User Reviews (21 - 31 of 36)

Show these reviews first:

Highest Rated
Lowest Rated Newest
Oldest Most Helpful
Least Helpful

Pretty fun, but nothing special overall.

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 4 / 11
Date: November 09, 2005
Author: Amazon User

The Matrix: Path of Neo can pretty fun to play, but overall it fails to live up to its high expectations. Not much has improved; its overall feel is just like the previous two Matrix games. The ability to play as Neo is awesome however, and is what people have been wanting for a while. There's a lot of cool stuff to do as Neo. Experimenting with his moves can last a while, but it does get old after a while and is sort of gimmicky.

The single player game is quite easy, and experienced gamers will be able to get through it in 10 hours if not less. Pretty disappointing. There are some intense moments, but it's not very memorable and you'll probably play it through twice at most.

The gameplay is alright. The framerate is quite unsteady. The game is pretty smooth, but when you're in combat, the game plays extremely slow. It gets very annoying, and takes away from the experience. Load times are quite long. If you don't mind this, you'll find some fun in playing with Neo's abilities and moves.

In the end, The Matrix: Path of Neo is probably just worth a rental. Unless you're a die-hard Matrix fan. It's a pretty cool game but generally it has the same feel of the other Matrix games and the problems from those are in this game as well. The graphics are pretty bad compared to other games out. Path of Neo has some cool things to offer but they all feel gimmicky, plus they get old fairly quickly. So check it out if you wish, but I don't recommend purchasing it.

Overall Score: 3/5

Finally, You Are The One

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 4
Date: January 05, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Enter The Matrix was a good game mostly because it offered a video-game playthrough of the Matrix: Bullettime fighting, off-the-wall kung fu moves, crazy stunts and overall fun. However, the developer Shiny, neglected to give gamers and Matrix fans Neo, the hero of the films. Instead they gave us Niobe and Ghost.

Shiny has changed his ways with Path of Neo. The game starts off nicely: After the inital titles, you find yourself in a dream with Morpheus, choosing to take the Red Pill (And continue your journey through the Matrix) or the Blue Pill. However, the choice isn't very important. If you choose the Red Pill, you continue through the inital events of the film. You choose the Blue Pill, Neo wakes up in his bed. Period. About a five second ending. Choosing the Red Pill drops in the middle of a Dream Lobby, where several waves of enemies come to greet you. For example, the first wave consists of security guards, the next of policemen etc. Depending on your progress, you get to choose a difficulty setting.

Overall, playing as Neo is an awesome experience. Neo has a vast selection of hand-to-hand moves. Later in the game, you're able to upgrade moves. Neo can battle multiple enemies at once as well as have a vast amount of attacks. For example, while I was playing the Burly Brawl level which is a battle against hundreds of Neo's archnemesis' (Agent Smiths), I pressed a random set of buttons which caused Neo to knock two of the Smiths to the ground, grab them by their feet, and use them as spinning windmill weapons against the waves of enemies.

The game has about 20 or so levels, most of them being pretty fun. However, the rest are somewhat frustrating and repetitive. For example, after the Dream Lobby sequence, you find yourself playing as Thomas Anderson trying to use stealth to escape from Agents. Most of the sequence involves you following Morpheus's instructions, which eventually turns into climbing a skyscraper and then running from the rooftop to the floor.

Another frustrating level is a new sequence added after the Chateu scene in the Matrix Reloaded. Instead of simply flying off, Neo has to go through three levels and then fly off. Overall, the original version is better. But anyway, the first of these levels, puts you in an upside-down world filled with multiple doors that warp you to multiple places in the level. This puzzle-solving element is really annoying, espescially since you have an uber-powerful superhero who can kick a foe so hard that he smashes through a wall or who can throw an enemy into the ceiling and then pin him to the floor before spinning him around and tossing him ten feet. Whats more, the enemies in this level are ants. No, I am not kidding. Ants. Plus, the ants are man-sized and for some-reason know kung fu.

Besides these inconveniences, the missions are really fun. In two sequences, you are given the choice of doing certain mission in any order: One in which you have to rescue potential Red Pills from Agents and another where you have to rescue trapped Captains. There are even a handful of training levels in which you learn the basics of the game and get a feel for it: In one level you go to a stage taken straight from the Enter the Dragon film (There's even the control room where Bruce Lee sets a snake loose and scares the operators silly). In another you battle a samurai with a sword, who later in the level gains more power and then forces Trinity to come aid you, which eventually culminates in you having to battle multiple clones of the samurai.

Unlike Enter the Matrix, Path of Neo sports a nice set of melee weapons for you to use, such as a wide variety of swords (Including Katana's, tri-horned, medevial), hatchets, multiple staffs and even a candleabra (For fighting the kung-fu ants). Each of these items have a list of attacks as well. For example, while using the Burly Brawl staff to fight hundreds of Smiths, one attack allows you to stick the pole into the ground and kick the Smiths attacking you with 360 degrees (Just like the movie). You then lean down and knock the Agents off their feet and then by pressing a combination of buttons, leap into the air and slam the ground with tremendous force that knocks the Smiths thirty feet into the air. Another attack with the Katana allows you to slash at a stationary enemy about fifteen times with lightning fast speed.

The game's graphical abilities pushes the PS2's limits. In my opinion, it even surpasses that of the Xbox, which sometimes looks much darker and not as detailed. Except for some random glitches, the graphics look superb. So does the sound: Smacking waves of Agent Smiths quickly with a metal pole sounds just right and in sync with the movie. My regret however is that a lot of the hit music from the films didn't make it the game: The Burly Brawl music or Neodammerung from the final battle sequence against Smith.

Speaking of the final battle against Agent Smith, you're probably better watching the scene from the movie than playing it out. It's a huge dissapointment: You battle first against Smith on the ground, and then take to the skies. The aerial controls are somewhat clunky, and the devastating combos from the rest of the game aren't availiable. There is also a final boss battle, whose two cinematics are nicely brought together by some excellent CGI technology. The Wachowski Brothers actually come on screen to give you the big surprise before the cinematic.

Overall, The Matrix: Path of Neo allows you to play through the films and beyond of the Matrix trilogy. It has everything Enter the Matrix didn't have: A longer martial-arts list, creative melee weapons and a much better main character. However if you aren't a Matrix fan or you haven't seen the game, ignore it: Even those who some who are fans of the films can't bear the recut footage which doesn't do a good job of telling the story. Overall though, Path of Neo is one truly excellent game.

the best action game of all time

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 4
Date: July 14, 2006
Author: Amazon User

this game is so much fun you start out as a wimpy desk worker
you have to get out of the building without the agents chatching you then once you get out of the building you hop on the back of a bike with trinity your partner then you go to the new world and you go in a ton of diffrent fighting and shooting training missions.

Finally you get to go in the matrix but what really sucks is when you fight the agents they are super hard to kill not to fight they suck at fighting.Butthe game is based on all three movies and is very fun if you like fighting/shoting games i highly recoment this action packed game.

This game RULES!!!!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: November 21, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Even though I was hugely dissappointed by Enter the Matrix, I decided to get a copy of Path of Neo because the screenshots on the internet looked pretty decent. Little did I know that Path of Neo would surpass my expectations. Not only does it do the Matrix series justice, it's also just a great game in general, with great atmosphere, great graphics and great fighting action. I also love that the environments are destructive. Adds to the intensity and fun. The style of fighting is very true to the film and being able to kick into bullet time makes the game very authentic feeling and super slick. Very satisfying that the characters really look like those in the film, the orchestral score has the same feel as the film and I'm so thankful that the Walchalski Bros scripted the game. It all ends up making you feel like you are in an interactive movie, and being a Matrix film lover, I couldn't pick a better film to be interactive in!

Yet another gem in the Matrix Marketing crown

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: April 19, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I gotta hand it to the Wachowskis--they know marketing. I mean, if you don't play "Enter The Matrix", you miss out on why Niobe and Ghost decide to stay behind with the Neb, and why as a result Commander Lock was so mad at Niobe. If you don't watch "The Animatrix" and the sequence "Flight of the Osiris", you miss out on how Zion got word of the Sentinel attack. If you don't play "The Matrix Online", you miss out on the never-ending unfolding plot that takes place after Neo's death(?). ....And if you don't play this game, "The Path of Neo", you miss out on the neat little training programs that Tank made up in order to buff up Neo, or how Thomas Anderson (possibly) escaped Agent Smith's clutches (if he used the scaffolding to get to the roof of the Metacortex building). ....I mean, honestly. The Wachowski's marketing ploy is just pure genius. You miss out on so much story if you just watch the movies, and don't buy everything else. If all other producers/directors did the same thing with their movies, and interwove sub-plots within videogames, cartoons, etc, they would be making so much more money. To that, Wachoski Brothers, I bow down to you.

"Whoa!" - Neo after playing Path of Neo

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: January 21, 2006
Author: Amazon User

Finally a game fills the gaping void in the videogame universe that was created by that abomination "Enter the Matrix". Not to be repetitive but this is the game that should have been released 3 years ago. Forget about Ghost and Niobe in this game you play as the man himself and it from the beginning you really do feel the power of being The One. This game follows the new movie-made-into-a-game formula which is: stay true to the content of the movie by including all the best scenes for that movie BUT elaborate by adding new scenes to give the player a less than predictable experience. There are plenty of expanded scenes from all 3 matrix movies and things that you might have seen in the movies if they were Peter Jackson length (wink, wink). Though the cut scenes typically include footage from movies (which most matrix fans have seen too many times to count) but these cutscens have been re-edited in a sort of remixed fashion to give them a fresh feel. The only thing I would have improved about this game is the fighting system. Basically the fighting system just feels kind of clunky and is basically unpredictable. Some of the coolest move sequences are created through pure button mashing rather than trying to perform strategic combos. I think this game would have benefited from a system that was more like the one in Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, which is much more precise and responsive. Having said that, you still feel like Neo when you're able to jump into the middle of a hoard of enemies and take them all to school in a matter of seconds. Some people have called the game "repetitive" but I think this assesment is somewhat misleading. Path of Neo is a beat'em up fighting game; there are quite a few fight scenes in the matrix films; so it's no suprise (to me anyway) that there are a lot of fight scenes in the game. The game does a good job of breaking up the monotony with a good puzzle or a first person shooting sequence like the chain gun helicopter scene.

An incredible disappointment!

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 1 / 3
Date: February 13, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I really don't want to comment on how well or if at all the game follows the movie. I'm not a big `moviephile' and you probably wouldn't find anything I have to say on this topic helpful. But I will say that the designers threw in some extra fights in there that were not in the movie that seemed to be redundant. ******SPOILER****** For example when you fight the oracles body guard you have to fight him a 3rd time in a movie theatre that is playing a the matrix movie where Neo fights the body guard the first time ************

As for the game play it was pretty smooth, and the game made decent use of the PS2's controller. However there seemed to be almost too many moves and I was forced to neglect some of them for the sake of not constantly dieing.

The cut scenes were entirely too long and I found them to be quite boring. They also were about half from the movies and half CG. All that did was point out to me that the game was in CG, while that seems obvious; it just made it harder to "get into" the game.

The game itself on the other hand, was way to short. It usually takes me at least a month to beat a game for the amount of time I spend playing video games. I beat this game in a total of 3 days, ick.

Now, the biggest problem I had with this game was the ending level and particularly the cut scene that introduces it. *****SPOILER****** The Wikowski brothers come up as 2-D, featureless, colorful characters and basically say that the whole martyr thing doesn't work for Neo in a video game, so instead Neo has to fight a giant Agent Smith. My roommate and I were laughing hysterically; thinking that I had done something special and unlocked some special, joke, feature. But no, in fact the joke was the end of the game, what a disappointment.******

If you still want to play this game when it's on the bargain rack, go for it. BUT PLEASE DON'T PAY $40 to $50 for this game!!!

When You're rerady, You won't have to play this game....

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 1 / 5
Date: November 14, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I love the matrix, hell, thats why I traded in 4 of my previous PS2 titles to get some store credit on this "gem". Basically I paid $17 for this one, Which sadly, is what it SHOULD cost. Hold your pitchforks, I'm not bashing it. In fact, there are definetly moments and subtle new story branches that I felt added to matrix ethos much like the animatrix did, which I loved. But upon instantly placing the disc into my PS2, I cringed at the graphics and thought, what were the reviewers playing when they raved about these effects? the textures are like military camoflauge pants, that bad. On the plus side, as you progress, you really start to feel like Neo, and by the end of the game, even the toughest Smith can't touch you. I thought I was truly "the one" but it just turns out that the game is easy, much like Jet Li's Rise to Honor and can be beaten in LESS than a weekend. I beat this one in a day with time to replay some parts that I liked. $50? Oh no sir, I must say you're wrong! Watching each movie back to back would take longer, is that what they were going for? Damn Watchowski's!
But there are some delightful moments, and some really annoying ones too, such as the Escher mansion puzzle stage where you fight....ANTS? duh, it's the matrix, and apparently the Watchowski's were tripping on acid when they thought of this part. And their "new" ending?. Put it this way, after going through it, I wished Neo had just died like in the pictures. Being a matyr wouldnt be so bad. It is HORRID and LAME, I think they just gave up on sensibility, any REAL matrix fan could have done alot better. Overall, enjoy rockin' this one and doing Neo's awesome moves for a day. After you beat it, you can select "scenes" so there's no reason to play through it again. The unlockable cheats arent worth the time. Im really debating selling this one and getting something else, the fan in me disagrees, but my gamer side says "on to the next challenge". When you initially get past the coolness of being Neo, which lasts as long as the game, theres no reason besides nostalgia to play it again. However, if you watch the movies at least once a week, get this game. You probably think you're Neo right now.

FINALLY!!!!! are game designers caring about us anymore?

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 1 / 6
Date: February 12, 2006
Author: Amazon User

i put this down faster than i picked it up!!! why the heck did they wait 4 years to get the brain power to make this game. no one wants to play as niobi and who the #%$%$# @$#!! is ghost??. after the 2003 suck office smash hit Enter The Matrix, they could have atleast realeased it the following year!!!
you follow neo's story as "The ONE" as you kill people and fight machines. the graphics are lacking. the only slightly entertaining feature in the game is finally being able to finally pick up swords and other weapons in the weapon room sean from matrix reloaded. for any fun u will need to get cheat codes from CHEAT! on G4. waste!!!!

Major Disappointment

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 1 / 9
Date: November 11, 2005
Author: Amazon User

"The Matrix" has been great entertainment for years: I love the film trilogy, I enjoyed the companion tales of "The Animatrix", but more relevant I enjoyed the "Enter The Matrix" video game (it's a 4 out of 5). So when I popped in this disc, and eagerly awaited the next installment in this iconic world...I was stunned!

CONCEPT
Players will assume the role of Neo for the entire film trilogy. Half of the game revolves around key sequences (Morpheus' rescue, or Neo vs. Agent Smith). The other half includes portions that add to the overall story. For example, 5 short tales are about Neo freeing the minds of The Matrix's inhabitants. Gamers can improve Neo's abilities and powers as they progress through a simple upgrade system.

GRAPHICS / ANIMATION
---The game looks solid enough, but the character models aren't very smooth and look a little blocky. The environments are nicely detailed, but there isn't much interaction with them. The martial arts combat 'looks' smooth, but collision detection has some serious issues. The walls are destructible, but the character models don't react correctly to their surroundings. Try to imagine a dark, gritty, and unclean "Jade Empire", and you get the right idea.

SOUND
---The music doesn't stand out very much; in fact, it often becomes silent in the middle of cutscenes. The voice-acting isn't great, but rarely is bad. The only sore spots are actually when different actors quote the movies' lines. What's really strange is that when players use the Focus ability, the sound becomes muted and muffled. It's a really annoying experience. The guns sound fine, but don't have much of a punch to them. The martial arts attacks sound good, but also lack much emphasis to get one's blood racing.

PRESENTATION
---This is the part that ticks me off the most. "Enter The Matrix" seamlessly interweaved "The Matrix Reloaded" footage with original cutscenes to create a good story. In "Path of Neo", the actual film footage is used with no cohesion whatsoever. Seriously, movie clips are randomly spurted like an ESPN highlight reel, and end with a brief clip that pertains to the level you're about to play. In-game cutscenes aren't too shabby, but are inconsistent. Some are outstanding, while others are extremely weak. Some of the in-game presentation reminded me of the "Minority Report" game that was released three years back. To make matters worse, the Focus ability (which initiates Bullet Time) gives an annoying green tint on the screen. This becomes extremely annoying.

GAMEPLAY
---When compared to "Enter The Matrix", this game takes too many steps back. Climbing ledges and scaling walls is difficult and useless, gun-shooting isn't fun and feels like it was tacked, and there are even some platform exercises. The platforming isn't bad, because it actually feels fresh. But the key feature is obviously the martial arts fighting. This was not done too bad. The motion capture is very good (if not always timed right), and doesn't feeling like you're watching it like "Enter The Matrix". Instead of combining odd camera angles like last time, "Path of Neo" is a complete third-person adventure. The hand-to-hand combat is inconsistent, because sometimes animations can't be stopped, but it is slightly fun. The problem with that, however, is that the the first third of the game is an introductory phase. "Path of Neo" features some of the most unenjoyable training I've ever played. Only the most patient gamer will want to reach the "Reloaded" and "Revolutions" chapters.

OVERALL
---I really hate this game. It isn't worth the 50-dolalr asking price. I really want to like this game, but when I play "Enter The Matrix" and compare it to "Path of Neo", too many steps were taken backwards. My love for "The Matrix" stories and experiences can only propel a bad game so far. "Path of Neo" is not worth your time or patience.

Review Page: 1 2 3 4 Next 

Actions