'Matrix': A kick in the head for gaming

By Mike Snider
USA Today

Just as "The Matrix" broke visual ground in movies, "Enter the Matrix" is likely to break virtual ground in video games based on movies.

Filmmakers Andy and Larry Wachowski, avid video game players, view it not just as marketing fodder but as an integral element of the universe they unveiled in 1999 with the original blockbuster. The game is due May 15, the same day as the first sequel, "The Matrix: Reloaded."

Their hands-on approach involved going to unprecedented lengths to make sure the game has all the style and snap of the film trilogy:

• They wrote a 244-page script with parallel plot twists to "Reloaded."
• They filmed an hour's worth of live-action footage with stars such as Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss specifically for the game.
• They filmed an additional hour of scenes for computer-generated animations, which the Wachowskis are calling "cineractives" that will help connect live-action clips to game segments.
• The movie's martial-arts choreographer, the stunt team and principal actors did special motion-capture sessions to provide game action. Actors did game-specific voice recordings.

"You would have actors doing this scene from the movie, and the next day this scene from the game," said Rosanna Sun, interactive producer for the Wachowskis' production company, Eon.

Behind-the-scenes trailers detailing the collaboration were posted last week at www.enterthematrix.com.

Games based on movies typically lack the visual quality of the film. But the graphics technology built into video game systems such as Sony's PlayStation 2 and Microsoft's Xbox — both of which also can play DVD movies — allows game makers to deliver near-cinematic experiences.

As a result, movie-based games are evolving, and filmmakers are more likely to assist. Electronic Arts' "The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" used footage, models and other assets from the movie, and the game for the third "Rings" chapter, "Return of the King," will use movements digitally captured from the film. Similarly, the developers of Activision's "Spider-Man" game worked closely with director Sam Raimi.

Nonetheless, "Enter the Matrix" — which can be played on PlayStation 2, Xbox, Nintendo GameCube and PCs — represents a new level of synergy between Hollywood and game developers, said Bryan Intihar of Electronic Gaming Monthly, who played an early version. "I believe it will have a significant impact on the entertainment industry," he said.