When it comes to groundbreaking entertainment, The Matrix franchise pioneered a lot in terms of visual effects and technology. Marking a huge shift for special effects in film, as well as how action was stylized in film, its influence could also be seen in the world of gaming. Now, with the release of The Matrix Resurrections just around the corner, a new tech demo for Unreal Engine 5 called The Matrix Awakens has been made available for PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.
After it was teased a few days ago, Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss took to the stage at The Game Awards 2021 to officially unveil The Matrix Awakens, and confirm that it is available to download for free now. While not technically a full playable game, The Matrix Awakens still represents a jump in graphical fidelity and technical capabilities for the future of gaming. Using Unreal Engine 5, the tech demo shows off what the next few years of gaming can potentially be, and the future looks exciting.
Unreal Engine 5 - Endless Possibilities
The Matrix Awakens isn't the first time gamers have gotten a glimpse into what Unreal Engine 5 can do. Last year, Epic Games (the developer of Unreal Engine) showed off what its latest iteration of the engine could do running in real time on a PlayStation 5 with a lengthy, detailed video showed off advancements made to textures, particle effects, lightning, and character animations. The fantasy themed adventure style wasn't for a particular game, but the elements shown off within teased numerous things that could easily be imagined in other established franchises.
The seamless climbing animations are right at home in Uncharted, while its environments could be put to great use in a future open-world action game. The Unreal Engine 5 demo pushed boundaries, with Epic Games flexing the muscle of its new software. As the years go on, developers will only get a better grasp of this technology to deliver even bigger and better experiences the likes of which people could have only dreamed of years ago.
The Matrix Awakens - Blurring the Line Between Game and Movie
Providing another taste of what its powerful new game engine can do, Unreal Engine 5 is the fuel upon which The Matrix Awakens runs. The Matrix has dipped its toes into interactive entertainment in the past, but the technology to accurately deliver the insane action sequences its series is known for wasn't quite there yet. Enter the Matrix and The Matrix: Path of Neo were decent efforts for their time, but obviously pale in comparison to the films that inspired them.
As gaming tech improved, even more cinematic experiences like the aformentioned Uncharted series began to inch closer to blurring this line. Now, The Matrix Awakens seems to have stepped over that threshold of delivering a truly cinematic gaming experience. Technically speaking, there isn't much in the way of actual "gameplay" in this free demo, with a few context sensitive moments and playful tools to manipulate the game engine, but it's the promise of what is possible that is most intriguing.
Video games have come a long way since their humble beginnings with the likes of Pong and Pac-Man. With each passing generation, technology moves further into impressive new territory allowing for even more polished, immersive games. The Matrix Awakens, while not a full game, makes a strong case for what the coming years will offer for those interested in interactive entertainment once Unreal 5 is more readily used.
The Matrix Awakens: An Unreal Engine 5 Experience is available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.