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Is Neo the One?

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 89 / 95
Date: November 20, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Finally, after SIX FRIGGIN YEARS, we finally get to play as the big guy himself from the Matrix trilogy! That's right, put your hands together, because you play as...Mouse!

Just kidding! Unlike the last matrix game, this time you finally get to play as the savior of mankind, Neo. Was it worth the wait? From my point of view, yes.

Before we go any further, I'd like to give everyone a warning about the game. WHEN YOU SEE A WHITE SCREEN AND TWO CHAIRS COMING TOWARDS YOU, SKIP THIS CUTSCENE! IF YOU DON'T, THE GAME WILL RUIN THE ENDING FOR YOU!

There we go. I apologize if I gave you the impression that I was shouting, but I wish that someone had told me this before I played the game. More on this later.

At first glance, Path of Neo simply seems to be a reworked Enter the Matrix, except that you play as Neo, and with better graphics. In a way that's true, because Path of Neo (PON) is a third person game where you run around shooting lots of guns, getting into lots of hand to hand combat, and doing cool matrix moves.

What all is different here from Enter the Matrix? Better graphics for one. While lots of people don't seem to think the graphics are bad, they really aren't. They are better then Enter the Matrix and have a higher level of quality. There are lots of moments where I went "Wow" when seeing some spectacular scenery. But, as many have pointed out, when you get up close and personal, the graphics can get pretty blocky and unimpressive. Overall, I'd say the graphics are pretty good, but not earth-shattering.

But gameplay always takes superiority over graphics. And while it stumbles along the way, PON for the most part succeds. If you haven't guessed already from the title, you play PON from Neo's point of view. You start out as wimpy Mr. Anderson, running from cops and armed only with a push move. As the game moves on, you slowly begin to unlock powerful moves one by one, further transforming yourself from a wimply desk worker to an ass-kicking trenchcoat fighter (who knows kung-fu!).

The meat and potatoes of PON is it's fighting engine. While the last game was a half and half mix between firing weapons and doing button mashing, PON places a bigger emphasis on hand to hand combat. While you can get into big gunfights if you want to, more often then not you'll be getting up close and personal with your feet and with your fists. Herin lies PON's greatest strength. The hand to hand combat system is a lot better and a lot more satisfying then Enter the Matrix was. While you could breeze through the last game simply by mashing buttons, you have to actually work and memorize combos to get through PON.

But you don't have to worry about seeing the combination for a move only once, then try to memorize it. PON has a nifty feature to help you out. When you get into hand to hand combat with an enemy, the game oftentimes suggests what buttons to press by showing the button in the left corner of the screen. For example, start punching an enemy with the triangle button, and the game will show the square button, suggesting that you should press that button to disarm the enemy. This feature is extremly useful, and helps you learn the various moves quickly.

And oh boy...you get some incredibly powerful moves througout the game. By the end of your journey as Neo, you'll be smashing jaws, punching people twenty times in five seconds, and smashing your foe's skulls into the ground while you stand on them. Shiny has put virtually all of Neo's moves from the movies into the game, and it's great fun to do them yourself, including his "run up guy's chest and kick him in head" move to "Slam both fists into an enemy, sending them flying across the room". Pulling off these moves eventually becomes a breeze, and when you get really good at it, you will really feel like you are Neo, because you can take down any foe you come across. Late in the game, agents won't be able to get even close to you without flying across the room from a well placed kick.

If you don't feel like doing hand to hand combat, you can take up gunfighting. Neo will come across a large array of weapons during his path as the One (though the variety of weapons is nowhere near as big as the last game). You get pistols, shotguns, submachine guns, bombs, even grenade launchers (very useful against helicopters). All of these weapons get the job done, but trust me, you'll have much more fun punching your foes! Though I have to admit, flying through the air in slow motion while firing in every possible direction is quite cool!

Because you are the one, and because you are aware that the matrix is an illusion, you have the abillity to focus yourself and use the illusion to your advantage. Focus returns from the last game, but it's slightly tweeked. Focus is essentially the ability to move faster, punch harder (much harder) and use exclusive moves that are physically impossible to pull off. With the touch of a button, you can stop bullets, dodge bullets, leap high into the air, take out up to four foes at once, and so much more. You'll even be able to activate code vision, which allows you to see those famous green lines that make up the matrix.

While the game does contain virtually every action sequence from all three movies (sorry guys, you can't have sex with trinity in Zion), it expands many of these scenes. For example, at the end of the first movie, Neo stopped bullets, destroyed Smith, and glared at the other agents. In the game, you stop the bullets, but then run through the rooms in the hallway, laying the smackdown on the agents. Likewise, after Neo beats up the Merovingians thugs (Sadly, you can't kill that french a**hole. Why?!), he has to journey through the guy's dungeons to reach Morpheus and Trnity. It's a blast to fight Smith, participate in the Burly brawl, and take to the skies in the explosive final battle from Revolutions.

There are several scenes put in exclusivly for the game that are not in the movie. Most of these scenes take place in the timeframe between movies 1 and 2, telling you some of the things that Neo did between the movies. In one truly brilliant level that should have been in the second movie, you run around T.V. filled hallways while Agent Smith ominously taunts you from the screens.

Sound and audio work well too. Laurence Fishburn (Morpheus) returns to do new audio for his charachter and does a great Job. For everyone else we have imitators who do a really good job (but Agent Smith sounds nothing like he was in the movie). The music is...well, music. Almost nothing from the movie's soundtrack made it in, but the new stuff is simply average.

There are also a good amount of jokes in the game, poking fun at movie critics ("Oh I get it, the black suited guy is the savior of humanity!"), video game critics ("Video games are teaching our children violence!"), and video games themselves ("I got the high score on Time Crisis"). My favorite joke comes from Agent Smith. When you get cut off from him, he keeps talking to you "I know you're in there Mr. Anderson! I can...smell you!"

But alas, PON does make a few foulups along the way, mostly with control, repetitivness, and the final battle.

The control is probably the biggest problem that you'll face in PON. It's a very strange setup which takes the better part of an hour or two to get the hang of. Gunplay in paticular is terrible. You press R2 to pull out your gun (which is selcted with the left and right buttons), use the right analog stick to select your target, then press square to fire. During all of your gun battles, you'll also be moving with the left analog stick, jumping through the air and using focus as well, meaning that you'll be pressing more buttons as well. So you'll be running around, focusing, jumping, targeting, and shooting all at the same time. It's frustrating to get the hang of, but thankfully, it eventually becomes second nature.

The repetivitvness is another problem. All but two of the game's missions eventually boil down to "Run around and beat everyone up". This is fun, but the game suffers from a lack of variety in the missions. The only exceptions are the opening stealth level and a turret shooting level.

The storytelling in the game is a joke. The game does feature clips and scenes from all the matrix movies (and the animatrix as well), but the editing is in a fast cut/music video style, which just doesn't work. I was able to figure out what was going on, but the storytelling in the game is very sloppy and doesn't work. Seeing all the movies is necessary before you play the game.

Some sections of the game are also quite short. The burly brawl sequence lasts less then five minutes, not even enough time to beat up the Smith's you want to.

The biggest issue I have with the game is with the final battle, and the ending. Before you worry, i'm not going to reveal what they are.

The final battle from Revoltuions is the game's final level, where you fight Smith on the street, in the air, in the building, and in the crater. But after that battle is over, the game has you do one final fight that's not from the movie. It starts out with a cutscene of the Wachowski brothers coming onscreen and explaining why they changed the ending of the game from the movie. In the process, they tell you what the final battle is before you play it, giving away any suprise that you might have had. This is an enormously stupid mistake that ruined the battle for me. It's like the director of the sixth sense showing up on screen five minutes before the end of the movie and saying, "Well, I had this in mind for the ending, but I decided to make it so that Bruce Willis was a ghost the entire time. Enjoy the suprise ending!". I can't see how the wachowski brothers did this. If you want the final confrentation to be a suprise, you don't give it away before people play it!

So when you see a white screen with two chairs coming towards you, skip the scene. Trust me, you won't miss anything. I wish someone had told me about this.

And the battle itself? Well...uhm...uh...it's really one of those things that you really hate, or that you find fairly amusing. It feels like it could be in the movie, yet it wouldn't work. In stort, I expected to find the battle in a superman comic book, rather then in a scene from the matrix saga.

The claim, "An all new ending" is a lie. The ending is just two clips from the ending of revolutions put together, lasting about fourty seconds. Then the credits play. And the ending that is givin to you is enormously unsatisfying. Here, I do need to give a small spoiler, so if you want to stay completely spoiler free for the ending, look away! ******The game doesn't tell you, show you, or even hint at what happens to Neo after the game ends. It should be no suprise that he surivives the final battle with Smith in the game, yet the game doesn't show you what happens to him. It's INCREDIBLY dissapointing********

So in the end, your reward for all your hard work is a fizzled, half-baked ending that is a big letdown.

But I don't want to paint a poor picture of PON. When it's fun, it's really fun. It's heads and tails about Enter the Matrix, and is every matrix fan's dream come true. If you want to play as Neo, and if you are a big fan of the movies like I am, then you'll have a lot of fun with this game.

I should also say that PON is one of those games that you should rent before you buy. And even then, don't buy it for full price. Wait until it sells for about twenty dollars, and you'll get a much better deal.

If you really like the matrix triogy, then you'll most likely like this game.

A Great Visit to the Matrix World

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 25 / 28
Date: November 14, 2005
Author: Amazon User

You can almost feel like the world is a bit saturated with Matrix-related stuff. Still, this game is quite fun to play and features newly re-mixed video.

The Wachowski Brothers personally worked on this game, and recombined video segments from the movies to build new sequences for the game. It really helps to have seen the movies, because while the game does move along with a plot, the montages of video clips would probably be very confusing if you didn't have the basic idea of what was going on.

So what IS going on. You're Neo, and you are given the choice of a red pill or blue pill. Amusingly, if you take the blue pill, you're sent back through your alarm clock and wake up as if out of a dream. Take the red pill, and you start on your path to Being the One. First it's a tutorial-like step by step guide to escaping the office building, with a far more convoluted path than seen in the movie.

Soon you're in a training arena, poking fun at a variety of video games. Then you move along through the storyline, with a wide variety of focus abilities and world-changing powers.

The graphics are reasonably good. At this point in time you really don't look to a PS2 for cutting edge graphics - the XBox has such amazing titles out, and the XBox 360 is just SO sweet, that you accept what you get from the PS2. That being said, I really found the movements of the characters to be quite impressive. Some of the martial arts moves were very smooth and realistic looking.

The sound is OK for an adventure game. Some of the little audio snippets get annoying VERY quickly, but that's the way it goes. The music in general was in the Matrix theme and helped you feel like you were a part of the movie.

If you're a fan of the trilogy, then it's great to get back into that world and to be able to choose your own path - and find a new ending - to the storyline in a way endorsed and written by the creators. You can replay the game a few times, on increasing levels of difficulty, to extend your gameplay enjoyment. That being said, this is a lot shorter start-to-end then most games I own, which is a bit frustrating.

Well recommended for Matrix fans.

A suberbly made and entertaining game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 11 / 12
Date: November 10, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This is how all movie/games should be made - with care and attention to detail. There are many things right with this game so lets take a quick look at them.

Graphics

The graphics push the ps2 to it's absolute limit, the producers even managed to get in "normal mapping" a graphical technique thought impossible on the ps2. The characters all look very like their movie counterparts, which is great news. The shadows/shading is great and has never been done to this high quality on the ps2 before. 16:9 widescreen is also included.

9/10

Sound

The music is brilliant and varies from hard beat to rousing operatic styles that really capture the mood and stir the emotions. They retain very high voice acting standards with many of the cast comming and doing voice work such as Laurence Fishbourne.

9/10

Gameplay

This is what makes or breaks a game. Think max paine crossed with a martial arts fighter. The combos and attacks are excellent and you really feel the power/grace in them. They were designed by the martial arts master who did the choreography from the films and it shows.

It's also great to see what the films left out and the many stories that occur here. Written by the directors of the movies themselves they represent what the trilogy would have been if each film was many, many hours long. Neo uses his flying to chose many varied missions over the city that are interesting and really add to the depth.

9/10

Overall

This is one of the best releases of the year, and if your a matrix fan you must get this. Even if your not it's a superb action game worthy of being in someones collection.

9/10

Finally, we have a Matrix title worth our time and money.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: November 12, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Once again, our dearly beloved at Shiny Entertainment/Atari/Warner Bros. have come out with another Matrix title, The Path of Neo. As we all know, in this game you are the One, and all of Neo's abilities and supreme powers belong to you. Here's my Review.

Graphics
========
I'd like to start off by saying the Graphics might not be the best aspect of the game, as there have been several complaints especially on the PC Version. My only advice: To those who have PC's, Please don't expect much from the graphics (Even if you're positive that your PC can handle it). Instead, Get a console. Overall, the graphics on the Playstation 2 can be very smooth and just beautiful at times, (especially the cut-scenes), and other times, during gameplay, it looks bad. Nevertheless, the graphics are pretty smooth through the game, and the only thing you might not like (if you're 12 years or younger) is the fact that the environment isn't that destructible. Other than that, I give the graphics an 8/10.

Gameplay
=========
This is where the game shines. The gameplay can be described with one word, Amazing. Unlike its crappy predecessor, the gameplay in The Path of Neo is Excellent. Mouth watering moves can be easily pulled off at the touch of a button or 2. To make this more interesting, there is a tutorial on how to pull of the combos (even during battle) in case you get stuck. I've carefully read reviews and heard the numerous complains about the gunplay, and I have to say those reviews are absurd. As you eventually become the One, lots of special abilities and moves are unlocked. For example, flying while shooting, stopping bullets with your hands and hurling them back at your enemies, dodging bullets aerially and acrobatically with style. No game has put this much effort in making the gunbattles this intense. You can actually daze your opponents with a couple of show off moves, kick them and send them flying in the air, then pull out a fire arm and kill them while in the air, or run across a wall and shoot enemies. In short, the gunplay is not only way better than any other Matrix game out there, but in my opinion is the best when mixing martial arts with gun fighting. The combat system is just wonderful. Neo can do just about anything he does in the movies, run up walls, stop bullets, fly and so much more. Even simple hand-to-hand combat is dazzling. As you grow into the One, the moves that you unlock will make you wet your pants. Not only can you easily stand up and kill agents, or pull off some wonderful moves with a nearby weapon, but also you can comfortably fight and destroy multiple enemies, (Even agents) at once. The true gameplay of the Path of Neo cannot be described in words, you'll have to check it out to fully experience what its like being the One. Trust me, you will NOT be disappointed. This game is worth the entire 50 bucks. I give the gameplay a 10/10

Sound
======
I really don't pay too much attention to sound, but I think the sound in the game is fairly decent. When fighting Agents, bosses, or other tough opponents, i think the music that plays truly immerses you in the Matrix Universe. Overall, I give the sound an 8.5/10.

Overall
========
For hardcore matrix fans, and those who love fighting genres, this game is a MUST buy. I give it 5 stars out of 5.

Worth All of the 49 dollars and 92 cents of your wallet !!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 10
Date: November 09, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This game is everything and may be even more than you would hope it to be! Graphics? Just incredible. In the screenshots and game trailer, the graphics do not seem to be that high tech, but if you actually play the game, it will seem like a next-gen title. This game is a third person Prince of Persia slash Devil May Cry type but only that you get to be Neo as you kick some major Agent-ass down the way of an incredible journey. The combos are very impressive and fun to execute.
If you played the previous matrix game, trust me, you'll actually be staying awake this time while playing!

Best Title of the Season!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 7
Date: November 09, 2005
Author: Amazon User

This game has to be one of the best, most interactive games I've played in a long time. The graphics are awesome and the effects are amazing. This game allows you to play as Neo. His moves mimick those seen in the Matrix movies. This game is nothing but fast action and wholesome fun. Some parts may be a little challenging, but who wants a game you can beat in a day anwyay? The more I play, the more I get into the game.

Finally

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 6 / 7
Date: June 23, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Back in 2003, to coincide with the release of the second and third Matrix films, a video game was created. Enter the Matrix was a highly anticipated movie tie-in that disappointed on every single level, much like the following films in the series. The biggest complaint from many about the game was that you didn't play as Neo; instead you played as Niobe and Ghost taking place in events surrounding the storylines of the film. Now, Atari and Shiny have finally answered the prayers of Matrix fans, finally allowing you to play as the savior of mankind, with all his fantastic abilities at your fingertips. You play as Neo from the beginning as you train your way to becoming "the One" by learning to manipulate the Matrix to your advantage. You are directly in events taken from the film trilogy; from the subway battle to the Burly Brawl to the epic, rain soaked finale against Agent Smith, only this time it has a different ending than that of the film. The first thing you'll notice is that the game's graphics engine isn't the most attractive one you'll see. There had to be sacrifices made in order to inject so much into this game, and while the graphics may be jerky, they suit their purpose. The biggest flaw of Path of Neo is the control scheme. Basic hand to hand combat is easy enough, but when it comes to the gunplay elements the game suffers mightily. Between unholstering your weapon, aiming it, and moving around at the same time, you'll be giving your fingers cramps. This is the biggest drawback of the game and it will turn off plenty, but the ability to pull off some insane combos which can be unlocked throughout make the gameplay rewarding. Laurence Fishburne is the only cast member from the films to lend his voice to the game, while the likenesses and sound alike voices of Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, and the rest of the cast are here. All in all, Path of Neo isn't the best game to come around, but it's faithfulness to it's source material is refreshing for a licensed game, and it's light years beyond Enter the Matrix.

Perfect Rental- review from a Matrix fan and avid gamer

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 8 / 12
Date: November 12, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Let's get 2 things straight from the start: I play a ton of games, and I love the entire Matrix trilogy. I'd been anticipating this game for months and shelled out 50 bucks for it a few days ago. I don't have the game anymore...I turned it in after beating it. Was it bad? On the contrary, I enjoyed parts of it greatly. However, it's more or less a 10 hour game with negligible replay value. In addition, it has some deep flaws. Detailed breakdown follows:

Graphics:

At moments, the graphics can be pretty good, but many times the game looks like absolute crap. There were a few moments where I seriously had to wonder how the programmers let some of the really pixelated textures stay as they were. In addition, the graphics engine feels a bit hokey...animations don't always feel as smooth as they should. So the graphics are a mixed bag.

Audio:

The game has a new soundtrack and uses little to none of the original music. Some of it is pretty good, and a bit sounds like it came from the movies. However, most of the time, the music is very subdued and does little to enhance the atmosphere. Music can be used in video games to make the player truly feel like he/she is engaged in an awesome situation...not here...a missed opportunity.

Gameplay:

The good news is this: Neo has a ton of moves. He can do plenty with his hands...add in guns and melee weapons and it will be several hours before you've seen everything he can do. Some people have complained about the gunplay, but I really don't understand their problem. The gunplay worked very well: dives, targeting, and weapon switching were all expertly handled here. Between the gunplay and the hand-to-hand combat, there are plenty of "oh my gosh that's awesome" moments to be had. The problem with all of this is that it gets old. Many games like Devil May Cry 3 and Crimson Sea 2 have incredible replay because they have a certain spark (the speed of combat perhaps) that keeps them interesting long after the battle animations get old. Here, once you get tired of Neo's moves, there isn't much to look forward to...combat feels just a tad too slow...especially hand-to-hand.

Level Design:

Another mixed bag. Most of the fights featured in the movies translate extremely well here and inspire giddy exclamations of glee. The burly brawl and the lobby are incredible fun. It's just that the good stuff makes up too little of the game. The "original" material introduced to make the game longer has little variety and ultimately adds no new insights to the story. Bottom line- several levels are fantastic, but most are ho-hum.

Story:

If you haven't seen the movies or thought the sequels were "teh suck", then don't bother with the story. For those that like the trilogy, this is possibly the strongest aspect of the game. First, between every few missions is a "remix" of scenes from the movies- cut by the Wachowskis themselves. These are brilliant recutting of scenes that add irony to the original material and suggest new themes- all just by editing the existing material....brilliant. In addition, there is a new ending to the trilogy that, thankfully, doesn't sell out on the original ending. I won't say anymore....wouldn't want to spoil the surprise. Suffice it to say, it is a must see for any Matrix trilogy fan.

Overall:

This is a game that doesn't merit more than one playthrough. Some cheats are unlocked at the end, and there are multiple difficulties, but once you've seen everything Neo can do, there isn't any real draw to play it again. The game simply doesn't have the intensity that many of its competitors do (DMC 3, God of War). At 10 hours, it's a short game to only play once. However, if you're a Matrix fan, you have to experience it. The re-cut movie scenes and the ending especially are a must. This, then, is a perfect rental.

I will add that intend to re-buy the game once it gets to 15 bucks...the game is good enough that no Matrix completist should go without it; it just isn't worth 50 bucks.

Don't believe everything you read!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 6 / 8
Date: November 13, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I found it impossible to decipher which Amazon reviews of this game were authentic since most of them are obviously created either by the product's manufacturer or competitors who don't want Matrix: Path of Neo to steal sales from their games.

Thus, I made my decision to buy the game by doing a web search on "Path of Neo reviews" and read reviews from the many unbiased gaming websites.

I can only recommend you do the same to get a honest perspective.

I bought the game based on it's generally positive reviews and can only say that I am far from disappointed. Good luck with your research.

The first good matrix game

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: November 21, 2005
Author: Amazon User

There have only been a couple of matrix games made ENTER THE MATRIX which was mediocore and THE MATRIX ONLINE which has not proven to be something all that great. But with the Path of Neo there is success. PLaying as neo is truly awsome the amount of pain you dish out is awsome and the moves you pull off will leave you in awe.
The game has a lot going for it mainly you play as neo. There are lots of moves to learn and the melee weapons are fun to use and there are lots of asses to be kicked. THe game goes through all three movies adding on stuff so you have more to play the story is the same as before with several minor changes so as to give you more playing time. The graphics are so so sometimes they look great and sometimes they look like crap no major complaints there.
One of the best things about the game is some of the levels. These levels are basically taken from the movies and really capture the essence of the matrix and playing them is a hella fun. The big shootout near the end of the first matrix is made perfectly in the game and the awsome smith fight is done extremely well beating the hell outa hundreds of smith was truly sweet. But some of the levels are lackluster and were just thrown in so as to not have a really short game and still the game is not that long maybe twelve hours at the most. It is a fun experiance but fifty bucks isn't gonna cut for me. The path of neo is the best matrix game out there but there isn't enough in the package to justify shelling out fifty dollars.

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