Customer Reviews

Enter The Matrix

5 star:		(125)
4 star:		(84)
3 star:		(41)
2 star:		(35)
1 star:		(33)

 

 

Let me start by saying that I'm a huge fan of the Matrix. I grew up on Philip K. Dick novels, and the whole Matrix concept is one I've always loved. I thought the movie's plot, characters and special effects were great. Also, I'm a big fan of Splinter Cell and played it many times. I've always loved the Bond style games where you work your way through a level, finding objectives and taking out the bad guys.

So while I really, really wanted to be blown away by Enter the Matrix, I just wasn't. It was a GOOD game, but not nearly as good as it should have been - not nearly as good as many other games that are out right now. I almost wonder if they rushed the game into production to match the timing of the movie, instead of finishing up some much-needed polishing.

First, the good parts. It was directed by the Wachowski brothers and features the quite talented actors and actresses from the movies. It really ties in to the movie and sort of 'immerses' you in the experience. So that is quite neat. They do have Matrix-time "focus", much like in Dead to Rights, where you can temporarily slow time and do cool moves. Just like in Dead to Rights, it seems cool at first and is hardly used in actual gameplay.

Gameplay is intriguing. You're given general objectives but then have to figure out how to get to them. So you're not exactly led by the nose. There are sometimes big rooms with lots of directions, lots of offices, lots of choices. Still, the game is about getting from Point A to Point B. I definitely miss Vice City's free-roam ability.

I was pretty disappointed by the graphics. There are many other games out right now with truly STELLAR graphics, and this isn't one of them. Objects vanish from the screen. The rendering just isn't very good, compared to other games we play quite a bit. The physics models are a bit bizarre. People slide like hockey pucks across the floor. You can leap on some things but not on others, apparently at random.

The sound has serious issues. My brand new CD right from the store started double-talking almost immediately in several scenes. Also, one of the hallmarks of a great game is that the sound is context sensitive - quiet and brooding at times, thundering at the exciting parts. But this game is ALWAYS thundering. It gets very monotonous after a while and completely destroys the atmosphere.

The load time is incredibly long, and many missions are incredibly short. There are times that you almost load longer than you get to play that mission area! With the instant-reheal-totally, the instant-restart-10-seconds-ago and the lack of challenging enemies to fight, most of the game is a cakewalk.

Add to that the quite annoying aspect that there are times that a door won't open until you kill all enemies in the room. So you go around and check the doors, but you have to slay everyone there before the "special door" will open up. Yes, some games use that technique. But this game in general is supposed to be a realistic adventure. In realistic adventures, doors don't sense when all enemies are dead and then spring open.

AI, one of THE most important parts of any game, is spotty at best. Sometimes the guards hide behind cover. Sometimes they stand in the open when cover is right next door. I've had cases where a guard stood pointing a gun at a door even though I was right behind him, pounding the stuffing out of 2 of his friends. He didn't even turn around until I bashed him in the head.

And finally, the camera is just plain annoying. Every friend I've had try this game says the same thing. They all play tons of adventure and action games. Somehow this game just does a bad job with positioning the camera anywhere useful.

The game really had a great deal of potential and I think with another month or two in QA testing it could have shone. But there are many, many areas that appear to have gotten through in a "good enough" state instead of a "ready for prime time" state.

Yes, I'll play the game. And yes, I'll see the movies many, many times and talk about them endlessly with my programmer / hacker friends. But I do feel let down that with all of the money and talent available to the Wachowski brothers, they didn't give this game the attention it merited. They focussed on the MOVIE aspect of the game, but not the GAME aspect.

I purchased this game the day it came out and it has serious issues due to rushing the game for release to coincide with the movie. The game voices echo. The game freezes 5 levels in and background disappear!! This game wasn't even beta tested for PS2! EVERY copy I exchanged it for did the same thing and I'm NOT alone. I was lucky enough to get my money back. Atari and Sony know of this problem and offer no resolution presently. I'd LOVE to have this game ONLY if all problems are corrected! BEWARE. If you don't believe me, rent it and see if the game doesn't freeze as Niobi approaches the plane in the "Catching a Plane" level. The screen attempts to load then goes black.. FOREVER. Thank you kindly for your time and patience.

Let me start by saying that I did not purchase this game, but I rented it for five days. In that span of time, playing maybe one to two hours a day, I finished every nook and cranny of the game. There are several elements that are both very intriguing and utterly laughable. To understand what I mean, let's break down the various aspects.

Graphics: While the Full Motion Video (FMV) is quite pretty, the rest of the game suffers from flicker and choppiness. There's nothing more annoying then trying to block a punch and having chop move the character animation faster than your fingers. While the world of the Matrix is recreated very nicely, there are places in the game that appear flat and lifeless. Still, the look is pretty well done, so 8/10.

Sound: The music, the sounds, the voices. All are recreated quite well from the movie, which is lends authenticity. However, in certain areas, like escaping the Post Office, the sound of crackling fire can become annoying after a while. But, since the sounds are so faithful: 9/10.

Controls: I have a little gripe here. While most of the controls are intuitive, there are moments where several enemies surround you and the default controls mean your fingers have to bend in almost yoga-like positions to stay alive. 6/10.

Overall: This game has great replay value as you get (almost) different stories with the two characters. Lonely fanboys will enjoy the girl on girl kiss during Niobe's section (think about the film with Persephone and you'll understand), and some diehard fans will be upset at how the game truly mirrors the film's plot (rescuing the Keymaker...twice?) Still the preview of the third film at the end of the game is better than the one after the film. While the game has a good script and some fun moments, it does suffer from its control scheme and choppiness. I would call it a solid renter.

I keep seeing honest reviews on this site and then within an hour someone goes and gives a 5 star review which incidentally focuses on all of the same attributes that the press release focuses on. I for one, find this suspect. What gamers really put so much stock in the story? This is the kind of marketing hype that the publishers use to cover up weakness in the gameplay (remember Lost World). Great games are based on great gameplay and poor controls and a camera that goes through walls are not the makings of great gameplay. Has Atari P.R. hired people to spike this punch?

This game is terribly fun. I love the matrix-like combat and the general play of the game. The thing that keeps this game from being 5 stars is that there are a few annoyances about it:
1. the lighting is terrible - I have to play the game with the brightness allllllll the way up so I don't spend forever walking by the door I need. No point to hiding a door in the shadows if you are told in your objective were it is, come on.
2. few bugs - the bugs I've ran into is when my character gets trapped inside a solid object. Like, I do a jump and boom! I am stuck in the half-wall. It is more of an annoyance than anything since the game does let you save often which is good.
3. camera angles are a bit off- hard to keep track of were everything is.
4. last bit of annoyance stems from bad lighting is there are these jumps and if you don't jump you'll die. Can't see the jumps do to the lighting so end up dying endlessly, however, due to the several save spots it balances out... but erm, fun game overall. I say it is worth buying just to kick some butt and do cool matrix type stuff.

It has always seemed strange to me that Japan dominates the video game market, both commercially and creatively. All of the major companies originate in the Land of the Rising Sun. Completing a game rewards the player with (usually) a visual feast and (without exception) a credits roster filled with Japanese names. Now, I'm sure there are several great games that I don't know about, born and nurtured here in the great 48, but it is a fact that although Americans consume a vast amount of this sort of digital entertainment, we actually produce very little of it.

I write this because one of the most hyped and anticipated games of 2003, Enter the Matrix, was developed primarily by an American software company, Shiny Entertainment, and the end result is, well, quite dismal...for the most part. The game has sold in the excess of 2.5 million copies as I write this; yet the popularity stems more from its connection to a certain film franchise than anything exceptional about the actual product.

Actually, I take that back. In couple ways, Enter the Matrix is a visionary, unprecedented first for video games. The Wachoski bros. filmed an hour's worth of story exclusively for the in-game cinematics, and these really are the game's shining point, revealing background information for The Matrix Reloaded and, in some places, adding substantial character development for the "lesser" players of the story. Enter the Matrix also contains an interesting `hacking' feature, where one can tap into the fundamentals of the game, change stats, watch movies, unlock multi-player ability, etc.

But as for the actual game itself...well...

PROS:
1) Focus/Bullet Time Fighting: A very cool technique where one can "slow" the action down and gain an edge. The one (and only) feature of the game that is smooth and enjoyable.

2) Additional story for Reloaded, a movie I personally loved & watched three times in the theater. The FMVs are of the same caliber as the movie, though with a lot more talking and a lot less action, with two notable exceptions (Seraph and the Ending trailer).

3) Decent Voice Acting and a nice soundtrack, being a mix of Don Davis' compositions and current breakbeat artists like Hybrid, Crystal Method, Rob Dougan.

CONS:

1) Poor Graphics. Comparisons to the PS1 are not far off, and given this game's budget, it is astonishing how cheap and rushed they sometimes look. The characters are blocky, move like robots and, overall, are poorly rendered as opposed to their real-life counterparts. The background details are flat and uninteresting (the "weapons" in the great hall, a toy-like plane, etc.) and the in-game cutscenes are downright embarrassing-good camera angles, weak visual representation.

2) Poor Gameplay. This is the real sticking point for me. Of the entire game, I only *enjoyed* playing one level, the Chateau. The fight levels tend to be overly long and repetitive (airport, post office, sewers), and the objectives for the missions range from dull (get from point A to point B) to thematically stupid ("rescue" companions like Ballard, who later takes on Seraph without much difficulty). Driving and Sniper sections are exercises in frustration, due to the unbelievably awkward play controls.

3) Loading times. Why? It's not as if this game is breaking new ground (or even pushing the envelope) in terms of graphic density, level length, and so forth. The rumor of some missions being shorter than the actual load times is correct!

Overall, Enter the Matrix is a tremendous disappointment. Given the opportunity the story of the Matrix presents, there could have been so much more than the half-baked result. My suggestion: rent and record the movies, and wait for the upcoming games, which will (hopefully) improve upon this "demo" effort.

I purchased this game the day it came out and I can tell you that it is amazing!! The new look hand-to-hand combat styles are awesome as well as the armory of weapons and moves you cna do with the focus button. Oh and boy is that focus button great ~ you can pull moves like in the movie (doding bullets, super jumps, walking on walls, and MORE)..This is the game to get if you really enjoy video games and you enjoy the matrix..and even if you don't like the matrix, this game will turn you on to its story!

At first, I was apprehensive of playing this title. Most of the time, games based from movies, TV shows, and cartoons are nowhere near the same calibre as that of originals. They're just a way for the companies that franchise the name to make a quick buck. But that all changed when I got behind the controller and entered the Matrix....

Enter the Matrix features some of the best animated martial arts I've seen in a game. The real-life mapping of the moves leaves you laughing in astonishment as your characters punch, kick, and flip enemies with incredible accuracy. The game also features a slew of guns, from pistols, to submachineguns, even sniper rifles and grenades, all used to dispatch your foes. Plus, it features a gauge similar to that of Max Payne's "Bullet Time" where you can slow the action down to dodge gunfire and perform even more stunning hand-to-hand combat moves on your opponents.

Rent this game if you can. It will definitly be worth your time to check it out. And, if you're happy there, go ahead and buy it!

I don't usually write reviews, but I was so shocked by the number of people who wrote this game was and I quote, "THE BEST GAME EVER!", I just couldn't resist my urge to write. Hey, guys, don't waste your precious time to trick people to buy this game please. Yea, maybe if you are so in love with the movie that you memorize every single line(Hey, I love the movie too), or if you like to be entertained by a few oohs and ahhs flash moves, I wouldn't stop you from getting the game. Thinking back about the game just irritates me again, so I'll just end with pros and cons of the game. Finally, I apologize for such a negativity, but hope it's justified.^^

PROS:
*GIVES YOU BACK STORY FOR NIOBE AND GHOST ACTED BY REAL ACTORS(BTW, ALYIAH WOULD'VE BEEN SO LOVABLE FOR NIOBE!) AND 5 MIN TRAILOR OF FINAL MATRIX MOVIE
*FLASH MOVES (DODGING BULLETS, ETC.)YEA THIS IS COOL AT LEAST FOR FEW MINUTES OF THE GAME

CONS:
*WHAT'S WITH SO MANY SAVES?(PS2) IT HAPPENS WITH ALMOST EVERY 10 MINS
*ATARI IS KNOWN FOR SQUARE LOOKING GRAPHICS, BUT CLOSE UPS WITH GHOST AND ESPECIALLY NIOBE IS JUST FLAT OUT UGLY, AND IT DOESN'T MEAN OTHER GRAPHICS LOOK DENDY EITHER
*TUNNEL STAGE IS TOO LONG AND TOO DARK, I COULDN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE ENEMY FROM THE WALL UNTIL THEY STARTED SHOOTING
*FINISHED THE GAME IN 4 HOURS.(PRETTY SURE SOME FINISHED EARLIER)
*SO MANY WEAPONS, YOU COULD FINISH THE GAME WITH 2
*LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST, CAR CHASE AND THE FINAL STAGE AGAINST DESTROYERS ARE GOING TO REMIND YOU OF 80'S NINTENDO SHOOTING GAME. GUESS SOMETIMES IT'S NICE TO BRING BACK OLD MEMORIES....

Finally, those whom said this game is "THE BEST GAME EVER", I'll give you 3 games:
Metal Gear, Splinter Cell, and GTA Vice City.
Hope you haven't played these games.^^

When Enter the Matrix came out alongside the Matrix Reloaded, it got caught up in all the disappointment surrounding the movie sequel, and was bombarded with negative reviews from critics. Well, neither the two movie sequels nor the game deserve all of the criticism they often get, and, at a low price, Enter the Matrix warrants a purhase.
You play as either Ghost or Niobe, (two comparitively minor characters from Reloaded and Revolutions), through a story that begins before Reloaded, and weaves in and out of it, ending at the start of Revolutions. Through exclusive movie cut scenes, (which the Wachowski brothers wrote and filmed with all the real actors exclusively for this game - you won't find many of them anywhere else) some of the events in Reloaded are better explained.
As for the gameplay, it is played from a third-person perspective, and is generally quite fun. At worst, it is an average third-person shooter/beat 'em-up. At best, you ARE playing the Matrix films. Combat is divided up between shooting enemies with a handful of weapons, and hand-to-hand martial arts combat, just like the three films. By using Focus, (slow-mo, "bullet time") many more fancier moves become available. Dive in to a gun fight, propel off a nearby wall into a kick to the head, and of course, run along walls, and jump off guns blazing. Press against corners, and jump out to fire off a shot or two - the combat is generally fun, but the gunplay gets boring pretty quickly. Hand-to-hand combat is awesome though, and the animation is top-notch. During martial arts confrontations the camera will swing around to your side for a more cinematic feel, and rotate a bit like the fight scenes in the movies, but it won't interfere with the combat, since it's really just a button masher at its heart. Fun though, and true to the spirit of the films. Still, many of the moves, like hanging from pipes by your legs to shoot enemies below, will only be used once, if at all.
Also, occasionally you will run in to some glitches, and might even need to reset the game. Once it froze during a loading screen, and once my character got permanently stuck beneath the floor of an elevator I was supposed to be in. Annoying? Sure. But the glitches won't ruin your overall experience.
The graphics aren't anything special, but they certainly aren't horrible. Some of the in-game cinematics (the ones that use the in-game graphic's engine) look awful, but some of them look picture perfect.
What Enter the Matrix does best, however, is that it truly feels like the movies. Right down to the details. The green tint on all levels within the Matrix; the way pillars crumble when shot, and characters interact with the environment (throw a character in to a book shelf, and books will come tumbling out); the music, taken directly from the films, the costumes, and lighting; even the fitting (although boring) cheat system: computer hacking. Everything comes together to make this a very believable Matrix experience.
Some levels are far too short, and some aren't really fun at all, such as the sewer levels, but all in all, this is pretty much waht you'd expect from a game based on the Matrix.