Enter the Matrix

"Try Before You Buy, And Then Don't Buy."

Hype. Hype. Hype. This word is what kills you more than the Agents do, if you have had any high hopes about what this game is going to be I am very sorry for you. The opening cinematic is one of the most exciting parts of the game. In fact the cinematics are the only good thing about this game in my opinion. If it wasn't for a story that so seamlessly is paralled with Reloaded this game would have been boxed up and sent back with a huge customer dissatisfaction!

Graphics 3/10

The biggest letdown in this game is the graphics. The makes touted a fully immersive world and yet the graphics make is so unrealistic it's not even fun. I punched the candy machine and the Powerade machine broke down. It's not that a game should be entirely based on graphics it just takes away from the Matrix feeling of the game.
Ghost and Niobe both have jagged movements and when climbing a ladder it looks as though they.... actually there is no comparison for what they look like. The Bullet Time and the Focus features are nice but wear thing after it takes ten times to get onto the wall and run along it for 3 seconds!!!! The Agents are one of my biggest complaints, they don't have the fear that they have in the movie. When you see them the face is so uncharacteristic it takes the enjoyment out of it, with today's technology we could have had a much more enjoyable expierience graphics wise.

Story 7/10

The saving Grace of this game is the story. If you have seen Reloaded and thing Niobe and Ghost get the shaft then you will be in Heaven (story-wise), if you love the Matrix than you will be in Heaven (story-wise), and if you just want an action game and you think the Matrix is a math term you will still be in Heaven (story-wise). There isn't much else to say except that if you're willing to go through a lot of nonsense to get a good story go for it, I think this is probably one of the only parts the Wachowski brothers really had a say in.

Gameplay 2/10

Focus. Focus. Focus. A game should not be based on it's special effects, and yet ETM is. They boasted over 4000 kung-fu moves, but they don't say:'' these moves are jagged, disjointed, and it deterorates into a button mashing game.'' The controls are smooth I will say that, until you get in combat and it feels like if you press two buttons you set off this display of attacks that are just there to look good. The missions are very bland, you can beat many of them first try under 7 minuets. Then you are treated to an oppurtunity to save coupled with a long loading time making the entire level seem disjointed and you lose the motivation to complete your goal. Also, Ghost and Niobe talk on their cell phones more than teenage girls adding to the cut up feel of the levels. The driving levels are very fun until the computer (if you are Ghost) starts with this craptacular driving that makes you shake your head in disgust. The Logos missions are fun, but they could have been a little more varied. So the Matrix feel is there with just the Focus moves until of course you can't do anythign ebcause your character is not interacting well with the environment. Oh, and as i said above. The immersive world you were promised stinks, bad. In the opening lobby you can shoot up the pillars like the scene from Matrix 1, until you run out of ammo for the lack of it which is a problem throughout the game. The difficulty is inconsistant as at anytime you can stand around until your health is up to 100% (did anyone see that in any Matrix movie?) and then at other times your surrounded by guards dead in 3 seconds because you can't do anything.

Overall Enter the Matrix deserves a trial run from you local Blockbuster and then only for the story. I wouldn't advise the purvhase of this game as too many qualities take away from the fun of this game. It had potention until Hype. Hype. Hype. Transmission ended 5/23/03 12:39:57

Reviewer's Score: 3/10, Originally Posted: 05/23/03, Updated 05/23/03