Enter the Matrix

"For Matrix Lovers Only"

I tried to like this game, I really did. And on some levels, and at certain times, it manages to be a fun game. But overall, I consider it a failure. Let's go into why.

While not as important as gameplay, graphics are important in any game, possibly moreso in this game due to the fact that the Matrix universe relies on a heavily developed sense of style. The graphics manage to be good most of the time, although there are times when they just look bland and lifeless (most of this is due to sub-par texturing work in some areas, the 3D models, however, are excellent). The occasional lack of graphical luster would be fine except for the fact that the game is a major performance hog, and chugs at times even on the best of systems. Graphics this simplistic should NOT require so much horsepower. I am beginning to think I'll be able to run Doom 3 at a higher speed when it comes out, and that's saying a lot. Also, be prepared for lots of small little graphical glitches, from flickering / clipping in cutscenes, to occasional texture corruption (even post-patch and with many of the supposed 'fixes' applied).

Onto gameplay, the meat of the game. This is the part that will both have you clapping in joy and shaking your fist at the screen angrily. Never before have I seen such a mixed bag of gameplay in my life. On one hand, doing stylish flips and acrobatic dives as you fire bullets looks and feels awesome, on another hand, the controls are very touchy and imprecise. Mouse sensitivity is jerky, and even at the highest levels, turning left and right is a lot slower than it should be. It's also unclear as how to do a lot of moves without extensive practice -- the game gives you little 'tips' as you go through the game but most of them seem written for the console versions and don't adequately explain how to do them in the PC version -- the PC controls seem to be a good deal different than the console version, such as the left mouse button being bound to both firing guns AND punching (which can lead to some confusion when trying to do certain special moves).

As far as gameplay variety goes, nothing is revolutionary. Most of it involves you running around in third person with guns out or beating people up with your martial arts skills. Other than that, there's a few GTA-wannabe driving levels and a hovercraft level, but they're pretty bland and uninspired.

The hand to hand fighting looks nice most of the time, but also involves a lot of random bugginess, with animations and otherwise -- such as knocking a SWAT member down and then when he's still falling to the ground, you can kick him and he'll suddenly pop back up to full standing position and get hit by the kick. While there is an interesting variety of hand to hand attacks you can do, you'll usually find yourself doing the same two or three ones over and over, as they're most effective. You must also beware of the evil, temperamental camera which can cause you to get shot unnecessarily because you can't see where you're going or what you're doing a lot of the time. Like Max Payne (which essentially ripped off Matrix's 'bullet time', among other things), you can 'focus' at will. When doing this, the game stylishly slows down and you can do spectacular dives, flips, and, of course, the infamous wall run. You will also be a good deal more accurate with guns and thrown weapons, and you'll be able to do a few more martial arts moves you wouldn't be able to normally. This 'focus' feature saves the game from absolute mediocrity and makes it relatively fun to play most of the time, although if you've ever played Max Payne it really won't be anything new.

So I'm guessing this is kinda beginning to sound like a pretty mediocre game, right? While it certainly can be trying at times, it has a lot going for it, especially for fans of the Matrix story and universe. In-game cutscenes are animated and voiced well, if not a little quietly, and there's a few filmed segments in DivX that're on par with the film and give you some nice insight into some of the mysteries and inner workings of the Matrix universe.

So should you play this game? If you're just an average gamer looking for something new to play, probably not. If you must play it, rent it first to see if you like it.

If you're a hardcore Matrix fan and game player, then by all means get it, as you will probably enjoy it overall. Just be prepared for lots of annoying moments (cheap deaths, jumping puzzles, unclear objectives, annoying boss battles, too few opportunities to save, et cetera).

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 05/28/03, Updated 05/28/03