Tron: Catalyst Review – A Glitch in Time

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Although the Tron franchise began in 1982, it has spent much of its life in dormancy. Following Tron: Legacy, smaller projects have kept the series flickering in the public eye. But with the 2023 launch of the Magic Kingdom ride and Tron: Ares set to hit cinemas in October 2025, Disney appears to be revving up the lightcycles for a full-speed marketing assault. After their visual novel Tron: Identity, Bithell Games has shifted gears with Tron: Catalyst, an action-driven narrative adventure. But will it capture the iconic digital world as it returns to the spotlight or derezz in the shadow of its predecessors?

Set within the same Arq Grid as Tron: Identity, Bithell Games has crafted a world where returning players benefit from prior knowledge of key characters, while newcomers can engage with a standalone narrative that remains faithful to the franchise’s thematic core. You play as Exo, a courier inadvertently swept into a revolutionary uprising. During a routine delivery, your package detonates, granting you the ability to glitch. This allows you to reset time, creating loops where you can carry knowledge and items from one timeline into the next to alter outcomes.

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With the Core hot on your heels, you must take a stand and fight alongside others to save the Grid. Although the story lacks cinematic flair in its presentation, the dialogue, backed by strong voice acting, makes for an engaging narrative. Each character you meet is full of personality and adds depth to the lore of the world. Smart narrative twists further amplify immersion, culminating in what may be the most engaging tale the franchise has delivered since the original film.

You can explore the world on foot or by Light Cycle, navigating through the environment to complete your objective. You’ll find crates scattered throughout, each containing currency you can use to upgrade your abilities. With prominent markers for each mission, you are often simply following the guide in order to complete your objective. This negates the need to learn the layout of the land, as you merely head in the direction you’re told. Regardless, Tron: Catalyst manages to capture the spirit of the franchise due to its strong presentation. The neon-lit streets, iconic costumes and synth-infused soundtrack successfully communicate its identity, which is paramount for a game set in an established world.

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Primary and secondary missions are clearly stated at the top of the screen. You can cycle through these with a click of your left stick and instantly track a different mission. This is a great feature that keeps you in the world rather than hopping through menus. Other aspects, such as difficulty options and accessibility features, are easy to access and instantly apply rather than requiring you to reload the game.

The concept of a time loop is central to the narrative, and while its introduction is handled well, the mechanic ultimately falls short in execution. Despite the promising premise, it never reaches its full potential. The game heavily guides most loop sequences, undercutting the sense of discovery the mechanic promises.

Combat can take place on foot or while riding your Light Cycle. When enemies are alerted to your presence, barriers appear, and you must eradicate these in order to progress. Soldiers come in different forms, with some being able to throw grenades while brutes can unleash powerful blows. To overcome your foes, you can perform melee attacks or launch your disc from a distance. Throughout, you’ll upgrade your abilities, giving you more options to take out the barrage of enemies. Fights are quite basic and lack the nuance that imbues combat-focused adventures. Parrying strikes is the most enjoyable element of this, as you must time the action with the opponent’s movement.

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While riding your Light Cycle, you leave behind a trail of light, and any enemies that collide with it are instantly destroyed. You can also shift from left to right with a click of a button. This is particularly useful when you want to create a quick barrier with your light when an enemy is hot on your tracks. Although there is some variety with encounters, there’s also a rigidity to combat that makes these segments feel mediocre.

Tron: Catalyst successfully captures the spirit of the franchise. Its striking aesthetics and pulsing electronic score immerse you in the iconic digital world. The game’s strength lies in its commitment to storytelling, with clever narrative techniques driving the plot. While the combat is serviceable, it lacks the depth found in many of its genre peers. Still, these elements come together to deliver a narrative-driven experience that remains true to Tron’s identity, even if the gameplay doesn’t always live up to the ambition of its story.

***PC code provided by the publisher for review***