Enter
the Matrix
Created
by
Shiny
Entertainment \ Infogrames \ Atari
Order
Today!
GameCube
Version Review: by Paul Martin (Specter)
The Controls
Playing the game with Niobe was the first
way I played. As most games do, the controls for this game
took me a little while to get the hang of. Once I got them
down, I started to really have fun. I was transported into
the world of the Matrix, and doing things that I've never
done in a video game before. I was running on walls (well,
I've done that before) and dodging bullets (did that in Contra
for the NES). I guess I did do that stuff before. But this
time was different. This time it was in the Matrix. It was
really fun and exhilirating to play in this world. The GameCube's
controller, like a glove, bringing me into a zone where I
felt complete control of my character.
Level Design
Going through the levels, sometimes labrynth
like, and confusing, and sometimes very easy, like the level
JUST before you run into Persephone (level starts, take two
steps to a door, end). Some levels are much too short, others
are too confusing. Some are very fun though. The problem lies
in the fact that they are very uneven. Playing on "easy"
can be incredibly difficult sometimes, also. Some of the levels
have objectives that they don't tell you about, and most end
very abruptly.
Story
The story was very well done, but Seraph's
appearences as well as Persephone's were almost too similar
to the movie. It's okay though, because the rest of it fills
in much of the background with these characters. Look for
Smith's appearence. It's the funniest thing that Smith has
done yet, and is a classic scene that I wish more people would
get the opportunity to see. Ghost has some pretty big surprises
in store as well.
Hacking
Hacking, although hard without a keyboard,
was very fun. I worked my way through and got everything possible,
with and without the help of users of this forum. It was fun
to do, and using the Sword that I unlocked was cool.
Fighting
Fighting was fun, slow motion Martial Arts
has some awesome visuals, and really smooth. The animations
and combos, however, became very repetitive after the 50th
time. I figured out more combos, but even those were very
similar. Staking the Vampires had about two animations that
I saw over and over, and the sword also had two animations.
These were for the final blows though.
Replay Value
Well, I still have Super Mario Sunshine and
Metroid Prime to beat, so since finishing Enter the Matrix,
I've been playing Mario, but I have also been busy with a
lot of other things, so I haven't been through the game again.
Characters
Sparks: Awesome! This guy is one cool Operator.
He reminded me, the most, of Tank. He rocked and I hope to
see him more in Revolutions this November. (Post
note: Wish we had..)
Ghost: Cool guy, said some very deep things,
and is a very shocking character. Has some very cool levels
that are distinctly different from Niobe's.
Niobe: She's alright. Fun to use, not as shocking
or thought provoking as Ghost, but still a good character,
none the less.
Overall
A fun-filled game that gives you the feeling
of actually being in the world of the Matrix. A complement
to the Matrix Reloaded, and has some great environments to
play in. The adrenaline really gets pumping in some of the
levels, like the time I was in the car chase, driving up to
try to catch up to Morpheus, and I was at 1% of my health,
and I made it just in time, and my friends and I cheered.
And then remembered to breathe.
I recommend this game to Matrix fans as an
addition to the whole experience that is The Matrix. While
a few more months of play-testing and a few revisions could
have helped greatly, it was still fun to play.
Game Play: 3.5 out of 5
Matrix Story: 4.5 out of 5
The
Matrix Online
Created
by Monolith
Release
Date:
2004 |