It’s hard to imagine a film franchise more suited to video games than TRON, 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 like TRON 2.0, but the modern era hasn’t seen anything quite as impressive. Although TRON: 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 a TRON experience.
Bithell Games is revisiting TRON with Disney TRON: Catalyst, and the official reveal trailer showcases some stylish gameplay that 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: Catalyst centers 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 for Disney TRON: Catalyst revealed 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 of TRON: Identity‘s visual novel DNA is hanging around in Disney TRON: Catalyst, with key dialogue scenes putting character art front and center. Bithell Games is angling for the overall experience to be a meaningful TRON experience in a similar vein to the cult classic movie tie-in The 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 behind Disney TRON: Catalyst is 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. While John Wick Hex struggled to win over audiences, TRON: Identity made a good impression, and building on that success to deliver an action game follow-up could be exciting.
Related
10 Best Indie Games On Xbox Game Pass Right Now
With unlimited access to hundreds of Xbox Game Pass games, players can enjoy indie games like Powerwash Simulator, Moonlighter and more.
The isometric perspective might not be the most immersive possible take on the TRON universe, but games like Baldur’s Gate 3 have 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: Catalyst could prove to be a TRON game that properly brings the digital world to life.