What’s the story?
Anyone over the age of five should know about The Matrix. You know, The Matrix? The cyberpunk trilogy about machines with artificial intelligence taking over the world? Not Terminator, the other one. The one where Keanu Reeves is “The One” and spends his all of his free time popping red pills and dodging bullets? Still fuzzy!?!? Tough. Look it up and come back to the page later. For those in the know, please read on.
The Matrix movie has spawned a trilogy of games in feeble attempts to enhance (or milk) the franchise and wide their audience. And, as expected with most movie-to-game titles, failed effortlessly. Sure, fans of the movies played the games and reception was never ranked too poorly, but the audience beyond The Matrix fan-base never received the gaming titles as openly. I say: C'est la vie.
The Path of Neo is possibly one of the most interesting of the game’s series. Released late in 2005 (two years after The Matrix Trilogy), it takes a different approach to The Matrix game series. Unlike Enter the Matrix or The Matrix Online, it is the only title that you were able to play as the main character “Neo” from the movie series. In fact, it is also the only title to the follow through the main the plot of The Matrix Trilogy from the start to end. But even taking that into account, by the time The Matrix: Path of Neo was released, it was already too late to widen any type of new audience. The Matrix hype was down for the count and all tuckered out.
Nonetheless, we’re left with a fun action-beat 'em up title that lets us relive a moment in time where the revolution of the machines were feared and imminent.
What’s good about it?
Although the graphics are subpar for the time, fun is to be had in this game. The standard combo system is nothing special but the upgrades offered add a bit of variety to your common battles. In addition to the combo system, there’s a command based throwing system in where you are given a selection of button commands before grappling or throwing opponent in order to create chain combos. Though not always useful (especially towards the end of the game), it can offer some cool looking slow-mo effects and devastating combos.
Speaking of slow-mo, there’s bullet time. Although we’ve seen this many times before, The Matrix practically patented the concept and it shows quite well in the game. During battles, it’s a necessity rather than a “cool effect” and it shows well in the physics of the surroundings when bullets and various objects are seen at reduce speeds.
On top of all this, if a fan (or secret fan) of the series, there is a strange gratification and novelty to playing out The Matrix Trilogy. Fighting agents, running on walls, dodging bullets, flying, and fight loads of Agent Smiths. It stays quite true to the series as and delivers well on most key events of the movie while offering a few new side-quests. So if you liked the movie, you can’t complain.
Why you shouldn’t tell anyone that you own it?
Are you kidding?!!? Just because everybody knows about it, doesn’t mean anyone should talk about it. Mentioning anything in regards to The Matrix game or movie series is committing social suicide. Either that or you run the high risk of ending up in a long winded conversation with some nameless figure about how only the first movie in the series was good. Anyway you look at it, you’re screwed. My advice, keep this game handy if you’re jonesing for a healthy dose of post millennia catchphrases and some mindless pickup-and-play action.
You can still find this title available (and cheap!) for PS2, Xbox (minus-360), and PC. Check out the trailer below.
Can't see the video above? Click here.
Still can't get enough Neo? Click here for more information.
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