Tron 2.0 Review (no fat)

Game Description

Tron was a cyberpunk thriller that hit the silver screen in the 80s. Set inside a computer world, Tron resembled an arcade game where the mission was to save the world from the evil MCP or Master Control Program. The protagonist is sucked into the computer system and is subjected to hostilities which he must beat in order to survive and save humankind from digital terrors. The movie enjoyed cult status and spawned an arcade game that became a hit…now, after a lapse of two decades, Tron 2.0 has come to weave a new story.

The game introduces Jet Bradley, the son of the legendary Alan Bradley, and narrates his escapades in the digital dimension packed with evils that threaten human existence.

As Jet Bradley, you have to rescue your father by getting into the computer networks and take on Thorne, a rogue computer program that is threatening the company's servers and also Kernel, the head security program. Kernel assumes that Thorne is the handiwork of Jet Bradley and sets it's ICPs upon Jet. Thorne unleashes a whole bunch of digital bad guys as well and players find themselves in the middle of an amazing digital slugfest.

Tron 2.0 Gameplay

The First Person Shooter genre is one that tests your reflexes more than it taxes your brain. Tron 2.0 is no exception. The game is very easy to get accustomed to. Don't let that fool you though, as some of the levels pack a few twists that can leave you in a messy situation. More often than not, you have to manoeuvre your character around the levels and blast anything that stares in your face and threatens to wipe you out.

Tron packs a few unique inclusions, the major one being the ability to upgrade your core software and thereby increase your performance and stats. There are a slew of puzzles and some platform jumping action thrown in to add a touch of variety…which is not always as good as that seems.

If you are a Tron fan, you'd be familiar with those pulse pounding light cycle races. The game manages to capture this in beautifully rendered 3D graphics. As you zip at breakneck speed on your bike, you'll encounter twists and power-ups in the path that will either enhance or hinder your progress.

Single player mode is the best way to go as Tron's multiplayer options are loosely interpreted and can cause a bit of grief. Overall, Tron 2.0's gameplay is an assorted mix of combat, puzzles and light cycle races.

Tron 2.0 Graphics

The highlight of the graphic engine that powers Tron is the clever use of glow and lighting effects. This helps build an ethereal ambience to the game. Level design is top notch, as is the rest of the games graphical components. It does suffer from slow frame rates at times but those gorgeous light cycle races more than make up for that.

Translating the intangible elements inside a computer system (such as programs, viruses and like) into visually appealing characters is an act that the developers have pulled off successfully.

Tron 2.0 Sound

Another highlight of the game. Strategic use of brilliant sound effects, an intense background score and some decent voice acting all add to the overall gameplay.

Tron 2.0 Summing Up

If you ever wondered what it would be like to be trapped inside a computer network and to deal with digital terrors that are out to get you, Tron 2.0 is as close as you'll get to realizing this fantasy.

Tron 2.0 is a good First Person Shooter title that blends elements of nostalgia and decent combat action. The game doesn't break new grounds as far as the FPS genre goes but it does interpret it's essential components in an all new context. The graphics are futuristic and the game levels are set on well thought out maps. There are instances of brilliance like in the Light Cycle races but the overall action could have been much more tighter and faster.

For a Tron fan, this game is a valuable addition to the collection. For fans of FPS games, there are plenty of other options. Still, Tron is a good game to buy at under 20 dollars... just keep the system requirements in mind when you go out to get this game.

Tron 2.0 Cost

Tron 2.0 currently retails at $19.99US.