The Matrix: Path of Neo
Encyclopedia
The Matrix: Path of Neo is the third video game based on the Matrix series
and the second developed by Shiny Entertainment
. Players control the character Neo
, participating in scenes from the films. It was released on October 4, 2005 in North America.
In Shiny Entertainment's first licensed Matrix game, Enter the Matrix
, only sideline characters were playable. It did not feature the series' main protagonist Neo, and due to its nature as an extension of the films' storyline, had few recreations of scenes in the film trilogy. David Perry, president of Shiny Entertainment Inc, has stated that Path of Neo is "basically the game that gamers wanted first time around... The Neo Game!".
At the start of the game, the player is hacker Thomas Anderson, and does not possess any of the powers that the character will later discover as Neo. As the game continues, players learn new skills and techniques, equipping Neo for the final showdown with Agent Smith
. These additional skills may be learned both in training levels and in the main game. Many of these skills are used by Neo in the trilogy, including the bullet dodge, bullet stop, and flight. A number of weapons are available in the game, consisting of both melee weapons (including various types of swords, staves
, and escrimas) and firearms (assault rifle, submachine gun, pistol etc.).
The game also allows the player to meet many of the characters in the films, including Trinity
, Morpheus
and the Merovingian
, amongst others.
The game uses film excerpts as cut scenes throughout the game at certain milestones. This footage includes clips from the original Matrix theatrical films, and from other sources, including the short film series, The Animatrix
and Shiny Entertainment's first Matrix game, Enter the Matrix
. Despite these live-action and other cinematic additions, players who have had no previous exposure to The Matrix films might have difficulties in creating a clear picture of the storyline due to their jumbled-up, incoherent sequence.
. Critics noted that Path of Neo probably will not interest anyone that is not already a fan of The Matrix, but enthusiasts of the franchise would enjoy the game. Complaints regarding the game's "compromised graphics" and reputation regarding glitches however are common.
The Matrix (franchise)
The Matrix is a science fiction action franchise created by Andy and Larry Wachowski and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures. The series began with the 1999 film The Matrix and later spawned two sequels; The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, both released in 2003, thus forming a trilogy...
and the second developed by Shiny Entertainment
Shiny Entertainment
Shiny Entertainment was an American video game developer based in Laguna Beach, Southern California, and the creator of several popular titles such as Earthworm Jim, MDK, Sacrifice and The Matrix: Path of Neo. Shiny was founded by David Perry in October 1993...
. Players control the character Neo
Neo (The Matrix)
Thomas A. Anderson is a fictional character and the main protagonist in The Matrix franchise, as well as having a cameo in The Animatrix short film, Kid's Story. He was portrayed by Keanu Reeves in The Matrix Trilogy and The Animatrix. Andrew Bowen provided Neo's voice in The Matrix: Path of Neo...
, participating in scenes from the films. It was released on October 4, 2005 in North America.
In Shiny Entertainment's first licensed Matrix game, Enter the Matrix
Enter the Matrix
Enter the Matrix is the first video game based on The Matrix series of films. It was developed by Shiny Entertainment and published by Atari and WB Interactive for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and Nintendo GameCube game systems, and for the PC. It was published in Japan by Bandai...
, only sideline characters were playable. It did not feature the series' main protagonist Neo, and due to its nature as an extension of the films' storyline, had few recreations of scenes in the film trilogy. David Perry, president of Shiny Entertainment Inc, has stated that Path of Neo is "basically the game that gamers wanted first time around... The Neo Game!".
Story
This game allows the player to participate in many of the major action scenes in the films. Most of these sequences, picked by the movie directors themselves, are taken from the first film in the series.At the start of the game, the player is hacker Thomas Anderson, and does not possess any of the powers that the character will later discover as Neo. As the game continues, players learn new skills and techniques, equipping Neo for the final showdown with Agent Smith
Agent Smith
Agent Smith is the main antagonist of The Matrix film series and multimedia franchise, mainly played by actor Hugo Weaving and briefly by actor Ian Bliss in the films and voiced by Christopher Corey Smith in The Matrix: Path of Neo.In 2008, Agent Smith was selected by Empire Magazine as number 84...
. These additional skills may be learned both in training levels and in the main game. Many of these skills are used by Neo in the trilogy, including the bullet dodge, bullet stop, and flight. A number of weapons are available in the game, consisting of both melee weapons (including various types of swords, staves
Quarterstaff
A quarterstaff , also short staff or simply staff is a traditional European pole weapon and a technique of stick fighting, especially as in use in England during the Early Modern period....
, and escrimas) and firearms (assault rifle, submachine gun, pistol etc.).
The game also allows the player to meet many of the characters in the films, including Trinity
Trinity (The Matrix)
Trinity is a fictional character and Neo's love interest in The Matrix universe, played by Carrie-Anne Moss in the films. In the gameplay segments of Path of Neo, she is voiced by Jennifer Hale...
, Morpheus
Morpheus (The Matrix)
Morpheus is the name of a fictional character and the secondary protagonist of The Matrix Franchise. The Wachowski brothers were fans of Neil Gaiman and based the character of Morpheus on the title character from the comic book The Sandman, also adopting one of his most common pseudonyms,...
and the Merovingian
Merovingian (The Matrix)
The Merovingian, also known as the Frenchman, and called Merv by Trinity, is a fictional character in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, portrayed by Lambert Wilson in both films...
, amongst others.
The game uses film excerpts as cut scenes throughout the game at certain milestones. This footage includes clips from the original Matrix theatrical films, and from other sources, including the short film series, The Animatrix
The Animatrix
is a 2003 direct-to-video anthology film based on The Matrix trilogy. The film is a compilation of nine animated short films.-Production:Development of the Animatrix project began when the film series' writers and directors, the Wachowski brothers, were in Japan promoting the first Matrix film...
and Shiny Entertainment's first Matrix game, Enter the Matrix
Enter the Matrix
Enter the Matrix is the first video game based on The Matrix series of films. It was developed by Shiny Entertainment and published by Atari and WB Interactive for the PlayStation 2, Xbox and Nintendo GameCube game systems, and for the PC. It was published in Japan by Bandai...
. Despite these live-action and other cinematic additions, players who have had no previous exposure to The Matrix films might have difficulties in creating a clear picture of the storyline due to their jumbled-up, incoherent sequence.
Characters
- Neo - The One, game protagonist and the character the player controls throughout the game.
- Trinity - Neo's love interest and First mate on the Nebuchadnezzar.
- Morpheus - Captain of the Nebuchadnezzar, he aids Neo at various points throughout the game (Laurence FishburneLaurence FishburneLaurence John Fishburne III is an American film and stage actor, playwright, director, and producer. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Morpheus in the Matrix science fiction film trilogy, as Cowboy Curtis on the 1980's television show Pee-wee's Playhouse, and as singer-musician Ike Turner...
is the only actor from the film series to reprise his character's voice in the game). - Agent SmithAgent SmithAgent Smith is the main antagonist of The Matrix film series and multimedia franchise, mainly played by actor Hugo Weaving and briefly by actor Ian Bliss in the films and voiced by Christopher Corey Smith in The Matrix: Path of Neo.In 2008, Agent Smith was selected by Empire Magazine as number 84...
(later referred to as merely "Smith") - A program (later Exile) within the Matrix. He is the primary antagonist and Neo's arch-nemesis. - Apoc and Switch - Red pills. Apoc and Switch are helpful fighters who always try to kill.
- MerovingianMerovingian (The Matrix)The Merovingian, also known as the Frenchman, and called Merv by Trinity, is a fictional character in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, portrayed by Lambert Wilson in both films...
- Rules over a personal empire of exiles like himself. - Head Bouncer/Doberman Leader - Exile and Head Bouncer at Club Hel, a nightclub owned by the Merovingian. Leads the Doberman, a wolf-like group of henchmen.
- Head of Security - Exile and the head of security at the Merovingian's Chateau. First encountered walking upside down on the ceiling in the gun-room of Club Hel, before disappearing (he is also encountered in the dream at the beginning of the game).
- Rogue Witch - Exile, first encountered being tortured in the dungeons beneath the Merovingian's chateau. Frequently aids Neo throughout the distorted dimensions within the chateau.
- Vamp Prime - Exile, leader of the vamp and Doberman exiles found in Downside Up within the Merovingian's chateau.
- Witch leader - Exile, the Merovingian's "champion", who fights Neo in the final sequence before Neo can escape the Merovingian's chateau maze.
- AgentsAgent (The Matrix)Agents are a group of characters in the Matrix series. They are sentient computer programs, displaying high-level Artificial Intelligence, and are representatives, or "Agents", of the main antagonists within the Matrix fictional universe. They are guardians within the computer-generated world of...
- These are programs within the Matrix just like Smith. The original Agents are later replaced by upgraded versions.- Original Agents : Agent Smith (leader), Agent Brown, Agent Jones. Agent White appears in "The Security Guard" level, and he replaces Smith as leader of the Agents.
- Upgraded Agents : Agent Johnson (leader), Agent Jackson, Agent Thompson.
Continuity changes
The game includes additional missions that extend the storyline of the theatrical film releases. While some of these are obviously solely for the benefit of game play, others seem to be based on scenes the Wachowskis planned to implement in the films (some of which can be found in The Art of The Matrix). These include:- An extension of the escape by Neo from the Metacortex building when he is first contacted by Morpheus. As in the film, though, the player is not required to escape and may be captured by the agents.
- A series of training simulations taking place in the "construct", the Resistance's virtual reality; these instruct the player in hand-to-hand combat, firearms, and melee weapons.
- An extended escape by the Nebuchadnezzar crew (sans Morpheus) through city sewers, ending with the temporary dispatching of Agent Brown by Neo in a fight while he is placing explosives. This event was not in the film, where the characters merely are seen leaving a manhole before heading to a TV repair shop.
- An extended escape to the second hardline, detouring Neo into a damaged portion of the Matrix.
- An extended fight with all three Agents after Neo is endowed with his powers as the One.
- A series of five missions that fill in Neo's adventures in retrieving other "Potentials" (red-pills similar to Neo in ability to affect the Matrix) in the six-month period between Neo's retrieval from the Matrix power plant and the events of The Matrix ReloadedThe Matrix ReloadedThe Matrix Reloaded is a 2003 American science fiction film and the second installment in The Matrix trilogy, written and directed by the Wachowskis. It premiered on May 7, 2003, in Westwood, Los Angeles, California, and went on general release by Warner Bros. in North American theaters on May 15,...
. The six-month period and the red-pill retrieval is noted in dialog between Morpheus and Commander Lock in their first meeting in The Matrix Reloaded (In the past six months...). - An extension of the fight between Neo and the three upgraded Agents, where Neo must also dispatch several SWAT team fighters.
- A series of rescues that Neo must complete to see the various Zion ship captains to safety after their meeting (as shown at the start of The Matrix Reloaded).
- An extension of the fight in the Merovingian's chateau, where Neo must solve a series of puzzles in the house (reminiscent of M. C. EscherM. C. EscherMaurits Cornelis Escher , usually referred to as M. C. Escher , was a Dutch graphic artist. He is known for his often mathematically inspired woodcuts, lithographs, and mezzotints...
surrealism) as well as battle in several fights. - An extended series of fights against the Smith clones in a church, a building closely resembling the Architect'sArchitect (The Matrix)The Architect is a fictional character in the last two films of the Matrix trilogy, created by the Wachowski brothers. The character is played by Helmut Bakaitis. He also makes an appearance in the MMORPG The Matrix Online.-Constructing the First Matrices:...
quarters, and a version of the US CongressUnited States CongressThe United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
House of Representatives as the Keymaker attempts to get Neo and Morpheus to the final door to the ArchitectArchitect (The Matrix)The Architect is a fictional character in the last two films of the Matrix trilogy, created by the Wachowski brothers. The character is played by Helmut Bakaitis. He also makes an appearance in the MMORPG The Matrix Online.-Constructing the First Matrices:...
(a character seen only in film-derived cut scenes in the game). - The game changes the final battle between the enhanced Smith and Neo as seen at the conclusion of The Matrix Revolutions. Where Smith dominated the fight in the film, the fight's outcome depends purely on the player's capabilities.
- The game also features a brand-new ending, because the Wachowski brothers felt the ending of The Matrix RevolutionsThe Matrix RevolutionsThe Matrix Revolutions is a 2003 American science fiction film and the third installment of The Matrix trilogy. The film was released six months following The Matrix Reloaded. The film was written and directed by the Wachowski brothers and released simultaneously in sixty countries on November 5,...
would be a "lame" ending for a video game. It is an alternate ending, without the martyr-approach, where Neo kills Smith and then takes on the Mega-Smith, the final boss. Immediately before the final boss, the game is interrupted by the Wachowski Brothers (represented with single-color sprites similar to what might be found in a pre-8-bit8-bitThe first widely adopted 8-bit microprocessor was the Intel 8080, being used in many hobbyist computers of the late 1970s and early 1980s, often running the CP/M operating system. The Zilog Z80 and the Motorola 6800 were also used in similar computers...
game) who congratulate the player then explain their reasoning behind deviating from the movie's ending. - The player's final battle places Neo against the "MegaSmith", a gargantuan likeness of Smith composed of buildings, cars, Smith clones, and other debris from the city where the battle takes place. The player fights the Smith construct in a series of dodging thrown debris and plunging into the construct to severely damage sections of the Smith construct.
- Following the battle, the game ends with the final cinematics from the conclusion of The Matrix Revolutions. Rather than the use of the film's next-to-final track, "Bridge of Immortality", from composer Don Davis'sDon Davis (composer)Donald Romain Davis is an American film score composer, conductor, and orchestrator. Best known for his work on The Matrix, he has worked on a variety of films, from horror to comedy.- Early life :...
official score, the game's cut scenes use Queen'sQueen (band)Queen are a British rock band formed in London in 1971, originally consisting of Freddie Mercury , Brian May , John Deacon , and Roger Taylor...
"We Are the ChampionsWe Are the Champions"We Are the Champions" is a power ballad written by Freddie Mercury, recorded and performed by British rock band Queen for their 1977 album News of the World. One of their most famous and popular songs, it remains among rock's most recognisable anthems...
".
Reception
Path of Neo scored 64% for the PC version, 70% for the PS2 version and 72% for the Xbox version on the video game review aggregation site Game RankingsGame Rankings
GameRankings is a website that collects review scores from both offline and online sources to give an average rating. It indexes over 315,000 articles relating to more than 14,500 games.GameRankings is owned by CBS Interactive...
. Critics noted that Path of Neo probably will not interest anyone that is not already a fan of The Matrix, but enthusiasts of the franchise would enjoy the game. Complaints regarding the game's "compromised graphics" and reputation regarding glitches however are common.
Link to Martial Arts movies
- During the first combat training level, Neo must takedown the guards while avoiding to raise the alarm. The location in this scene is similar to one used in the film, Enter the DragonEnter the DragonEnter the Dragon is a 1973 Hong Kong martial arts co-production with Golden Harvest and Warner Bros. studios, directed by Robert Clouse; starring Bruce Lee, Jim Kelly and John Saxon. This is Bruce Lee's final film appearance before his death on July 20, 1973...
starring Hong Kong film star, Bruce LeeBruce LeeBruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
.
- During the survival level, Neo must fight waves of fighters using axes in a time limit. This scene is copied from the 1994, Jackie ChanJackie ChanJackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
film, "Drunken Master 2".
- During the gun training level, Neo must use various guns to defeat waves of enemies at a restaurant. This level is inspired by the opening scene in "Hard BoiledHard BoiledHard Boiled is a 1992 Hong Kong action film directed by John Woo. The film stars Chow Yun-fat as Inspector "Tequila" Yuen, Tony Leung Chiu-Wai as Tony, an undercover cop, and Anthony Wong as Johnny Wong, a leader of criminal triads. The film features Tequila, whose partner is killed in a tea...
"
- In the second part of Neo's battle with Seraph, they battle on flaming standing posts, inspired by the final fight in the Donnie YenDonnie YenDonnie Yen is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film director and producer, action choreographer, and world wushu tournament medalist...
film, "Iron MonkeyIron MonkeyIron Monkey can refer to:*Iron Monkey *Iron Monkey *Iron Monkey...
".
External links
- Detailed Walkthroughs and images at GamePressure
- Reviews and pictures at IGN
- Path of Neo PS2 Review at GameSpot