Developer(s) – Shiny Entertainment
Publisher(s) – Infogrames
Director(s) – The Wachowski Brothers
Designer(s) – David Perry
ELSPA – 15+
Set during the event of the second film The Matrix Reloaded and directed by the film’s original directors, Enter The Matrix was released to mixed critical reception. But performed very well commercially at the time. Personally, this is one of those games that to me is extremely enjoyable to play. Yet gamers and critics seem to hate it for unjustified reasons. A lot of critics at the time commented that both the game and the film were devalued as a result of the release of the game. But I disagree. I enjoyed the film and the game in equal measure and I still do.
Graphics – 9/10
On a technical level, the visuals were cutting the edge at the time. And they more than adequately hold up to this day in comparison with any other sixth-generation titles. There is an odd graphical glitch here and there to prevent it from receiving a perfect score for visuals. But they are few and far between. The best port of the game in terms of this would be the Xbox version. In terms of conceptual design, it’s exactly what people who have watched the films can expect. It’s dark and gritty. And takes place in many locations that are in the film itself. As well as a few new locations added for good measure.
Gameplay – 7/10
Enter The Matrix is a third-person action adventure that’s heavy on hand-to-hand combat as well as gunplay. If I would have to compare it to any other game, it would most like be Max Payne. As it plays out quite similarly to the former. Again, it’s exactly the kind of game that people familiar with the films can come to expect in terms of gameplay as well. Players can instigate slow motion to their advantage similar to how the film is shot and they have a variety of different weapons and combat abilities at their disposal throughout. There are also car-chasing sequences whereby players either have to control the car or shoot from the window to fend off enemies. Depending on which character they are playing as. There are two-story arcs to experience within the game. This gives it a fair amount of replay value in addition.
Controls – 8/10
The biggest issue with the Controls in terms of the targeting system. It’s supposed to work in a similar fashion to Ocarina of Time. But as it’s meant to be instigated automatically, it can cause issues with things like hit detection. But otherwise, the control scheme is handled as well as what was needed. I certainly didn’t have as much of a hard time as many other gamers and critics seemed to have.
Lifespan – 5.5/10
Enter The Matrix can be made to last about 6 and a half hours, which for a linear action game isn’t too bad. If compared to Max Payne in this respect, it falls short, as the former could be made to last around 20 hours. But for those looking to experience this game in full, there is plenty to do to keep things entertaining throughout. It didn’t perpetuate the standards that were met at the time in terms of Lifespan compared to many other games released back then. But it’s not as painfully short as many other games would in years to come either.
Storyline – 8/10
The story takes place during the events of The Matrix Reloaded but is told from the perspective of a member of the ship The Logos, led by Captain Niobe. She, along with her partner Ghost and their operator Sparks, are tasked with various missions in order to help Neo fulfill his destiny. And bring about the end of the war between man and machine. The story is well written to the point that it feels almost like one massive deleted scene from the Matrix Reloaded. Jada Pinkett-Smith gives a solid performance as Niobe and the plot fits in nicely with the events of the second film. It all ties in to make for what is a very cinematic experience without it feeling too cinematic, like in many other games.
Originality – 8/10
In terms of uniqueness, it’s exactly what fans of the film come to expect in every respect, but the gameplay, despite the gripes that people may have with it, was enjoyable to a great enough extent and still remains so in my opinion. The combat system, though somewhat flawed, was unlike anything I’d seen prior to playing it. It stands out as a licensed game that was of a decent standard before the general standard of licensed games would be elevated with the release of Batman: Arkham Asylum in 2009, and in my opinion, very unfairly overlooked.
Happii
Overall, Enter The Matrix is a far better game than what people have given it credit for since its release. Though it has its problems, it’s an enjoyable game that ties in with the films flawlessly.
Score
45.5/60
7.5/10 (Good)