|
| |
 |
| Title |
Enter the Matrix |
6 |
| Publisher |
Atari |
| Developer |
Shiny Entertainment |
| Genre |
Action Adventure |
| Players |
1 |
| Version |
UK PAL |
Strong but flawed
|
Not content with creating a genre redefining blockbuster movie trilogy, a whole host of back story anime shorts and a full CG prequel to their latest movie offering, Matrix Reloaded, the brothers Wachowski have set out to run rampant over the gaming industry. Making no secrets of the fact that they love video games, the Wachowskis are looking to make this new game offered by Atari into an integral part of the Matrix story, claiming that in order to get the full story you must watch the film as well as the game. For this game is unlike any other movie/game tie-in in that the story in the game intertwines directly with that of the movie?s. Not only that but there has been an extra hour of footage shot especially for the game and the action has been choreographed by Master Yuen Woo-Ping. With all these elements going for this game it?s hard to imagine anything but a fantastic offering. But how does it fair on the base level?
I know Kung Fu.
It?s no secret that in the case of movie games, all but one has pretty much stunk the place up, that exception being Goldeneye of course. But the majority of these games have been fairly direct ports of the storyline and action and because of that have been very restricted in what they can do. Since this game has been written and directed by the very same people who made the movies, it is open to quite a bit of freedom. For in this game you do not play the part of Neo, Trinity or Morpheus as one would expect from a game of a movie, but you take control of either Niobe or Ghost, two other rebels that are also in the films. The action mainly takes place from the third person perspective, but will also include driving and flying elements. Since these are rebels hacking into the Matrix you can of course take advantage of all the special moves that has previously been seen in the Matrix. This of course includes making use of a variety of guns, wall running/somersaults and Kung Fu. For while the game doesn?t really do anything new in terms of gameplay, it does aim to make the elements it does include more fun. For example there is no ammo in this game. Pick up a weapon, empty its clip then throw it away in true Matrix style. Don?t have any guns? Make use of the Kung Fu battling system that has been created for the game. With a multitude of motion captured kung fu moves choreographed by Master Woo-Ping this game is pretty accurate when it comes to it?s fighting. Upon getting into a fight, the camera will move to a more action oriented view (as opposed to the behind the head third person view that is seen at most times) in order to give a better feel to the moves. Tapping the punch and kick buttons will pull off a variety of moves or you can use throw to you opponents away. Each character has their own set of moves also so you will get a decisively different feel depending on the character you choose. However this combat system is fairly simplistic in its execution. It is extremely easy to dispatch many enemies surrounding you by simply button bashing your way to freedom. This however, is to play the game in a way that it was not meant to be played. To get the most out of the gameplay, effective use of ?bullet time? is required.
What is bullet time?
Put simply, bullet time is the effect used originally in The Matrix in which the action slows down to a snails pace and allows the camera to pull around and make use of all sorts of John Woo style moments. Bullet time has been used before in games, in particular Max Payne, but it is more accurately associated with The Matrix, so including this feature was imperative. The name of this feature is now known as ?focus? however and makes sense in terms of it?s use. When using focus, time will slow down and your character is able to perform a whole host of veritable visual delights. Per example, you could be faced by three soldiers with machine guns all firing directly at you. Holding down the focus button will allow you to launch yourself towards them in a dive, all the while shooting your dual mags. You manage to kill two of them and as you land you kick out the leg of the third sending him into the air where you punch him in the gut sending him backwards towards the far wall. However, before he reaches the wall you pull out your dual berettas and unload two clips into him. While this may sound crazy, it?s just one of the many ?Matrix? moments that you will encounter if you wish to do so. For while a lot of the gameplay aids in in accomplishing your tasks, it is really up to you in order to make it look cool. If you simply want to get through the game with a minimum of fuss and hassle, you can do so, but getting the most out of the game will require you to use your imagination combined with the system that is in place. It?s similar to Soul Calibur in that respect. Soul Calibur can be finished easily by simply hitting the vertical slash button continuously, bout doing so you are starving yourself of the pure joys that can be found in the game. The same is evident here, albeit in a lesser sense.
The Matrix is all around you.
In terms of storylines, this game does have one hell of a plot. Since it intertwines with the film, The Matrix Reloaded, you will see elements where you, as Niobe or Ghost, will play a moment that will also be in the film, although from a different perspective. Then, watching the film, you can see how it was your actions (theoretically speaking) that allowed that moment to take place. It is very true when they say that you need to play the game in order to get the full story of what happens in The Matrix Reloaded. This is a very nice element that adds a lot to the gameplay, as although you feel that at times the action can get fairly stale, the need to find out what happens next will keep you playing until the end. With over 30 minutes of new footage filmed for each character, playing through twice will wield different results and so in order to get the FULL story you will need to finish with both Niobe and Ghost. This isn?t as much of an arduous task as you may feel since their stories are pretty different, with only a few of the levels sharing the same experiences.
Graphically the game does not really raise any bars. While the main character Niobe is well crafted and graphically realised to a good level, her counterpart Ghost is fairly bland which mirrors itself on that of the enemies and the surroundings also. The Playstation 2 version suffers the most from this with its low processing power which results in some (extremely) bland textures. The motion captured actions also leave a little to be desired at times. While both Ghost and Niobe share the same animations for their basic movements, these movements don?t seem to fit Ghost as well as they do Niobe, resulting in some rather strange looking actions when performed with Ghost. His run for instance looks positively stupid. The Kung Fu also suffers a little in that it can feel rather stiff and lifeless, which is ironic considering they were captured from real life human being. But this is always the case with motion capturing which needs to be smoothed off and blended well in order to be successful, something I feel more time was needed on here. The graphics do the job, but for a visual treat like The Matrix, one would have expected more.
Sound wise the game shines in many areas. The Kung Fu sounds rather stylised to begin with, but you quickly warm to it?s pleasant chops and smacks as it relates well to the films? own. This again moves across to the music as, while there doesn?t appear to be any Rage Against the Machine here, we are treated to a score created by the same composer as the trilogy and this is very evident when action takes place. However while it is great to hear such attention put into the music, it can feel over the top at times when you hear full orchestral music that signifies major battles when you are simply running around an empty room, and that music will repeat and repeat.
It is clear that this game will sell millions. My review will hardly change anyone?s minds one way or the other if they have already decided to buy the game. It will remind you of other games of this nature (such as Max Payne) as it does borrow many elements from other games. Would this game be as good if it weren?t for the Matrix license and storylines? The simple fact is that it wouldn?t, but that is also the case with every Star Wars game that has ever been made and shouldn?t really be taken into account on whether or not to buy the game. It isn?t a long affair, but it is a worthwhile one if you decide to play the game how the games creators, the Wachowski brothers and Shiny Entertainment, intended. You won?t be blown away by anything here, but it is a must if you wish to engulf yourself in the storylines of the films, for you will only know the full story if you play this game through to the end. Due to it?s length and limited longevity it may be a good idea to rent it first and if you still haven?t finished it over that time then consider buying it.
Seth Powell |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
