Matrix creators Andy and Larry Wachowski get credit for trying to use video games as an extension of their movie franchise instead of a mere retread - after all, why tell the same story if you can tell a new one? Trouble was, Enter the Matrix wasn't fun or satisfying, and The Matrix 's messiah mythos feels custom built for a traditional action/adventure game. You say you've got one guy with super powers who saves the world by shooting and kicking everything in sight? Step right this way!

That frenzied action, powered equally by stylish kung fu moves and a near-endless supply of machine gun ammunition, is what makes Path of Neo so satisfying. All the classic fights are here - sparring with Morpheus in the dojo, brawling with Agent Smith in the rain, blowing holes in the marble columns of the lobby - with recognizable moves such as the slow-motion power punch to the jaw and running up someone's leg and kicking them in the head. Damn, that’s fun - moreso if you use your time-slowing Focus powers. The movie story has been extended (sometimes in very silly directions) to fill out the game, so you'll have plenty of chances to kick ass.

Despite the new-school moves and style, there are still too many old-school problems. The camera is a classic source of frustration, and the "flick" targeting system often sticks you to objects you don't want to target - they're constant annoyances that will have you screaming at the screen in no time. Plus, the game sometimes cheats on the source material - if Neo is all-powerful, why are his friends telling him to go do mundane crap like operate a crane in a warehouse while they get riddled with bullets? The answer is "do it or we’ll make you reload the level."