Alice Liddell isn't okay. If you’ve spent five minutes in the grey, soot-choked streets of Victorian London or the vibrant, decaying vistas of Wonderland, you already know that. Playing through this game feels like stepping into a fever dream where the rules change every time you think you’ve got a handle on things. This Alice Madness Returns walkthrough isn't just about showing you where the Pig Snouts are hidden or how to beat a Menacing Ruin; it’s about navigating the psychological wreckage of a girl who might be the most unreliable narrator in gaming history. Honestly, it’s a miracle this game even exists, considering the development hell it survived back in 2011.
The Victorian London Reality Check
Every chapter starts in London. It’s bleak. It’s slow. You can’t jump or fight here because Alice is "sane" and restricted by the stifling reality of her trauma. Pay attention to the NPCs. They aren't just background noise; they provide the breadcrumbs for the mystery of the Liddell house fire. When you’re walking through these segments, don't rush. You’re looking for Dr. Bumby or following a lead that inevitably ends with Alice collapsing back into her own mind. It’s a jarring transition. One minute you’re in a dirty alleyway, and the next, you’re floating through the Vale of Tears.
The contrast is the point. If you find the London segments boring, you're actually feeling exactly what Alice feels. She hates it there. Wonderland is where the "real" action happens, even if it is just a manifestation of her crumbling psyche.
Mastering the Basics of the Vorpal Blade
Combat in this game is rhythmic. It’s a dance. You’ve got your Vorpal Blade for quick slashes and your Pepper Grinder for ranged attacks. Don't sleep on the Hobby Horse, though. It’s slow, yeah, but it breaks shields. Most players get frustrated because they try to button-mash their way through a group of Insidious Ruins. Don't do that. You will die.
Instead, use your dodge. Alice dissolves into a cloud of butterflies, which is both gorgeous and functional. You get three dodges in a row before there’s a slight cooldown. Use them to get behind enemies. The Teapot Cannon is your best friend for crowd control later on, but early in the Alice Madness Returns walkthrough, you need to get comfortable with the parry mechanic. Using your umbrella to reflect projectiles back at the Bolterflies or the Menacing Ruin is the difference between finishing a level with full health and limping to the next checkpoint.
Chapter 1: The Vale of Tears and the Mad Hatter
The first area is a bait-and-switch. It looks like a fairytale at first. Bright greens, waterfalls of tea, giant mushrooms. But then you see the corruption—the oily, black sludge known as the Ruin.
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Finding the Pig Snouts
You’ll hear a literal oink. That’s your cue to shrink down. Shrinking is the most important mechanic for exploration. It reveals "Sense Memory," which is basically invisible platforms and neon graffiti on the walls telling you where to go. If you hear a pig and don't see it, look up. They are often tucked into rock crevices or floating behind waterfalls. Pepper-grind them to unlock baskets filled with teeth (your currency) or memories.
The Mad Hatter’s Domain
The Hatter isn't the villain here. He’s a victim of the March Hare and the Dormouse. You have to find his legs and arms. This section introduces the steam vents and the clockwork bombs. Pro tip: The Clockwork Bomb isn't just for blowing up walls. It’s a decoy. If you’re being swarmed, drop a bomb and run. The enemies will usually target the ticking rabbit instead of you. This is essential when you face the Eyepot. Hit its eye with the Pepper Grinder when it glows red, then move in for the kill with the blade.
Navigation and the Platforming Trap
Platforming is about 70% of this game. It’s floaty. Alice can triple jump and then glide. If you’re missing jumps, it’s probably because you aren't using the glide long enough. Wait until the peak of your third jump to start the hover.
Also, the camera can be your worst enemy. In the Deluded Depths (Chapter 2), the underwater physics—which aren't actually underwater, it’s just a visual filter—can mess with your depth perception. Look at Alice’s shadow on the floor. That’s your true position. If her shadow is on the platform, you’ll land on it.
Chapter 3: Oriental Grove and the Butterfly Power
This is arguably the most beautiful part of the game. It’s also where the difficulty spikes. You’ll meet the Samurai Wasps. They are fast, they block, and they have archers.
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- The Archer Wasps: Take them out first. Their arrows hurt and knock you off platforms.
- The Daiymo Wasp: He has a massive fan. You cannot hit him from the front when he’s guarding. Wait for him to lung, dodge, and then strike his back.
- Shrink Senses: In the puzzle sections where you have to find tiles, stay shrunk. It’s tempting to grow back to full size to move faster, but you’ll miss the hidden paths that lead to the "Radula Rooms."
Radula Rooms are the game’s challenge arenas. They are hosted by the Cheshire Cat. Some ask you to survive a timed fight, others are quizzes. Completing them gives you jars of paint. Collect four jars, and your health (roses) increases. You cannot skip these if you want to survive the late-game bosses.
Handling the Ruin: Enemy Variety
The Ruin comes in different flavors. The Slithering Ruin is just fodder. The Menacing Ruin is the one that causes resets. It has multiple arms and throws fireballs. The strategy? Break its guard with the Hobby Horse, then immediately switch to the Vorpal Blade for a 4-hit combo. If it starts glowing red, get out of there. It’s about to do an AOE (Area of Effect) burst that will drain three roses in one hit.
Then there’s the Colossal Ruin. It’s huge, it has multiple heads, and it breathes fire. Stay at a distance. Use the Teapot Cannon to chip away at its masks. When it’s stunned, that’s your window. If you try to go toe-to-toe with it, you’ll get crushed.
The Dollhouse: The Stuff of Nightmares
Chapter 5 is where the game goes full horror. The Dollhouse. It’s filled with decapitated doll parts and creepy porcelain enemies. The Bitch Babies are particularly annoying—flying doll heads that spit acid. Use the Pepper Grinder. Do not let them get close.
The most important part of a Alice Madness Returns walkthrough for this chapter is the puzzle blocks. You’ll have to move blocks onto pressure plates while dealing with waves of enemies. Use your Clockwork Bomb on one plate, then stand on the other. You have to be fast. If the bomb explodes before you reach the door, you have to start over. It’s about timing, not just strength.
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Hysteria Mode: Your Last Resort
When you’re down to your last rose, you can trigger Hysteria. Everything turns black and white, Alice looks terrifying, and you become invincible for a short period. Your damage output doubles.
Don't use it the second it becomes available. Wait. If you’re in a boss fight, save Hysteria for the final phase. It’s a "get out of jail free" card that can turn a losing battle into a win. Just remember that once it ends, you’re still at one rose. You need to find some breakable crates or kill small enemies immediately to get some health back.
Collectibles: Why Memories Matter
You’ll find floating items like combs, glasses, and jars. These are memories. They play audio clips from Alice’s past—her sister Lizzie, her parents, the nurse. If you’re playing for the story, these are mandatory. They fill in the massive gaps in the narrative.
A lot of players ignore them because they don't give "stats," but they give context. Without them, the ending of the game feels abrupt and confusing. They explain the relationship between Alice and Dr. Bumby, which is... dark. Much darker than the original Lewis Carroll books.
The Final Confrontation and the Infernal Train
The end of the game takes place on the Infernal Train. It’s a gauntlet. You’ll face waves of every enemy you’ve fought so far. Make sure your weapons are upgraded. By this point, you should have the Vorpal Blade and the Pepper Grinder at level 4.
The final boss isn't a traditional fight. It’s more of a platforming and reflex test. Without spoiling the identity of the Dollmaker, just know that you need to focus on the hands. Use the Teapot Cannon for heavy damage and the Pepper Grinder to keep the smaller "creepy-crawlies" off your back.
Actionable Steps for Your Playthrough:
- Upgrade Order: Focus on the Vorpal Blade first for damage, then the Pepper Grinder for range. The Hobby Horse and Teapot Cannon are secondary but necessary for shields.
- Search Every Corner: Use the Shrink ability constantly. Not just for hidden paths, but for the "invisible" hints left by the Cheshire Cat.
- Teeth Farming: Don't buy every upgrade the moment you have enough teeth. Save up for the level 4 Vorpal Blade as soon as possible. It makes Chapter 4 and 5 significantly less punishing.
- Master the Umbrella: Practice the timing on the umbrella reflect in the first chapter. If you can't reflect, you will struggle against the Wasps and the Ruin later on.
- Memory Hunt: If the story feels disjointed, go back to the Chapter Select screen. It tells you exactly how many memories and snouts you've missed in each sub-section.
Alice's journey is a grim one. It's a game about trauma masked as a gothic action-platformer. It isn't perfect—the platforming can be janky and some levels drag on a bit too long—but there's nothing else quite like it. If you follow the rhythm of the combat and keep your eyes open for those hidden snouts, you’ll make it through Wonderland in one piece. Probably.