Sure, let me take a crack at turning your article into something that might not scream “AI-generated.” Here goes:
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You ever get that feeling where you’re just, like, baffled by something? Like, here’s Tron, a big-deal name in gaming, and yet it’s not really out there now. Sounds off, right? Over 40 years, there’ve been more than 10 games, including stuff like Discs of Tron and Tron: Solar Sailer. But most of ’em? Old news or just kinda… forgotten. It’s like Tron’s world is begging to be a game — neon lights and all that jazz. But only a few actually pull it off. The latest shot at it, Tron: Catalyst, seems to get the memo, y’know?
This game, Tron: Catalyst, rolls out as a 2.5D isometric action-adventure thing. Bithell Games whipped it up with Disney and Big Fan Games (those folks under Devolver Digital). Lately, lots of Disney-based titles have been vast monster games, right? But this one’s different: linear and tight. With just 10 hours to wrap it up, you might think “Eh, that’s short?” But nah, it’s actually a fun ride, especially when you’re tired of those massive 50-hour epics.
Oh, and get this — you don’t even have to be some Tron lore master to get into Tron: Catalyst. You play as Exo, who’s this badass courier in the city of Vertical Slice. After a package goes boom in her face, she’s stuck in this wild time loop but gets cool “Glitch” powers. She’s got to break the loop and, of course, save the world from some sketchy dude, Conn. There’s a lot of Tron-specific lingo thrown at you, but there’s a codex right there to help you out — kinda like a game dictionary. Lifesaver if you’re not a Tron-expert.
Place wise, it’s set in the Arq Grid. The fun part? It’s not the Grid from the movies. And yeah, it’s linked to a prequel called Tron: Identity, but who cares? You can dive right in without knowing that jazz. The story, sure, won’t win awards but is straightforward thanks to that neat codex. But, man, the visuals? They went with simple sprites and not much animation. Like, some facial expressions would’ve been nice. Voice acting? Pretty on point, thankfully.
Now, let’s talk battles. The fighting bit in Tron: Catalyst? It’s straightforward but enjoyable — don’t expect crazy weapon options, though. You use the Identity Disc (yeah, just the one weapon) in several ways: slice, throw, or use it like a shield. Not a ton of variety, but there’s a system to boost your moves with data shards scattered around.
Combat, while fun, doesn’t come without its quirks. Tossing that disc for long hits is weak sauce. But if you figure out how to upgrade your parry skills, oh man, it’s like Insta-win against bad guys. Bosses? You’ll just breeze through with one attack, I swear.
And while you’re battling, you can roam around four big areas, hopping on a Light Cycle for kicks. Oh, and there are these hidden side quests. I got sidetracked once and ended up with a little Byte buddy following me around. Game’s on a loop premise, so some repeat moments come with the territory. But since it’s fast-paced, it doesn’t feel like it’s dragging.
Tech-wise, the game runs pretty smoothly. Few bugs here and there — I mean, my character got wedged between a rock and a hard place once. Had to restart, but hey, the autosave’s forgiving.
Overall, Tron: Catalyst feels like a throwback to those simpler mid-2000s games. It’s a good romp for $25, even if you’ve never touched Tron stuff before. You’ll kill an afternoon or two for sure.
