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Another cash cow, right? The answer is right. The Matrix: Reloaded is well on its way to making three hundred million dollars at the US Box Office and it makes us wonder how an R-rated movie can do so well. Well, the answer is fanboys. They would do anything for this series. Maybe even die for it, which is something yet to be determined but we'll assume that they will do it anyways because they are morons with no life, just like the game who is writing this review. I can honestly say that this game is one of the most overhyped and one of the most disappointing games of 2003, even more so than the Getaway, which previously held the title until this little stinker came along.
The story follows the game through the eyes of Niobe, who is in The Matrix Reloaded. The story is better than the Reloaded's story, which says a lot. Actually, it doesn't because this game doesn't do much better in the story department itself. The dialogue is weak, the characters are one-dimensional, and while it provides some nice parallels to the movie, you might find yourself not really caring because the game isn't that interesting. Maybe the Wachowski brothers could take a few lessons on how to write.
The graphics aren't too bad, but they didn't blow me away like I thought they would. The game's basic layout is solid but it is way too dark and this does not compete with half of the games released so far this year. They're not good, but they aren't bad, so that is some consolation.
The sound is the real strong point. The actors decided to give their actual voices to give the game some substance and it does. It does help the game feel more like the Matrix. I give them credit for this, at the very least.
The controls are a real letdown. The hit detection is close to terrible, moving around is very sketchy, especially with plenty of enemies moving around. Scrolling around for weapons is very awkward and the moves aren't very imaginative, which really hurts. I was hoping for things like you could do in the movie and maybe more, but instead we get a real limited array of moves that only slowly increases. Come on, a little speed would be nice if it wouldn't kill you.
The game is a mess from start to finish. The puzzles are very tough to figure out because the game is so dark and the weak controls don't really make things much better. There are some inspired levels towards the end but this game just keeps driving itself towards a quick and early grave, and this is sad because The Matrix seems to be limiting itself for all that mumbo-jumbo crap, and thinking that they can get away with it. Well, I sure as hell didn't buy it, and I don't recommend this to anyone, especially not the fanboys.
Check out the guide here. -- Chris Vavra, PGNx Media
---- May 24, 2003
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