33PM

American McGee: Dr. Tran

FROM AMERICA!

wyrdtoo @ Feb 4th 2008 12:26PM

It might be worth pointing out that neither "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" nor "Grimm's Fairy Tales" are actually children's stories in the sense of Winnie the Pooh, Bob the Builder or any of the franchises mentioned in comments.

Alice in Wonderland was a tale told to frighten little girls into behaving very prim and proper - not to think for themselves or act any other way, except the way that was expected of them by adults. It includes psychotropic drug imagery (hookah-smoking caterpillar; a mushroom that makes Alice grow or shrink) and personalities depicted as psychotic and neurotic.

Grimm's Fairy Tales were written by two adult brothers who had no interest in entertaining children. When the books were published, public and critical outcry about their sexuality, violence and lack of moral standards led them to revise the stories to be more "child-friendly". But even the revised stories are widely considered inappropriate for children below a certain age.

Most people who are familiar with the "twisted tales" genre understand that the stories are intended for teens and adults more than children; children just find the surface story and imagery interesting, but rarely follow the complex underpinnings of the stories or understand the innuendo and metaphor used throughout.

Modern examples of these more adult-oriented fairy tales are Guillermo Del Toro's "Pan's Labyrinth" (which could make a fascinating American McGee game) or even Ray Bradbury's "Something Wicked This Way Comes".

rytron @ Feb 4th 2008 1:06PM

I'm further convinced that John Romero is just American McGee wearing a Spinal Tap wig.

whiny bitch @ Feb 4th 2008 1:09PM

He's not putting dark spins on Western tales. He's making game versions of Western tales that already have a dark spin on them.

Garold @ Feb 4th 2008 2:11PM

"Might we suggest Winnie the Pooh, as nothing is quite as frighting as a vicious bear that's rumbly in his tumbly."

Nothing??

Heffalumps and Woozles... Heffalumps and Woozles!

Todd @ Feb 4th 2008 2:42PM

I would love to play a game where a murderous Winnie (blood smeared face and claws) is focused on quieting the rumbly tumbly by devouring people (such as the player).

Synner @ Feb 4th 2008 3:03PM

American Magee is almost as full of "meh" as John Romero.

Why website and magazine editors act like these 2 self absorbed fucktards shit platinum selling games is beyond me.

Hate to tell you john, American, and Fatl1ty, but your name on the box adds dick all to the value of the product contained therein and only makes you look like a douche.