The Matrix - Path Of Neo

[Hodge]

Thats a piss take? Surely that's a piss take? If not - I'm by turns speechless and pissing myself with laughter.

I`m afraid to say It`s not

[PeteJ]

Christ, and I thought the Shadow of the Colossus ending was good.

[Mardigan8]

Been playing this since Friday after receiving it in a birthday package. Have to say I am quite impressed with some of it... also have to say that am disgusted with some of it.

Lets get the crap out the way first. First off, the targetting system is ****ed, it only works sometimes and switches itself off at times when you could really be doing with it. The use of guns is often impossible with this system as your target dissappears and you just shoot at the roof or the sky. After some practise it becomes better but is still prone to random dissappearing acts.

The camera system aint the most useful either. It often swings away from the action to face you so you cant actually see what you are shooting or running at. Again with practice this problem can be helpd but it often creeps back in when you really dont want it to. Too much manual control of the camera is asked of the player when a little bit of programming could have simply locked it to the action, dissappointing.

As I said with proper use of the target lock and camera these problems can be defeated but they should not be there in the first place and it often detracts from what it is some solid action.

Now the good... as Yoshi said earlier, when this game works it is ****en gravy!! Multiple enemy takedowns, fighting 8 enemies at once in bullet time, running along and up walls, fighting agents, more exploding scenery than in the actual film and dripping with the Matrix atmosphere. I loved the Matrix and even enjoyed the previous game Enter the Matrix so it has a good audience with me. I cant see how someone could fail to enjoy this when it all falls into place, the way the have brought the across the set pieces from the film is just amazing. The fight with Morpheus is is my highlight so far, we totally wrecked that dojo

The hand to hand combat is where its at, the guns are good when it works but its the hand to hand and melee stuff that really sells it for me. Use guns to distract and get in close then unleash holy hell with your moves in close. I have been replaying the lobby level to get it exactly like the film, move for move and after a few attempts, it can be done, the smile on my face after it was ridiculous.

Cant wait to become the One with bullet stopping power, etc. The later fights with smith et al are gonna be ****en ace.

Also, a stand out point is the stationary bullet dodge Neo can do when getting shot at... just like the roof scene in the first film you have to do THAT dodge while Trinity gets in close for a shot and then it is one of your standard moves, best used for distracting agents so your mate can get in and kill them, it is ****en fantastic.

For me, the problems aside this is a great action game and the Matrix world just seals the deal. Like the SW: Episode 3 game, it has its problems, but when it works it can blow you away. Some of the gun fights and close quarters fights I have had have been absolutely amazing and to say I am a little excited about the burly brawl would be a serious understatement.

If you learn the controls and learn them well the targetting and camera problems wont exist. Bascially, the better you become at the game the more enjoyable it is to play. The fact alone, that you CAN recreate every scene Neo fought in during the movies exactly as it happened is the cherry on it for me, the lobby scene blew my head off.

A mixed bag, but a ****ing magical mixed bag.

PS - Meant to add, I am playing the PS2 version, through no choice of my own, but not having a problem with it.

[MACO]

this is great fun. I too quite liked the first one and this is a definite improvement. Matrix fighting never gets old, especially kicking someone up in the air having run up a wall, then to take them down with a shotgun blast ,midair in bullet time, with THX sound. WHOA!!.
It starts off very crap tbh but the quality has been rising all the way up whilst I play. Even the character face textures etc have improved. wtf! any way gotta jack back in...xbox version

[PeteJ]

Played this around a mates house from the start, along with some choice scenes on his save (you can replay any section when you've unlocked it). Some of it is rubbish, but some of it is surpirsingly enjoyable.

The melee training was really good fun - they've done a great job in making you look cool even if all you are doing is mashing the buttons.

I also tried the lobby scene, which wasn't so good. The camera is a bit messy and the targetting system is all over the place. To be honest the game only works when you are surrounded by enemies, then it is extremely satisfying

Nicely presented too, I thought. The pause screen is wicked.

[Mardigan8]

The thing is the camera and targetting systen can be ok if you good at the game. Knowing who to target next, turning guns on and off at the right time and locking the camera back to behind Neo at the right time make it all work fine.

With practice you can pull of some crazy **** that will leave you grinning from ear to ear and like said above, it really comes into its own when you surrounded by enemies.

I am so looking forward to the later levels when Neo is and uber god and has the real sick stuff up his sleeve and I will be going back and replaying these levels for a good while.

Doubt I getting a drop in quality using the PS2 version as it seems to look and run great, with the controls working well on the Dualshock, anyone played both versions to comment?

Great fun so far and only gonna get better. You really can do some amazing things during the action scenes.

[Yoshimax]

Yah it's cool man

I'm at another ****e bit just now - Train to Balboa Station - Makes me want to give Dave Perry a royal kicking. ft:

As scizophrenic as gaming gets I believe 8)

[MACO]

im on the final boss, great game!!! short but very fun and captures the filsm well. Button bashed to a great extent but felt like THE ONE!!

[Mardigan8]

See, am finding it at its best when you DONT gutton mash, but time your attacks and evades to give you the best attack position. When I do that it lets me pull off some crazy stuff... granted you have to just batter the hit button to perform combos but if you use the dodge, special attack and focus in a structured way you can deal the death as good as Reeves does in the film, it is amazing what you can pull off when oyu think about your moves.

Pulling off the multiple enemy grabs then finishing them off is soooooooo good.

So how good is the final battle Maco? Foaming at the mouth thinking about it. That and the fight in the Merovingians hallway are gonna be ACE!!

[MACO]

thing is, no matter how you play its still rewarding being able to emulate the moves in a video game. Ending is one of the best endings ever in a game. very postmodern

[Mardigan8]

Its being able to ggo back and recreate each scene from the movie that makes it sooooooo good. Getting the lobby scene down the exact way it happened in the film, taking out the 3 new agents like they were little boys in Reloaded, its all amazing fun.

Some of the moves I was pulling out of the hat last night fighting the 3 agents from the start of Reloaded were crazy, 4 hit combo to stun first boy then killing move level 2, sending the guy flying into the wall, concrete exploding everywhere, then evade a second agent as he hits, grab him, put him over my shoulder fly up to smash him off the roof, pull him back down to the ground then land on his face, hahahaha, even Reeves cant pull off that ****

It gives you the power to pull off some crazy ****en action and am lovin it, in spite of its annoying sections, IE, the ****ing 4 and 5 parts missions (Red pill rescue, Captain rescue), they are a bit of a drag... more movie fight scenes please!!

[Mardigan8]

Right, so been battering this over the last few days with one thing in sight, the Burly Brawl. Fight with Smith, amazing, battle with the upgraded agents, superb, one on one with Seraph, great. Then I come to the Burlay Brawl and the game sets a new high for just how good it can make you feel.

Am telling you, squint your eyes and its like you are watching the ****ing movie scene. You start fighting 5 smiths and through various cut scenes the numbers increase until you are surrounded by 100 of the ****ers and fighitng for your life, granted you fight a maximum of about 8 at a time but you get the feeling you are fighting more just like they do in the movie.

The fight itself is absolutely amazing but by the time I got there I was pretty good with the hand to hand stuff so it made it even better. Taking out 4 Smiths in one fluid combo move, flying through the air with one on my shoulder and slamming into the ground after a jump to send shockwaves round the whole area. After a few minutes of absolutely pwng the smiths I got grabbed by a couple and battered by a third into a wall, smashing concrete everywhere... so I get to my feet and grab the pole that is right in front of me now so far things have happened just like the film so am nearly falling off my chair with excitement... I jump into the air and, just like the movie, spin round in slow motion with the pole held out, then slam down into the nearest group of Smiths sending them flying. I had to pause it to catch my breath.

The rest of the level had me fending off an increasing number of Smiths with every move you seen in the movie and much more. It left me speechless.

In one level this game has delivered everything I wanted it to be.

Also, played the fight in Merovingian's lair at the marble staircase and it also was perfect. Played it so much like the movie it was scary.

They really have pulled off some great things in some of these levels... but the Burly Brawl is a ****ing joy to play and anyone who is a fan of the movies MUST at least get a go of this level, ****en magic!!

[Rossco]

Amazing. I want this now. You playing on Xbox or PS2? Not sure what to get it for. I guess Xbox is alot more impressive visually but PS2 control might be more suited to its super fast combo button pressing ways?

[Yoshimax]

Xbox pad works fine for this Rossco - It's not bad I'd recommend you get it from GAME and take advantage of their 10 day return policy just in time for Mario Kart DS

[Mardigan8]

That is a great shout from Yoshi. I was going to do the same but Soul Calibur 3 but my retard brother got it from an indie store so it will be on my shelf for a while yet. Actually, would have ended up keeping it I think as the replay value on some of these levels is absolutely amazing.

Its not without its faults but **** me when it falls into place it is mindblowing!! The hand to hand combat is right on the money.

Its almost as if they done the Burly Brawl first then worked out from there as it is tuned to perfection compared to some of the early levels. Nothing failed to impress me on that level, the whole fight is just awesome from the first hit to the last and the sound effects when you start wielding that staff is far too good, I bust a nut when Neo pulled it out of the ground then I realised you can do that mad spin in the air he does in the movie.

Also, the fight with Merovingians goons is just as good... tearing up that stairway and grabbing weapons off the walls, it gets everything perfect and when you pull off the killing moves and multiple enemy combos you cant help but grin like a clown smashing guys through the banisters, slicing the statues with your sword, you think about what you seen in the movie then you go and do it and much more, its THAT good.

The **** parts that are scattered throughout the game get forgotten about when you get levels of this quality.

And I dont want to even think right now about how good that final battle with smith is going to be... in THAT rain man, fighting him, in the sky, in THAT ****ing rain, am gonna faint when it gets fired up. Running at him in slow motion to start it off then tearing up the whole city, cant wait.

EDIT - I am playing it on the PS2 and the pad is perfect for it. Put the target lock to toggle rather than hold and you sorted. Plus I cant see how the XBox version could improve a great deal on the visuals. Just like The Warriors I can notice zero difference in visual quality across the platforms.