The Matrix: Awakenings – an experience for sure

As a game reviewer and movie buff, this is one that I had to experience, so even before the game awards, I had the tech demo downloaded. First off all, can I say that they could not have picked a better movie to release the tech demo with? When you get the experience of walking freely around (yes, it’s interactive), you really feel like you are in the matrix, sadly you can not punch any Smith in the face.

You start off the experience with a speech by Keanu Reeves, or Neo, or a computer construct, because it’s so realistic that it’s not even noticeable who is talking to you, or what. Is it the real Keanu Reeves in front of a camera or is it virtual Keanu? From sending the trailer to a friend of mine, it’s so well done, that it’s really not distinguishable between if you are dreaming or reality (to use the matrix analogy).

By teaming up with The matrix franchise, this tech demo is something that we will look back upon in twenty years as a big revolution as they really show what they are capable off with the engine. I am normally not a person that gawks at graphics, as for me, the story and controls are much more important (especially controls, which I know thanks to the Alone in the dark that sunk Atari).

What is cool to see is how close they have come to photo reality, although, men with beards are easier to make realistic, because more of the face is hidden I think, than beardless folk. When they can do a perfect representation of skin, even that goes out the window. Not to say that the model of Carrie Ann-moss Didn’t look gorgeous, she totally did, but it was noticeable that she was not real. Although, I am doubting even that now… I don’t know.

The tech demo was so well done that people will start to doubt, like I am doing now, when something is FMV or done with computers. It’s scary and exciting at the same time. Remember 35+ years ago when we were amazed at Super Mario and see how far we have come now to photo realism.

also Epic… I demand a matrix game!