The Matrix Online

A classic like the first film, or a Revolution of a disappointment?

The Matrix universe with its cyber agents, brooding viral conspiracies and heroic feats of super jumps and kung fu seem perfect for an MMORPG. Days before launch, we take a glimpse at Monolith Productions vision of the Wachowski brothers' virtual realm.

Character individuality is one of the essential elements of an MMO, and in this regard the Matrix Online is well, adequate. After choosing your stat emphasis (a brawler? crafter?) you then can tweak the visual look of your digital alter ego. The customization lies somewhere between Everquest II and World of Warcraft--you can't tweak minute features such as eyes and ears, but you're given a decent number of face options and body types to choose from.

As in the movies, your sense of clothing style is a large element of the game. Even at the onset players are given a small range of pants, shoes, shirts, coats, and headwear to choose from--a pleasant change from most MMOs that force you to start with rags. Aside from crafted goods, you will even be able to wear name-brand goods--though carrying a Vitton bag won't likely make you any stronger.

After creating your character you will then be plopped into the post-Matrix Revolutions Matrix, a surprisingly hostile world filled with mobs (old MUD lingo for mobile enemies)--not the sunshine filled world of harmony portrayed at the conclusion of the movie trilogy. The Matrix isn't a friendly place, which became quickly apparent after dying a couple times in the first ten minutes. Part of the problem was the enigmatic combat system, which at first is overwhelming with various icons flying at the top of the screen. For close range combat you can choose between different types of attacks (heavy hits, grappling, rapid) which are matched against the enemy's move, which the game then determines who wins by a process that's part rock-paper-scissors, part stat comparison, and part random.

With each attack lasting less than a couple seconds, the pace of exchanging blows will easily overwhelm those who just start out, especially without the tutorial. Unlike most RPGs where you auto-attack and periodically hit the hot keys for different moves, you need to constantly monitor what types of attacks the enemy is using, and what attacks you need to do to counter. Constantly having to micromanage for even the beginning mobs gets discouraging.

The system may become second-nature as you keep playing, but overall the interface is chaotic and less elegant compared to other MMORPGs. On the up side, combat seems more tactical than most of the game's potential competitors, offering a unique angle to combat.

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