Tron: Catalyst review: A looping sequence of boredom

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In Disney’s Tron universe, when I observe something, I anticipate certain elements such as characters with blue and red light highlights, a catchy electronica soundtrack, the use of light cycles and disc throwing, and the phenomenon of de-rezzing characters as they grapple with themes like individuality, choice, and meaning. The new game, Tron: Catalyst, seems to tick all these boxes, but for some reason, it failed to excite me. It wasn’t a terribly difficult or aggravating gameplay experience, but Tron: Catalyst didn’t stir up strong emotions within me, despite its primary feature aiming to do just that.

Stuck in an irregular routine

In Tron: Catalyst, players venture into Disney’s digital world called the Arq Grid, a gritty area where ordinary entities within computers, or “programs” in Tron’s terminology, face discrimination, oppression, and contempt from the Core – a powerful group characterized by a reddish-orange hue. The Core maintains dominance over the program populace, but the rising force of Automata, who aim to empower programs, challenges their authority. However, the Core strongly dislikes this shift in power.

Throughout this scenario, you embody Exo, an unassuming courier software, drawn unwittingly into a scheme aimed at destabilizing the power struggles between Core and Automata. A package Exo transports detonates, coming perilously close to ending her existence. However, Exo gains command over a force called the Glitch catalyst, enabling her to briefly rewind time and alter outcomes based on insights and hints amassed from her tumultuous journey. This newfound ability piques the interest of both Core and Automata, leading Exo into a conflict that could reshape the lives of programs and the Arq Grid as a whole.

The tale is something I can easily accept, as it offers an intriguing time-loop concept that effectively employs one of Tron: Catalyst’s engaging mechanics. However, its visual representation could use improvement. Tron: Catalyst, a top-down isometric action game, doesn’t delve too deeply into details. The art style from above makes every character appear as indistinct blue or reddish light blobs, which might be intentional. Nevertheless, the unique characteristics of Tron: Catalyst’s characters are only noticeable during rare instances where they have spoken dialogues and their profiles are prominently displayed on screen.

The soundtrack, unfortunately, lacks variety. It’s primarily electronica/techno music that continues playing uninterruptedly throughout most of its usage. Instead of enhancing the experience, it serves more as background noise, aligning with the Tron theme without significantly adding to Catalyst.

Fight for the future, or bend it to your will

In the game Tron: Catalyst, the gameplay incorporates elements suitable for its visual style, yet these components do not significantly enhance it. From an overhead isometric perspective, you navigate Exo through the Arq Grid. This involves engaging in battles, exploring new areas, and interacting with characters who help progress the storyline.

In no time, Tron: Catalyst allows Exo to employ her data disc for battle purposes, and it delivers the usual thrills of a Tron-style action game. You can attack enemies up close by whirling your disc or deal damage from a distance by hurling it. Moreover, you can fling your disc off walls to hit enemies from unexpected angles, and enemies can do the same to Exo. Furthermore, there’s a dodge roll and a parry move for dodging enemy attacks and countering them, respectively. The game also features a skill tree system that enables you to unlock additional abilities such as returning thrown enemy discs or bouncing your disc between multiple foes.

The equipment functions well, but lacks excitement during usage. Most of the enemy types are simply more dangerous iterations of core programs and machines, which, like most characters in the game outside of narration, don’t offer much uniqueness except for their Tron-like color schemes – red or blue. They are all equally unremarkable, charging at you and repeatedly attempting to attack, while you counter them with melee attacks, throws of discs, dodges, and parries.

As a fan, I must admit that the game functions well overall, yet lacks a substantial sense of impact in its combat. For example, when I deflect an enemy’s attack, it doesn’t feel particularly immersive or rewarding beyond the basic purpose of countering an enemy move. However, there is a light cycle feature that adds a bit of excitement now and then. This feature allows me to obliterate enemies instantly by running over them, which is quite thrilling!

Unfortunately, I can only utilize this feature in open spaces, which makes sense given the mechanics of the game, but it does limit my access to one of the most enjoyable combat and exploration aspects outside of specific instances.

In Exo’s time-looping game, the Glitch catalyst stands out as a fascinating aspect from both narrative and gameplay viewpoints. If Exo perishes (or whenever you choose), she’ll rewind to a pre-set stage in the ongoing storyline. However, what sets it apart is that Exo regains any knowledge she acquired during her previous loops, enabling her to surmount seemingly insurmountable obstacles. For instance, in an early instance, Exo is thrust into an arena with no fighting skills. By restarting the loop, she can take advantage of training exercises to prepare for the arena fight when it recurs. Later, if a character discloses a secret code that unlocks hidden shortcuts, Exo can utilize this information repeatedly without needing to interact with that character again in future loops.

In various intriguing scenarios, the Glitch catalyst plays a crucial role in Exo’s journeys. For instance, it might be employed to uncover a character who assists her in expunging supposed transgressions from her record or to manipulate restarting loops to avert an undesirable outcome before it materializes, which is one of Tron: Catalyst’s key strengths.

Yep, that there’s a Tron

I’m a fan of the Tron universe, having been with it since its inception and playing several games set within this franchise over the years. Unfortunately, Tron: Catalyst falls short by not offering enough unique elements to distinguish itself within the series. The gameplay and visuals are lackluster, and the atmosphere and music seem disconnected from the narrative. While the light cycle is enjoyable, its use is limited. Moreover, while the time loop adds complexity to the plot and progression, it’s attached to a rather ordinary action game that dons all the typical Tron-inspired design elements.

As a dedicated fan, I’m excited to share my thoughts about Tron: Catalyst, a game I’ve had the privilege of experiencing through a digital copy supplied by the publisher. Mark your calendars for June 17, 2025, as this action-packed adventure will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC platforms.

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2025-06-17 16:58