The Matrix: Path of Neo
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| The Matrix: Path of Neo | |
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| Developer(s) | Shiny Entertainment |
| Publisher(s) | Atari |
| Designer(s) | David Perry |
| Release date(s) | November 8, 2005 (NA) |
| Genre(s) | Action: Third-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Teen (T) BBFC: 15 |
| Platform(s) | Xbox, PlayStation 2, PC |
The Matrix: Path of Neo is the second video game developed by Shiny Entertainment based on the Matrix series. Players control the character Neo, participating in scenes from the films. It was released on November 8, 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 the gamers wanted first time around... The Neo Game!"[1]
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[edit] Story
A total of fifty levels allow the player to participate in many of the major action scenes from the films. Most of these sequences, picked by the movie directors themselves,[2] 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. 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, staffs, 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.
A lot of film footage is included in the game, and is shown to the player at certain milestones. This footage is not only clips from the original Matrix trilogy, but also from other sources, including the Animatrix and the previous Matrix game, Enter the Matrix.
The game also features a brand-new ending, because the Wachowski brothers felt the ending of The Matrix Revolutions would be a "lame" ending for a video game. Rather than an alternate ending to the Matrix storyline, the game's ending is more of a humorous non-sequitur similar to those found in Shiny's previous games. The ending features a plain white background with 2 chairs and then a blue and a pink Atari-style sprite who turns out to be the Wachoski Brothers' voices in a unscripted performance about altering the ending by doing an endless button mashing against a giant sculpture of Smith made from building pieces. After the last battle the Kid tells everyone that the Machines are finally defeated in a happy manner then tell the people of Zion. The ending features "We Are the Champions" by Queen, which is unusual for a Matrix game.
[edit] Characters
[edit] Neo
The One. Protagonist, and the character the player controls throughout the game.
[edit] Morpheus
Red pill. Captain of the ship, the Nebuchadnezzar, he aids Neo at various points throughout the game.
[edit] Agent Smith (later, merely "Smith")
Program (later exile). Main Antagonist. Neo's arch-nemesis.
[edit] Apoc and Switch
Red pills. Apoc and Switch are helpful fighters who always try to kill.
[edit] The Merovingian
Exile. Rules over a personal empire of exiles.
[edit] Head Bouncer/Doberman Leader
Exile. Head Bouncer at Club Hel, a nightclub owned by the Merovingian. Leads the Dobermen.
[edit] Head of Security
Exile. 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, but this is not a real-life appearance).
[edit] 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.
[edit] Vamp Prime
Exile. Leader of the vamp and doberman exiles found in the distorted dimensions within the Merovingian's chateau.
[edit] Witch leader
Exile. The Merovingian's "champion", whose power equals even Neo's. Or so he believed, however being proved wrong after Neo kills her in "The Witch" level.
[edit] Agents
Programs. 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.
- Upgraded Agents : Agent Johnson (leader), Agent Jackson, Agent Thompson.
[edit] Abilities
Focus (Bullet time mode)
Slow time down to perform stronger fighting moves, move quicker, see bullet trails.
Bullet Dodge
Dodge Bullets. (until focus runs out) Unlocked in "Rooftop assault 'Dodge this'" Level. Must be standing still to perform.
Bullet Stop (Replaces Bullet Dodge)
Stop bullets and hurl them back at enemies. (can only hurl bullets back at enemies when standing still.) Unlocked in "He is the One" level.
Code Vision
See the Matrix in its Code form. Unlocked in "Captain's Meeting" Level. This allows you to see enemies and items through walls, and also to see how much an NPC's health has deteriorated.
Antigravity Jump
Jump Higher. Unlocked in "The Security Guard" Red Pill Rescue Mission.
[edit] References
Also, there are several references to the movies and other Matrix video games. For example, in the "Taking the floor" map, there is a sign above the first door the keymaker tries to open... the sign says "Temet Nosce" or "Know Thyself" as the Oracle told Neo in the first movie.
[edit] Trivia
- During the level "Seraph's Apology" there is a brief fight between Neo and Seraph in a Theater. Playing behind them on the Movie Screen is the very same fight scene taken from The Matrix Reloaded that the level is reenacting.
- During the same level, someone in the audience is talking loudly about the on-screen action, and telling Neo and Seraph to get out of the way, as well as make comments that poke fun at the trilogy itself.
- When Trinity is about to shoot the Agent in the Rooftop level, she says We don't need this, however, in the movie, she says "Dodge this".
- When Smith recovers himself after being run over by the subway train, he attacks Neo until sending him through the wall. In the movie, Neo runs to the exit when Smith is fully recovered.
- In the level "Kung Fu Training," after Neo questions the Operator's order for Neo to kill a guard, the Operator says: "It's not real; just pretend he's your old boss." In a later level, "The Chase: I Need an Exit!", Neo's old boss can be found and killed by Neo near one of the fruit stands. If Neo attacks him, he says "Uh! Anderson..."
- All the versions of the Megasmith (media viewer picture, movie clip, during gameplay) had different styles of debris.
- After completing the game once, if you try to play it over, not all of the upgrades will be available.
- After the fight with Agent Smith in the subway, Agent Smith yells to Neo through the walls, "Mr. Anderson. I know you're in there. I can...smell you." In the first movie, Agent Smith mentions how he can't stand the smell of humans when interrogating Morpheus.
- The Burly Brawl fight plays out in a somewhat different manner. Neo must smash Smiths into buildings to cause them to fall. When all of the buildings fall, the other Smiths disappear, and Neo flies away.
- There are multiple jokes throughout the cutscenes that connect the levels. Example: Smith: "It's the smell." which is followed by: Neo: "Sewers."
- In the first level, the player is given the chance to see what would have happened if Neo continued his escape to the scaffolding.
- The level "The Key" takes place in Club Hel, The Merovingian's club.
- In the level "Taking the Floor," the senators in there are all the same. All of them are a ripoff of Jack Thompson (attorney).
- The level "Zion Archive" has a biped that show that at one point in development, there were intentions of having a level or cutscene involving the fight to save the docks. Additionally, there are bipeds that show that there was the intention of changing the looks of characters on certain days, such as St. Patrick's Day, Halloween, or Christmas.
- At one point in development, the cutscene between Bane and Neo in the real world was originally planned as a playable level.
[edit] External links
- Official Website
- The Matrix: Path of Neo at MobyGames
- About Matrix: Path of Neo
- Detailed Walkthroughs and images at GamePressure
- Reviews and pictures at IGN
Several levels in the game are taken from scenes of famous Hong Kong action movies. These include 2 restaurant fight levels (one from Drunken Master 2, and the other from Hard Boiled) and the second half of Neo's fight with Seraph (taken from the final fight in Iron Monkey)
