With Tron recent revival, Disney decided to try capitalizing on this newly acquired fame for the series and make some profit out of this new mainstream appeal the franchise was getting.
Thus, they decided to make some tie-ins around the release of Tron: Legacy.
Both prequels.
Like Tron already had in the past - while there wasn't a movie around - a game and a comic.
This is a review of the video game that was released before the new Tron movie.
VGR: Tron: Evolution
From Propaganda Games/Disney InteractivePlayed on Xbox 360
Also available on PSP, PS3 & PC
Type Action/Beat 'em all/parkour platformer
Year 2010
For the release of Tron Legacy, Disney revived the franchise with new tie-ins.
The first original Tron game was a product of its time. A first person shooter. The FPS genre was on a boom, following Halo and the likes.
So it never came as a surprise to see the new Tron game being a Prince of Persia-like inspired Parkour/platformer. A genre that was getting pretty popular recently (Assassin's Creed, Splinter Cell Conviction, The Saboteur...)
This story arc called "Evolution" aims to fill-in the gap of time between both Tron movies, following Jeff Bridge's character Flynn in the years following the liberation of The Grid in the original movie.
This game takes actually place after the comic book "Betrayal" and serves as its direct continuation.
Our anonymous hero finds out about Clu's evil intentions...
Tron Evolution tells the story how the now clearly evil program Clu-2 became in charge of the grid and software engineer Kevin Flynn ended up imprisoned inside The Grid.
The story opens with some video footage of Flynn's filming. He's just discovered Isomorphic Algorithms, original spontaneous life, growing inside the virtual world of The Grid he has now created under his old arcade room. He isn't responsible for these ISOs, but feels the need to help them evolve as new intelligent life. They're able of free will and are disliked by Basic Programs inside the digital reality.
Flynn suspects Clu from the recent murder of some ISOs, so he decides to create a new Monitor program to help him.
The player gets to play as Anon, the security program written by Flynn to investigate this conspiracy.
Clu gets partially in charge of The Grid alongside Radia, the leader of the ISOs. One day when Anon decides to follow a female program, Quorra, trying to get in to see her mistress, a virus named Abraxas attacks..only to have Anon interfers.
After this affair, Anon gets to see Flynn and Tron ambushed by Clu and some of his guards. They are "killed" while Quorra also saw this happening. Both become fugitives in The Grid.
Now armed with the proof of what Clu has done our anonymous hero has to explore the Grid to put a stop to Clu before its too late and all the ISOs are destroyed...
Simple "classic" modern platform. Why change a successful formula?
The game is a third person action game. It even contains some racing elements.
It's basically a gameplay focused around acrobatic platforming and combat. The platforming is quite parkour-like. With some dynamic combat thrown in, plus some (light) puzzles added in the mix once or twice, it does make this game feel a lot inspired by the (more successful) Prince of Persia games to which this game seems to be riffing off.
There's no "real" threat of dying here. Once Anon dies he's simply rebooted (some platforms away).
It isn't quite the no-death occurrence of the 2008 Prince of Persia, but it's no real danger either.
Also, there's no actual energy or health bar system. It gets empty, sure. But instead of recharging itself automatically à la Halo, you have to touch/jump over special marked elements of the level to charge it again.
Not quite automatic, and better in my eyes.
It's like they wanted to base this game's mechanics around that series, maybe bringing along the success they've known recently. And force a Tron-themed world around it by using minimalistic colors, tons of grey/black gradients and flashy neons here and there.
It makes the game look a bit boring and repetitive at first. (though you'll see some better more original levels near the second half)
The game, as the second "main" Tron video game, takes a bit from Tron 2.0 along the way.
(even if nerds will tell you it isn't canon anymore, etc.)
The way viruses look like and infect stuff is taken directly from Tron 2. So does some other elements from the design and even a bit in the gameplay aspect. (doors, HUBs, sounds..)
From the gameplay mechanic however, it is only lightly inspired by the much better progression system of Tron 2.0. There's a light RPG-like system where you can buy (in exchange for space storage units you'll gaing over the game) new aptitudes or follow your upgrades/levelling. New aptitudes for Anon/the defenses, his disk/attacks and even the vehicles you'll get to play with (a sin the classic Tron arcade game, the Light Cycles and the Tanks make both a comeback). Both the singleplayer and multiplayer modes (more on that below).
But weapons are only disks (variations of disks anyway). And it's pretty simple and doesn't offer much to play with (unlike Tron 2 software-inspired system).
The objective in the game is to "derezz" enemies and follow platforming sequences. It's sort of linear (moreso on the beginning, it gets a tiny bit larger later on).
You're never really lost since at first the game will show you the way to follow with "bits" laying the way. (after that, a tap of "select" will highlight 'em again in later parts)
There's a singleplayer mode, not too short and even kinda long for this kinda game, and a multiplayer mode.
The multi is pretty generic, thrown in this only to avoid people complaining it isn't present. Pretty basic, you can play various modes online. Light Discs/Combat focused modes and vehicle modes. (both the Cycles and the Tanks)
It's all pretty basic. Deathmatches, Capture the Flags... Up to 10 people!
I only played it once or twice. It wasn't bad per say..but note fantastic either. Generic.
Speaking of which, the light cycles make a comeback as usual. But you'll only play actual races in the mutliplayer. The Solo campaign makes use of the Cycle only to flee a scene/escape enemies/follow something, etc.. There's still the energy wall created behind the bike but since you aren't actually competiting in races it won't play a part in the gameplay...
The story is decent, if you're a fan of Tron.
Kinda strange to follow if you missed the movies I'd guess...
Good news, some actors from the movie reprise their roles for the game. (such as Olivia Wilde)
The music's easily the best part of the game. Pretty similar to Tron 2.0 overall. (in tone, in tunes...)
Classic Tron in some rare occasions and pure Tron Legacy in others.
It was composed by Sascha Dikiciyan, Cris Velasco and Kevin Manthei, and some music was lifted straight from Daft Punk's Tron Legacy soundtrack. (including a new exclusive track)
The score works great during the game.
Overall, it isn't perfect, far from it!
But it was fun. And one of those rare case when a licensed game isn't complete garbage...
The first half of the game is easily the worst, most repetitive, most boring part. But once you'll get the hang of it, you might even have fun with it! (particularly once you upgraded all your 4 discs and will get used to the combat system)
It gets a bit long though...
It seems like beneath this whole tie-in game, behind the deadline Disney imposed Propaganda Games to coincide with the movie, lied actually a good game. But due to restrictions (time? budget?) it got sort of rushed. Some parts of the game, while you'll be wandering around the city before the action kicks in, it seems that at some point this was a much trued to Tron 2.0 "sequel".
Perhaps the "real" game we would have gotten would have featured a free-roaming open-world city to protect?
Not linear levels, but an actual story focused Tron sequel/prequel?
Some bits here and there do hint at a much larger project...
Specially the way the story jumps at you at various points while you'll be walking around platforms, from combat-heavy zone to another, with no hint at a storyline..then, Bam! Plot happens...
This game's unrelated to the Wii/DS game Tron: Evolution – Battle Grids, which is another prequel to the new movie. Featuring a completely different story and gameplay (and visuals!).
Anyway, I woudn't recommed this game to everybody, due to it being cheap, simple, boring and repetitive.
BUT I'd suggest checking this out if you're a fan. You might even enjoy it.
I give it:
