Tron Evolution

Glowing nowhere?

My way or the superhighway

There is, conversely, no real challenge in the game's driving sections. The light tank has only basic controls, and combat along The Grid's wide superhighways demands no greater skill than point barrel, shoot enemy. But Tron Evolution's most disappointing element has to be its light-cycle sections. Rather than recreate the iconic 90° death-jousts of the original film and arcade game, the campaign's light-cycle sections are insipid point-to-point races, where the only challenge is avoiding crumbling scenery and other obstacles.

Off yer bike

Only Tron Evolution's online multiplayer allows for more traditional light-cycle battles. Two of its four available maps are purposely large enough to accommodate light-cycles and light tanks. But even here the game sticks resolutely to the third-person camera. So despite being able to turn your light-cycle through 90 degrees, and despite the thrilling prospect of five-versus-five engagements, the viewpoint reduces the concept of tactical twitchery and entrapment into a mere game of high-speed chance.

Elsewhere, Tron Evolution's online offering is a simple shoehorning of its mechanics into the generic loadouts and match variants of traditional fraggers. It's an uninspired multiplayer offering that will only appeal for a limited time. The two smaller, vertical maps restrict players to disc combat only, which proves tiresomely attritional in Disintegration and Team Disintegration. And although the larger maps provide for more balanced Power Monger (domination) and Bit Runner (CTF) matches, the overuse of light-cycles makes traversing the wide arenas virtually impossible.

Blue up

Verdict

As per the original movie, Tron Evolution's greatest selling point is its aesthetics. The clean, almost monochromatic, vector neons look stunning in HD. And the low texture-burden ensures a smooth visual ride, even when blistering around The Grid on a light-cycle. But despite some challenging platforming sections and a novel system of recharging, Tron Evolution's lustre quickly fades through average, repetitious gameplay. ®

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