The Matrix Online

Like many people I was half excited and half depressed when I heard that the Matrix movies were being turned into a MMO. I liked the first Matrix movie but felt that the second two were weaker. The world was entertaining with rich characters and a great backstory. But movies-to-games have a dubious reputation with some gamers. So when I was given a beta copy of the Matrix Online (MXO) I approached it with a few reservations. I have been pleasantly surprised with how the game has come together during the beta process.

The graphics in MXO are well rendered. They conveyed the world inside the Matrix with a great deal of depth without making my video card go into hysterics. The sound is also well done and manages to convey the atmosphere of the Matrix world. The area new players start the game in is a tutorial. You get to practice moving, working with your inventory, and fighting. Once you get out into the “real world” of the Matrix you can immediately recognize the area. The designers have perfectly captured the run-down, dark atmosphere of the areas Neo, Trinity, and Morpheus passed through in the first movie. Moving deeper into the game you can see the cleaner, more upscale streets where the Merovingian runs his businesses, just for one example.

Players have the chance to fully explore the world inside the Matrix, and that includes meeting some of the famous characters from the movies. For example, a recorded message from Morpheus plays when you first enter the Matrix after the tutorial.  However, exploration is not always a good thing. There are certain areas inside the Matrix that are tightly controlled by the Machines. If you cause trouble, or even just try to pass through, you can find yourself face to face with an Agent. It pays to talk to other players about what areas to avoid before you set out.

For combat the Matrix Online uses a system where players can choose from several fighting styles. Players can even swap between styles during a fight. There are options for slow, heavy hits or rapid-fire attacks. Blocking to prevent damage is another option that lets you recover your strength during a fight. There is also an option for grappling with your opponent to try and throw them to the ground or leave them stunned. Combat in the Matrix captures the “wire-fu” feel from the movies, although it might take new players a while to earn some of the more spectacular moves. Players have to “download” moves into their minds, and they can only hold so many at one time. This adds a certain degree of strategy to the game.

Crafting in MXO is done through a “coding” system. Players can take resources from the Matrix itself and fashion nearly anything you can need from the data. One of the skills involved is locating and accessing data nodes hidden in the Matrix. But be careful! The Matrix closes down compromised nodes quickly and can even send defense programs to “encourage” a player to stop hacking the system. With the right resources and skills, though, a player can craft anything they need for life inside the Matrix. As a link between the “fighter” types and the “crafter” types code skills include the ability to create new combat skills for trade.

As players advance they earn stat points which can be used to customize their characters. Since every player can create their own version of a class there is a lot of room to expand your horizons. Are you the nimble warrior or the hefty bruiser? The intelligent and frail computer geek or a hacker with some good moves? Additionally players can buy upgrades based on their level using in-game money. Players can purchase upgrades to their combat damage, for example. Finally, skills can only be found by defeating mobs or buying them from another player.

MXO blends good graphics and sound, an engaging world, and into a single package. Unfortunately for all its depth, the Matrix Online is another MMO. If you are not a big fan of the movies or the genre you might not want to try the game. It is a good game, but the MMO field has quite a few options available. If you are a fan of the movies this game should be right up your alley. Just keep an eye out for those Agents…

Tips:

If you’re having a tough time with a mob, the tutorial suggests you try the “throw” fighting style in close. If successful you can toss your opponent down, stun them, or peel off buffs. What they don’t tell you is that you can quickly take out a weak mob by tossing them down and switching to the “rapid fire” combat mode to get a few cheap shots in while the enemy gets up. After all, they’re just computer programs. Why not kick them while they are down?