E3: The Matrix: Path of Neo

Will David Perry and the Wachowski Brothers manage to please anyone other than, er, die-hard Matrix fans this time around?

The Matrix: Path Of Neo is a new videogame based on the successful Matrix film francise. Developed once again by Enter the Matrox cretaors, Shiny, it could be the videogame version of the movies fans wanted in the first place.

The game follows the story of the blockbuster motion pictures, and for the first time allow gamers to play as Neo and become "The One". A game of potentially blockbuster caliber, Shiny also worked closely with the Award winning talent behind the Matrix trilogy to ensure that every aspect in design, sound and special effects would be authentic to the original experience.

Gamers will play as Neo, but from the moment the game begins, how the situations play out, how they handle them, how they deal with the events, where they go, and how people react to them The idea is that the choices to resolve each scenario may have a different result than the original films. Alternative scenarios filled with new characters, content and storylines have been written and planned, which could mean fans have a whole lot more of the Matrix universe to explore. Or something.

Path of Neo will feature a full orchestral score playing in surround sound, developed to follow the action of the game. Excitingly, the game's soundtrack will feature original songs by the bands that were featured in the Matrix films.

While there is some potential for fun in being able to play some of the key moments of the movies (the lobby shootout, fighting Agent Smith) there's very little room for surprises for anyone who has seen the movies - which seems a bit of a downer. However, there are some cool elements like training missions, which seem to take place inside the construct of Nebukadezer.

The most noticable problem with Path of Neo right now is the gameplay; there seems to be an over-reliance on Bullet Time, and the camera work is certainly less than perfect. If the camera work can be improved and more variety added then things could still turn out OK.

Despite the game having shown some potential in earlier (staged) screenshots, the actual graphics don't look much different than those of Enter The Matrix, with just some minor improvements on particles and shading. Come on guys!

This game might be a good addition for fans of The Matrix, but so far it's just another Matrix game. We'll have more coverage soon, so you'll be first to know if things change.

Kijas Rodriguez
Contributor, Kikizo Games