The Matrixhas always been tied to video games in one way or another, as the very concept ofpeople living lives in a virtual realityhas plenty of parallels to the medium. On top of that, the flashy hand-to-hand combat and shootouts featured in all four movies feel extremely evocative of countless action games. With the recent release ofThe Matrix Resurrections, the franchise has been given new life, and plenty of fans who left the movie craving more have turned to gaming as a result of the movies' connection to the medium to continue scratching theMatrixitch.
There are plenty ofvideo games based onThe Matrix, so it goes without saying that fans directly looking for moreMatrixcontent should check those games out. However, there are a lot of excellent games that spark similar conversations asThe Matrixthat aren’t directly tied to the franchise that fans should consider giving a try.The Matrixclearly serves as inspiration for a lot of action games, especially with the prevalence of bullet-time during the PS3/Xbox 360 era, but the titles listed below are more than just inspired by the films: They take a lot of the ideas present in them to the next level, making the most out of the interactivity of the medium.
RELATED:A New Matrix Game Could Bridge the Gap Between Revolutions and Resurrections
BioShock
One of the questions central to the originalMatrixfilm is a simple one: “What if everything you thought you knew turned out to be a lie?” No game encapsulates the essence of this question better than the originalBioShock. Without wishing to spoil things too much, if it’s even possible to be a part of the gaming community without knowingthe big twist inBioShock, the game takes a large 180-degree turn towards the midway point that asks the player the same question.
As a result, this shift recontextualizes their actions for the first half. Similar toThe Matrix,BioShocktalks a lot about free will, and whether a person chooses their life, or live as a slave to fate. The philosophy ofBioShockcould be picked apart for hours, and anyone who appreciated how many layersThe Matrixfilms have when it comes to philosophical discussion, will likeBioShockon that level alone.
Control
Remedy Entertainment has gone on record to say that the lobby shootout scene inThe Matrixserved as a major inspiration for a lot ofControl’s combat encounters. This absolutely comes through in many of the shootouts that take place in the Oldest House, but it’s not until Jesse Fayden gets her powers that the true connection betweenThe MatrixandControlis made.
Both stories feature mind-bending concepts about reality, set to striking visuals with a main character who possesses superhuman abilities that make them a threat to anyone who stands in the way of free will. WhileControlmay not be as philosophically deep asThe Matrix, the lore and history of the FBC runs just as deep as the lore surroundingThe Matrix, and will satisfy fans looking for another story with a long, exciting history behind it.
Nier: Automata
If anything could satisfy a fan ofThe Matrixlooking for something comparable to the franchise, it’sNier: Automata. On the surface, the game might look like just another hack-n-slash action game. When players truly dive into its story and the meaning behind it, they’ll uncover a philosophically deep narrative that has extended conversations about consciousness, choice, and what it means to truly be alive.
In addition to all that,Nier: Automataalso features plenty of metatextual elements that fans ofThe Matrix: Resurrectionsspecifically will love to pick apart and analyze. In addition to the deeper similarities betweenNier: AutomataandThe Matrix, on a more surface level, both deal with stories that revolve around humanity pushed to the brink of extinction and the role that technology might play in the distant future of humankind.
The Matrix Resurrectionsis currently in theaters and on HBO Max.
