I Know Kung-Pow: Enter The Matrix

As You Can See, The Shit Shot Cops Prove You Don't Need Bullet-Time

Ok, so I could have taken my own screen shots to use but I felt that the ready-made ones would suffice.

Everyone who knows me that I'm the biggest Star Wars/Matrix fan out there. About a year or two ago, I bought Enter The Matrix from Walmart's sale rack. The first problem popped up when I found out the game was on DVD and not a traditional CD.

I bought the DVD-ROM drive but to no avail, the game installed but it wouldn't play. Later, I upgraded some things...still no dice. Now, give or take, I probably dropped about $900 on my computer system easily. It made one of the baddest music machine/studio/stereo systems I've ever owned...but it wouldn't play my game.

I'd nearly given up until the computer died. Then, a friend dropped nearly $400 and got me this one for my birthday. Cool huh?

I think it's needless to say it was the fraggin video card from the previous one that didn't want to commit to a relationship with a DVD game. This system, was totally unafraid of commitment.

Enter The Matrix serves two functions. The first is it makes you a part of the movie series. By posing the question, "In The War To Save Zion, Which Part Will You Play?" it appeals to that nerdy desire to do some serious live-action Matrix roleplaying and that is guaranteed to get you hurt...or at least your feelings. The second is that it fills you in on all the information that you didn't get from (in order) The Matrix, The Animatrix, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions.

Even With Crappy Kung-Pow Moves, You Can Still Beat Down Gun-Toting Cops
Let's take Character selection for starters. You can select from Niobe (Jada Pinkett-Smith) or Ghost, her assassin companion. Niobe's ship, The Logos, consists of her, Ghost and Sparks...that is a wrap. In short, your options are two of the three crew members of this enormous hovercraft. Sparks provides annoying text messages to your phone while you're in gameplay. Nice for when your signal is supposedly shit and the actual calls from The Logos's Commcenter can't get through to you. I've been playing as Ghost so far and his martial arts/kung-fu still lacks that Neo or Morpheus flair but the man's fighting still rocks.

Speaking of which, let's talk about fighting. At first, you're pitted against Post office security guards who's biggest ambitions are probably using the uniform in some wierd sexual roleplay with women they've picked up. Then the police arrive (pictured) and they're a bunch of real Barney Fifes walking around trying to fire at you and missing you each time. Then, they send in the Darth Vader-wannabe S.W.A.T. team who really need to hit the range again. Then come in the S.W.A.T. team cops that look as though they just didn't make the cut to become Marines...or they're compensating. These guys actually have a better shot of hitting you than all the others.


People Complain About Ice-T Back In The Day But No One Questions This?
Now, actually fighting the cops doesn't take much. The first two, even three waves you can take down by using your martial arts. No lie, just dodge the bullets, get in close and let them catch that beat-down you've been meaning to throw them for the speeding ticket they want to pull you over for in the freeway scene. The third and fourth waves require a little ordinance to take care of them but once you get the hang of the moves, it's all smooth-sailing and you can make short work of them in no time. Just remember, a little strategy of duck-dodge-kick-the-living-hell-out-of-them goes a long way.

The problem with the martial arts moves is that they're not so good over those precarious spots. The movements require you to jump, kick, punch and advance. Believe me when I say that advancing in those moments isn't advisable.


Jada And Will Act Out Their Fantasies In Public

Well with the crappy kung-fu moves, movie footage that wasn't in the films, and, limited character selection, the game is ok for starters and it does sort of immerse you into the films with secondary characters, however, don't expect to do Neo's Superman Thing because he's not one of the characters from whom you can select and even though you're kicking much ass through the game remember...you're not The One.

I do love this game though.