December 14, 2005

Using the newly-released, Crazy Machines (**** out of four), you can have fun solving "Rube Goldberg" type machine puzzles. Or, if you feel creative, you can try making your very own wacky contraptions. The program includes more than 200 puzzles to solve (by assembling the provided parts); puzzles range from very simple to very complex, all designed to do easy tasks in a fun, weird and wacky, complicated way.

For example, the professor, your host for the program, wants to grill his sausage. So you assemble a machine that puts a flame under a tank to boil water in the tank to create steam that drives a steam engine that turns a pulley that turns a belt that turns another pulley that turns another belt that turns the rotisserie that holds the sausage. And don’t forget to put a fire under the sausage too. More than 70 elements are included and range from simple pegs, platforms, wheels and belts to canons and fireworks to airships, robots and electric generators and more; most perform some action that can be chain-reacted to get a final desired result.

Another example of a machine you could assemble is one that lets a ball fall on the plunger of a blowtorch, lighting it. The flame lights a rocket that, when it goes off, knocks a box off a shelf that falls on a switch that turns a light on. How easy is that for a way to turn on a light! Use your imagination, and you’ll have a world of fun designing and assembling these perfectly useless crazy contraptions.

The 3D graphics are good and use accurate physics models to control their motion, adding to the challenge. The program is fun for the whole family, and we find it becomes quite addicting. Highly recommended.

The Matrix: Path of Neo (****) loosely follows the storyline of the Matrix Trilogy movies, where machines have become intelligent and taken over, enslaving humans by connecting them to an elaborate network: the Matrix. While humans are in the Matrix, they’re fed computer-generated virtual life experiences simulating daily living, while in real life being maintained in a comatose state. In this state they are used for their electrical energy to power the machines. A few humans have become aware of this state, become rebels and broken free, looking for a savior to defeat the machines and return humans to their free state. Neo is thought by some of the rebels to be "The One," the savior.

You’ll get to play as Neo, the star character (played by Keanu Reeves in the movies), controlling his actions and decisions that determine the outcome of various missions. The missions portray many key events in the movies and are interspersed with live action scenes from the movies, never-before-seen scenes and an alternate ending, all directed by the Wachowski brothers (creators of the movies). Oh yes, there’s also Mr. Smith, a virtual agent of the Matrix, looking to destroy the rebels. You’ll have to deal with him and his clones.

Game play is preceded by six missions designed to train you in Neo’s actions, weapons and special powers. Powers such as Focus intensify any specific action Neo is performing. This allows him to walk on walls, slow time and more. Weapons include lots of guns and various exploding devices. Neo’s actions make use of a variety of kicks, jumps, dodges and more. The nearly 100 combinations of actions available will take some time to get used to: keyboard controls such as W to move forward, A to slide left, C for Code Vision (which shows the scene as the computer generates it, allowing you to see through walls for hidden enemies), tab for action and many other controls for weapons and such.

Game play is mostly battling your way out of situations or saving fellow rebels. Graphics are good, with nice use of the "dripping code" screen seen in the movies. The cut scenes are fun to watch, although they don’t always closely relate to the mission. As a diversion from the battles, there are a few puzzles to solve along the way. Sound effects and music sound great (THX certified and in Dolby Pro Logic II) even on our modest sound system, very reminiscent of the Trilogy.

Special bonuses, accessible only from the game, are included in the DVD-ROM and add to the enjoyment of playing this game. Bonuses include: Movies, featuring clips from the Trilogy; The Making of . . ., a behind the scenes look at how the game was made; Media Viewer, showing additional artwork and its development process; Special Combos, demonstrating some of the combination fighting moves you can use with Neo; Cheats, to manage the games unlockable cheats.

People who liked the movies will like this animated game that replays many of the scenes from the movies and allows you to become immersed in game play as the hero. And hey, who doesn’t like playing the hero? Especially if you’re saving the world.

From Atari, Windows 2000/XP with 1.8 Ghz Pentium 4 and DVD-ROM player, $49.99.

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