TRON: Catalyst Review by Nick Navarro
It’s hard to separate “Tron: Catalyst” from the legacy of the franchise it belongs to. Developed by Bithell Games, known for narrative-driven indies like “Thomas Was Alone,” “John Wick Hex,” and “Tron: Identity”, this latest entry pulls players back into the glowing depths of the Grid, offering a new perspective on Disney’s long-running digital universe. Set in the unstable Arq Grid, the story follows Exo, a courier whose life changes after an explosive delivery grants them a strange power known as the Glitch. Unlike Bithell’s previous “Tron: Identity,” which leaned heavily into visual novel territory, “Catalyst” is a full-blown isometric action-adventure game. It mixes light RPG elements, real-time disc-based combat, and time-loop mechanics, all wrapped in a high-contrast neon aesthetic. There’s a functional Metroidvania backbone here, too. Glitch loops allow Exo to roll back segments of the environment, revealing hidden areas and shortcuts that weren’t accessible the first time through.
Combat is a blend of melee and ranged attacks, with familiar Tron hallmarks like Identity Discs and Light Cycle sequences woven in. While you can learn advanced techniques like parries and disc kicks, the action tends to settle into a predictable rhythm early on. Enemy encounters rarely escalate in complexity, and outside of a few boss fights and chase sequences, the game doesn’t push its systems far beyond the basics. That said, the Light Cycle still retains its flair, providing momentum and style even when gameplay hits a repetitive stretch. Narratively, “Tron: Catalyst” positions itself as a standalone story within the universe, but it maintains a strong tonal connection to previous entries. Exo’s journey is framed by ongoing faction conflicts and a collapsing digital infrastructure, and the script finds room for intrigue through the character Conn, a malicious program pursuing Exo across the grid. Voice performances and the original soundtrack from Dan Le Sac contribute to the atmosphere, giving each beat of the story a sense of urgency and cohesion.
The game’s structure is fairly straightforward. You get to explore the Arq Grid, engage with NPCs, uncover Data Shards, and upgrade their abilities along the way. The upgrade system is serviceable, if a bit shallow, and the exploration, while guided by the Glitch mechanic, rarely feels essential outside of progression requirements. Visual storytelling and world design carry a lot of the weight here, successfully presenting a lived-in digital space without relying on excessive exposition. From a pacing standpoint, “Tron: Catalyst” takes some time to get going. The first few hours are linear and mechanically limited, but the second half opens up considerably, which allows the game’s ideas to develop more fully. Still, it’s a relatively short experience, wrapping up in a handful of hours with only light incentive to revisit previous sections beyond completionist goals.
Fans of the TRON franchise will likely find this a worthy addition to the canon. “Catalyst” stays visually faithful to the series, with its glowing gridlines, saturated hues, and minimalist architecture. It captures the audiovisual identity of TRON without overstaying its welcome. For players coming in fresh, however, the game may feel more like a stylized curiosity than a must-play adventure. It delivers a solid story and a few memorable mechanics but doesn’t push far enough to stand out among more mechanically ambitious peers in the genre. “Tron: Catalyst” doesn’t radically redefine TRON or action-RPGs, but it doesn’t need to. It presents a focused, well-produced tale set in one of sci-fi’s most iconic digital worlds. Its combat may lose its edge early, and exploration might not always pay off, but its narrative spine, audiovisual presentation, and thematic consistency give it enough weight to satisfy fans looking for one more trip into the Grid.
7/10
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Gaming since I was given an original Nintendo as a kid. I love great storytelling and unique ingenuity. When both collide in a single game, I'm a happy gamer. Twitter/IG @NickNavarro87
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