Taking place between the original film and its 2010 sequel, Tron: Evolution attempts to bridge the gap between the two films' stories. Its story picks up a while after the events in the original (1982) film, and shortly before the events in Tron: Legacy. It details a war that breaks out between some of the original inhabitants of the grid, and a new race that has developed (referred to as ISOs or Isomorphic Organisms.) This is also where it is shown that Clu (a program developed in the creator, Flynn's image to control the grid when he is not there,) has gone rogue and is corrupting the grid and many of its programs with a former ISO turned virus named Abraxus. It is this virus that you, playing as a program referred to as 'Anon' (short for 'Anonymous,') must try to put an end to with the help of an accomplice named Quorra.
The game's storyline is primarily told through cutscenes that feature full voice over work, good visuals and some nice animation work. The voice cast is full of well-known actors, including Olivia Wylde (Quorra from Tron: Legacy,) famous video game voice actor Nolan North and Jensen Ackles (from TV's Supernatural.) They all do a good job. However, the game does a poor job of telling its story, both through the use of cutscenes and in-game dialogue, making it hard to follow. Even though I watched the first Tron film just a few days before playing the game, I was quite confused as to what was actually going on. One of the worst issues in relation to its storytelling is the fact that it shows new characters (especially the ISO race) without introducing them well, so the player has no idea of who they are, since they weren't introduced in the original film. It's a lost opportunity to help expand the knowledge of people who are going into the theatre to watch the second film, as it unfortunately creates more questions than it answers.
Evolution's gameplay is made up of various different styles. At its core, it's a third-person action game, where you must use a variety of different combo attacks to defeat enemies in closed in environments (using either your light disc or a limited amount of physical attacks.) However, there is also a lot of parkour platforming and wall-running (which brings Prince of Persia to mind,) as well as light cycle and light tank levels. There is a good amount of variety present within the campaign, which is definitely a good thing. However, there are some inherent issues within each type of gameplay that developer Propoganda Games employed.
One of the main issues with Tron: Evolution is inherent in its two main gameplay types: third-person action and wall-running/platforming. Although there are some varied attacks that you can pull off (and a lot of special attack upgrades to purchase for different types of light discs - each with their own unique effects,) the combat system is quite repetitive and basic. There are several different types of enemies, which require different tactics to defeat (due to various different weaknesses) but that's not enough to break up the repetition that comes with having to continually defeat closed in arenas filled with enemies. However, I did like the fact that it stressed strategy because you had to make sure to use the right special attacks against specific enemies, in order to not only defeat them but to bide time so you could defeat some of the other enemies around you. This is done by utilizing your different light disc types and their unique attacks. These different discs include bomb, stasis, heavy and corruption.
The platforming sections of the game require you to make perfect jumps in order to progress. A lot of them require you to jump from one wall to another, like you would in a Prince of Persia platforming-intensive game. However, it's in these segments where control issues (relating to precision) really pop up, as well as camera angles that make it hard to know exactly what direction to jump in. It is very easy to jump the wrong way due to these issues and fall to your death (which is referred to 'de-rezzing' in the Tron universe.) This wouldn't be as annoying as it is if the game had a great checkpoint system, but it has some very spaced out checkpoints at times. You'll be forced to repeat some tough combat sections in order to get a second crack at some of the platforming sections if you fall.
Visually, the game looks quite good. The environments look great and feature vivid neon colouring, making it look almost identical to the digital landscapes designed for Tron: Legacy. The character models also look quite good, resembling their counterparts from the film, and have some pretty good animations. Like its source material, Tron: Legacy, the game features some great visual effects and looks a lot different from almost anything else on the market. It also looks a lot better than most movie tie-in games, however it lacks the visual fidelity and polish that a lot of other games have these days. Still, it's a good looking game, especially considering it's a licensed product. It also runs well, without many issues with regards to its frame rate.
In addition to its 6 hour campaign, Tron: Evolution also contains a full-fledged multiplayer component for up to ten players. The multiplayer mode offers three different game types, including Disintegration (a free for all deathmatch mode,) Team Disintegration and Power Monger, where teams battle for possession of power nodes to complete a circuit and gain points. Power Monger was my favourite game type by a long shot, as it was the most creative and fun. The Disintegration modes are very basic and don't offer much in the way of creativity, so I lost interest in them quickly. The larger maps allow for light cycles and light tanks to be used, which I enjoyed using, especially in the large Power Monger games. You are able to take opponents out using the cycles, just like in the films, which is quite fun.
Players are able to level up their character through multiplayer, as well as the single player campaign. As I mentioned previously, there are tons of different upgrades available for purchase using experience points earned in either mode. The upgrades are separated into different categories and include disc upgrades, different light cycles, and your run of the mill health and energy upgrades. There is an insane amount available for purchase, and it will take you a long time to fully upgrade your program. In addition, there is a level system that goes from 1 to 50, which is integrated with the upgrade system.
Overall, Tron: Evolution is a competent licensed game and movie tie-in. Although it has some issues, it's relatively fun, somewhat interesting and a lot better than most of the rushed licensed games out there. If you're a fan of the Tron universe, then this is something that you will most likely enjoy playing through. Most of its issues are minor and do not come anywhere close to game breaking, though there are some annoying control issues to deal with. It's a decent rental that will impress you with its visual look, surprisingly deep and well-thought out multiplayer, as well as its loyalty to its source material. Though, those who prefer campaign action will need to keep in mind that the single player component is only 6 hours long, with repetitive content.
Rating: 6/10
