Enter the Matrix was the very first major Matrix video game. It was released during a time when licensed games were very popular, where new titles based on movie properties were being released regularly. The franchise was a cultural phenomenon with its film releases and a game adaptation seemed inevitable to a lot of fans. Commonly, the licensed games of the time were loose adaptations of the movie source material. Enter the Matrix differed in this respect.
Licensed games are somewhat different in modern gaming than what they used to be. In the early 2000s, it was commonplace for blockbuster movies to receive gaming versions of the same story. More recently, licensed games take the form of Marvel's Spider-Man and the Batman: Arkham series, which feature original stories based on existing properties. Enter the Matrix was unique for its time in that it didn't retell the events of The Matrix movies, and instead, it added to the mythology.
Enter the Matrix Is Canon
Enter the Matrix doesn't retell the events of Reloaded and Revolutions, instead, it fleshes out the events of those movies through the experiences of side characters. Players take up the role of Ghost and Niobe, side characters in the Matrix universe and crew members of the ship named Lobos. Enter the Matrix takes place roughly around the same time as The Matrix Reloaded and features the full cast from the movies in some capacity. Enter the Matrix is considered to be canon, much like The Animatrix animated film. While many licensed games of the time sought direct or loose adaptations of their film counterparts, Enter the Matrix added to the overall lore by leveraging the second and third Matrix movies.
It Was Created At The Same Time As Reloaded and Revolutions
Enter the Matrix was produced at the same time as the Matrix sequel movies. While the Wachowskis were busy crafting the sequels, they also found time to contribute in a big way to Enter the Matrix. The game not only filled in the blanks of events concurrent to Reloaded and Revolutions, but it also featured original live-action footage directed by the Wachowskis. These cutscenes featured some of the cast from the films. Many considered this to be going a step above and beyond what was required for the game. While the title wasn't especially well-received by critics, the Wachowskis work on Enter the Matrix helps it stand out as unique in The Matrix catalog of games.
Enter the Matrix Brought a Cinematic Feel
This Matrix game has often been credited for feeling like a cinema-going experience. Other than the quality of the Wachowskis original cutscenes, the audio quality was lauded at the time by critics, in addition to some of the featured combat choreography. Enter the Matrix wasn't particularly highly rated by critics, but it received a lot of credit for bringing a cinematic look and feel to an interactive Matrix environment. Many gamers and critics appreciated this harmonious relationship between the game and the movies.
It Was Treated As a Companion Piece
Enter the Matrix isn't considered to be one of the worst licensed games, but it did receive some middling reviews. Despite this, the game was developed as an important project. It has been reported that the game saw members of each depart of Reloaded's production team involved. Enter the Matrix also used motion capture for the cast members, in addition to their voices. This is more commonplace in modern gaming but would have been ambitious for the time. The story was treated as part of the overall Matrix lore and not just a tie-in, which was part of the Wachowskis plan to tell the story using multiple forms of media.
Enter the Matrix, along with the film trilogy and Animatrix, is commonly considered to be part of the overall arc and not just a spin-off. Unfortunately, Enter the Matrix faced a rushed production, as there was a desire to see it released on the same day as The Matrix Reloaded. Reviewers thought it to be unfinished and rushed, but it still went on to sell several million copies. With The Matrix 4 set to release in late 2021, some fans are hoping that a new Matrix game could be developed.
Enter the Matrix is available on PC, PS2, Xbox, and GameCube.