A glowing return to the Grid offers style, action, and a clever twist on time—but not all systems are go for this neon-drenched brawler.
TRON has always been a strange beast. It’s iconic, but in a kind of niche, cult-favorite way. With TRON: Catalyst, Bithell Games attempts to bring the glossy, glowing universe into the modern gaming era. What it nails in aesthetic, it occasionally fumbles in emotional pull.
Let’s break it down.
All Style, But Is There Substance?
The first few moments inside the Arq Grid are jaw-dropping. TRON: Catalyst is a visual feast, with neon slicing through shadows, towering buildings pulsing with light, and an isometric city layout that feels alive.
You can wander into buildings. You can talk to NPCs. Many of them drop breadcrumbs about the digital lockdown, life under surveillance, or what it means to be a “program” in this gridlocked society.
And that’s where the game’s world-building succeeds. It’s a place worth exploring—even if the “why” behind the exploration often feels like an afterthought.
But here’s the thing.
The Story’s Just… There
You play as Exo, a courier who receives an explosive surprise that grants her the power to rewind time. Sounds cool, right? And it is—on paper.
But emotionally? It doesn’t land.
The narrative pits Exo against a brutal police state, introduces a rebellion, and serves up a few plot turns that should feel meaningful. But even with beautifully drawn character illustrations delivering dialogue, the story often feels like background noise. It exists to push you forward, not to pull you in.
It’s probably personal. If you were never that into TRON’s lore-heavy storytelling before, this won’t be the game to convert you.
Combat Feels Fast, Fluid… and Sometimes Flat
Here’s where Catalyst earns back some points. Combat is flashy and fun. Your primary weapon is the iconic TRON disc, and using it feels more like swordplay than ranged shooting. You parry. You dodge. You throw and recall.
It’s all very slick.
Sometimes too slick.
The action can get a little repetitive, especially for players used to deeper combos or more strategic fights. Rolling and parrying become the norm, and many encounters are just a matter of figuring out the enemy’s rhythm.
Still, for a game with a mostly chill vibe, it hits enough of the right notes.
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The disc has both melee and ranged potential
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There’s a basic but satisfying parry mechanic
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Combat rarely drags—but also rarely surprises
That said, a stealth mode would’ve been perfect. Using the disc to sneak and distract? Now that would’ve brought something fresh.
Light Bikes Steal the Show
Forget the fights. The true star? The bikes.
Zipping around the city on light bikes feels exhilarating. There’s a kind of meditative pleasure to drifting through the alleys, launching off jumps, and narrowly avoiding digital traffic.
The game’s isometric view means you lose some immersion, but it’s a fair trade-off for how well traversal works. It’s sleek, it’s responsive, and it screams TRON energy.
There’s even a kind of rhythm to it—especially when you’re zipping toward your next objective with the synthy score humming in your ears.
The Time Rewind Mechanic—Cool but Underused
Now, about that time travel hook. Exo’s main ability is to rewind the day and approach problems differently. It’s an intriguing mechanic… but it doesn’t go far enough.
You can use it to:
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Restart fights if things go south
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Take alternate dialogue paths
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Use new information to open doors or bypass characters
It’s clever in theory, but the game rarely forces you to use it creatively. Instead, a helpful waypoint and objective box gently guide you through most scenarios, making the rewind feel like an optional luxury instead of a necessity.
Here’s a quick look at how it plays out:
| Feature | How It’s Used | Could’ve Been Better If… |
|---|---|---|
| Dialogue Choices | A few impact conversations | They changed outcomes more dramatically |
| Combat Reset | Lets you retry with no penalty | Enemies evolved after resets |
| Exploration Shortcuts | Open quicker paths on replays | More puzzles were tied to the mechanic |
That mechanic had so much potential. But it plays it safe.
It’s TRON, But It Might Not Be Your TRON
The truth is, TRON: Catalyst feels like it was made with love. You can tell the developers wanted to create something authentic, and in many ways, they did. The art style? Stunning. The city? Immersive. The soundtrack? Fits like a glove.
But without a strong connection to the world or characters, it becomes something else—a good-looking game with solid mechanics that doesn’t quite leave a mark.
There’s definitely an audience for this. TRON fans who’ve stuck with the franchise will likely find joy here. But for anyone else, it might feel like skating across a glossy surface without ever really digging in.
Still, it’s worth noting: this is a very good game. It knows what it is. It just might not be what you wanted it to be.
