Review (GameCube Version) by Paul Martin
Game Play: 3.5 out of 5
Matrix Story: 4.5 out of 5
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 exhilarating 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 labyrinth 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 appearances 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 appearance. 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. (Update: 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