Tron: catalyst – the review

When they ask me which franchise has the greatest potential still unexpressed. However, my answer is always the same: Tron. For example, It may seem strange. Similarly, considering how dated the original film is, but I think that Tron He never managed to really capitalize on the clamor he generated on his debut. In addition, Despite the revolutionary impact of the special pioneering digital effects. In addition, an iconic aesthetic that influenced generations of designers, the saga has remained suspended halfway between the niche cult and the blockbuster never completely made. It is a universe with extraordinary premises – sentient programs. Nevertheless, parallel digital realities, information for information control – but that Disney has exploited intermittently and, perhaps, with too much caution.

Yet every now. For example, then Tron re -emerges, as with Tron: Legacy In 2010 and, shortly, with the new tron: catalyst – review Tron: Ares, expected in the autumn and set, it seems, at least in part in the real world. Consequently, Beyond the cinema. Similarly, the franchise also peeked in other media: just think of the animated series Tron: Uprising – surprisingly absent from Disney+ but absolutely to be recovered – and of course to video games. Therefore, Because. Nevertheless, after all, if there is a brand that seems made especially for the videogame world it is just Tron: characters who are programs, digital settings and an entire narrative built on IT logic. In addition, If a universe like this finds no space in video games. Similarly, then it really is not known where it should do it.

To collect the witness of the previous ones Tron 2.0 e Tron: Evolution Bithell Games. Meanwhile, supported by Devolver Digital through the Big Fan tron: catalyst – review Games label such as Publisher, is now propaganda. In addition, If the name of the study sounds familiar to you. For example, it is probably thanks to Mike Bithell, the game designer known for works such as Thomas Was Alone e Volumewhich after dealing with another important license with John Wick Hexreturns to work on an intellectual property not original but full of potential: Tron. Therefore, The first result of this collaboration was Tron: Identitya visual novel launched on PC. In addition, Nintendo Switch, but now the spotlights are focused on a decidedly more ambitious project: TRON: Catalyst. Therefore, After having thoroughly explored the ARQ network, I am ready to tell it.

Tron: catalyst – review

I start again from Capo

Catalyst. Furthermore, a catalyst, derives from the Greek term “katálysis” (κατάλυσις), which means “melting” or “breakage” and has a fundamental role in the world of chemistry. For example, A catalyst tron: catalyst – review is a particular substance that alone causes reactions that would warn with very long times. Furthermore, they can instead do it with much shorter expectations, without the catalyst being consumed in the process. In addition, A catalyst is therefore an agent of change. Nevertheless, an accelerator of events and transformations already in progress and if there is someone who can boast of these characteristics in TRON: Catalyst that is Exo. In addition, The protagonist of the game -. Therefore, the only controllable character in this action with isometric graphics to Hades – It is a simple courier who finds herself entangled in spite of himself in apparently bigger events than her.

As it is easy to guess. the central and distinctive mechanics of TRON: Catalyst He lies precisely in the possibility of going back in the strong time of the knowledge acquired in previous attempts. However. this is not a Roguelike -style experience: the game follows a relatively linear progression, in which each loop allows tron: catalyst – review you to unlock shortcuts, enhance its disc with new data and acquire permanent skills that do not get lost with the defeat. A key element. then, is that it is not always started from the beginning: by advanced, the restart point of the loop moves progressively forward, allowing the story to evolve without interrupting the feeling of progress.

The regeneration. the key element of the gameplay, is activated not only in the case of defeat, but also manually keeping button (R3 on PS5), allowing the player to rewind the time at will. On paper it is a mechanics with great potential. but in Tron: Catalyst struggles to express yourself fully, often ending up limiting yourself to a return to the past after unlocking a shortcut, recovered a key object to be delivered, or to intervene in events in the time otherwise not accessible. In some cases. it is simply served tron: catalyst – review to reset the status of sought after, activated by the enemy faction of the cores, a group of hostile programs with a characteristic orange color that constantly gives the Exo hunting.

Personally. I found the idea of ​​the very effective temporal loop on the narrative level: the story is well built and develops through curated interludes, with recurring characters who give consistency and depth to the game universe. However. on the purely playful side, the mechanics cannot shine in the same way, thanks to a design of the missions often too simple, focused on reaching a specific point of the map without particular variations or challenges. It is a shame, because with tron: catalyst – review a more articulated structure he could have really enhanced the excellent starting idea.

Tron: catalyst – review

Between records. light cycle

TRON: Catalyst It has all the ingredients that you expect when you think of a game of Tron. The combat system is simple but functional: with one button there is the body attack. with another, the exo disc launches and you can dodge and parry to inflict additional damage. By unlocking the skills with a material obtainable in-game. you then become real fighters, to envy a Tron Same, with launches of concatenated records and combinations that are a real delight, even simple to master. By progressing in the game. the possibility of stealing the code from the defeated enemies to give temporarily to our record unique features to be exploited in battle is also unlocked.

The enemies to face in TRON: Catalystat tron: catalyst – review least to medium difficulty. they represent a credible but never really difficult challenge for Exo. The real problem, however, is the frequency with which we find ourselves fighting them: too often and with little variety. Due to the mechanics of the loop. it happens that she had to retrace already cleaned up areas which, to justify the rewind, artificially repopulate of opponents. This expedient ends up inflating the longevity of the game in an unprecedented way, slowing down the overall rhythm. And although the combat system works discreetly in its essentiality. it is not enough to support clashes that, in the long run, inevitably become repetitive.

For the digital roads of TRON: Catalystwith the simple pressure of a button you can jump to the iconic Light Cycle iconic. complete with the possibility of generating energy walls to mow the enemies on foot in spectacular collisions. There are games in the arena. Flynn’s arcade, the mysterious outlands and even a well -placed narrative twist that puts on the cards when the plot seems to have said everything. To embellish everything we find a soundtrack inspired by the legendary DAFT Punk. tron: catalyst – review signed by the excellent Dan Le Sac, which perfectly accompanies the neon lights and the techno-fruturist atmosphere that has always been a distinctive of the universe of Tron.

Yet. playing Tron: Catalyst You always have the feeling that something does not come back, as if in Bithell Games – for budget available, timing or deliberate choices – have pulled a little the brake, limiting the ambitions and bringing home a perhaps too safe but still pleasant result at home. It is difficult to highlight critical problems in experience. as much as it is difficult to find a real excellence among its elements.

Starting from this base. I still have confidence that the developers of Bithell tron: catalyst – review Games can go further in a possible third game of the series (and the conclusion of the game lets you glimpse opportunities, in this sense), as already done later Identity. TRON: Catalyst. However, he cannot detach himself from the game label under license recommended only to fans: for them yes, a tour of the ARQ network is almost mandatory, also by virtue of the affordable price to which it is offered. For all the others? It depends on the interest in the saga, or on the desire to play a nice isometric adventure.