Best Of Atari: Enter The Matrix (PC)

My first impressions of the game were not good - the options menus for adjusting sound and video settings were extremely difficult to use, and they just got in the way, when all I wanted was to get started. My opinions on the graphics were mixed - they aren't very realistic, but they do a fair job of recreating the animated look of the films, and the characters do look quite like their bigscreen counterparts. Unfortunately its almost always too dark, and there is alot of clipping and flickering to distract you still further. The environments themselves aren't bad, and reflect the film locations pretty well, although the graphics are an issue again at times, and you often feel as if there is nothing to interact with - no moveable/interesting objects.

The biggest problem for me by far though is the control system, which is badly thought out and intrusive. It is difficult and time-consuming to select weapons, and the aiming system is terrible - so that no matter how much you practice, you will still spray bullets everywhere, wasting time and ammo. The controls become most frustrating during the "driving" levels - the physics are embarrassing, and the clumsy controls simply add to the impression that someone else is in charge of your vehicle - it sometimes seems more luck than anything else that gets you through these levels.

Its not all bad though - The story is very interesting and will certainly reward Matrix fans, as will the extra footage, of which there is a good amount. The pace of the game is also good, and there is no real risk of getting bored, with most of the missions quite short and intense, with very effective cut-scenes.

The fighting includes some extremely cool moves, and you can use the focus ability to effectively slow down time, allowing you to cartwheel off walls while blowing away multiple enemies, or grab an opponent's gun and turn it on them (one of the best moves in the film). The poor control system ensures that it takes a long time to get good enough to carry out the best moves, but I think its worth the trouble.

A quick note on the hacking feature in the game - this is actually a very good idea - the idea is to hack into the matrix to reveal more footage, features and artwork, and it is quite challenging and realistic, with no help provided with the game. Unfortunately it suffers like the rest of the game from inconsistencies, and can be extremely frustrating at times. Worst of all, you can't access some of the new material without completing it, and this is a time-consuming process, which many people will not want to bother with.

If you are a dedicated Matrix fan, I would say that the game is probably worth the effort for the new footage and story information, and the occasional satisfaction of a cool fight move. If, however you are a regular gamer looking for a great new title to play, steer clear of this one - there are far too many major problems!

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