It’s hard to imagine a film franchise more suited to video games thanTRON, and it might finally be getting a new game that can do the concept justice. There’s been no shortage of tie-ins over the years, with some neat entries likeTRON 2.0, but the modern era hasn’t seen anything quite as impressive. AlthoughTRON: Identity, developed by Bithell Games, featured a strong, choice-based narrative, the visual novel format doesn’t necessarily deliver on what everyone would want from aTRONexperience.
Bithell Games is revisitingTRONwithDisney TRON: Catalyst, and the official reveal trailer showcases some stylish gameplaythat might win over fans itching to return to the Grid. Set to release in 2025 for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and NIntendo Switch, the new isometric game puts an emphasis on the story once more, but it mixes that with fluid combat, city exploration, and Light Cycle action.
Although it’s not a roguelike,Disney TRON: Catalystcenters around a time loop concept, where failures can be paved over by resetting events. Aided by this mechanic, the program protagonist Exo attempts to uncover secrets and save the Grid while dealing with several threats of differing natures.
TRON: Catalyst Is Aiming To Be The Rare Quality Tie-In
Reasonable Ambition & The Right Focus
A press preview forDisney TRON: Catalystrevealed some more details about the game, showcasing Exo’s unique prowess at infiltration. While it doesn’t feature an open-world or a focus on branching possibilities,the “big levels” of the game provide an interesting, two-tone look at a metropolis within the Grid.
Some ofTRON: Identity’svisual novel DNAis hanging around inDisney TRON: Catalyst, with key dialogue scenes putting character art front and center. Bithell Games is angling for the overall experience to be a meaningfulTRONexperience in a similar vein to the cult classic movie tie-inThe Chronicle of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, telling new stories and giving players a sense of being in that world.
Our Take: Bithell Games Could Make TRON: Catalyst Work
The Key Ingredients Are In Place
The Creative Director behindDisney TRON: Catalystis Mike Bithell, and I’ve been a fan of his work ever since I first played his breakout title,Thomas Was Alone, over a decade ago. Bithell Games has put out a lot of strong material since then, and the indie studio’s recent turn to licensed games has provided an interesting alternative to ponderous big-budget tie-ins. WhileJohn Wick Hexstruggled to win over audiences,TRON: Identitymade a good impression, and building on that success to deliver an action game follow-up could be exciting.
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The isometric perspective might not be the most immersive possible take on the TRON universe, butgames likeBaldur’s Gate 3have helped bring the style back into vogue, and the game seems to be taking advantage of it to clearly map out the way Exo can ricochet a disc off of enemies in combat. If those fundamentals can develop with enough variety across the course of a full game,Disney TRON: Catalystcould prove to be aTRONgame that properly brings the digital world to life.
