TRON 2.0
- October 10, 2014
- Monolith Productions, Inc.
- 9h median play time
Perhaps it makes sense that the sequel to Tron, the ground-breaking Disney movie from 1982, comes to us a little over 20 years later as a computer game rather than a big-screen blockbuster. The first feature film to integrate computer-generated images with real-world actors, Tron used a story set in
In TRON 2.0, players explore a digital world inside a computer, taking on the role of Jet Bradley, a security program. Equipped with various discs and abilities, Jet must combat hostile programs, solve puzzles, and uncover the truth behind a mysterious virus threatening both the digital and physical worlds. This first-person action game features fast-paced combat and parkour, set in a visually striking, neon-lit universe inspired by the TRON franchise.
Reviews
- Captures the feel of the original movie with great visuals and sound design.
- Engaging gameplay with a unique disc combat system and RPG elements for character progression.
- Offers a nostalgic experience for fans of the Tron franchise, with a fun story and immersive world.
- The game shows its age with some frustrating mechanics and outdated graphics.
- Light cycle sections can be difficult and frustrating, with clunky controls.
- Requires additional patches and mods to run smoothly on modern systems, which can be a hassle for players.
- story341 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story of "Tron 2.0" is generally viewed as a solid continuation of the original film, featuring a mix of engaging plot elements and nostalgic references that resonate with fans of the franchise. While some players find the narrative convoluted and the pacing lacking, many appreciate its imaginative setting and character development, which enhance the overall gameplay experience. Despite being considered non-canon after the release of "Tron: Legacy," the game is praised for its fun and immersive storytelling that captures the essence of the Tron universe.
“A gripping story with well-drawn characters and lots of variation in environments and enemies.”
“The story is enjoyable all the way through.”
“The story fits perfectly in the Tron world.”
“Easily the most disappointing thing in this game is the story, and I'm glad it's not canon to Tron Legacy; honestly, film-wise, there wouldn't be much to go off of.”
“The story was pretty predictable, absolutely nothing special about it; the villains felt like discount spy thriller villains, minus any cool traits or memorability.”
“The plot is unnecessarily convoluted.”
- gameplay242 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Tron 2.0 is a blend of first-person shooting, puzzle-solving, and RPG elements, offering a unique experience that rewards exploration and strategic thinking. While some mechanics have not aged well and can feel repetitive or frustrating, the game still features engaging combat and interesting upgrades that resonate with fans of the franchise. Overall, it is considered a solid title with a rich narrative and enjoyable mechanics, despite some dated aspects and linearity.
“Back in the day, I really enjoyed the nerd humor, the graphics were impressive at the time and personally I think are still quite nice 20 years later, and the gameplay was not a run-and-gun shoot-and-kill thing, but a rather unique experience that involved puzzle solving and some combat that required a bit of smarts as well as aggression.”
“The gameplay is challenging but fun at the same time and the graphics still hold up to this day.”
“The gameplay is excellent and has light RPG mechanics such as leveling up to increase your health, energy, weapon effectiveness, etc.”
“The gameplay might get repetitious, but at the same time they were restricted to the IP's icons, like the disks, so don't expect guns and rocket launchers.”
“You need to collect permissions to access new areas and all of the item boxes, and it slows down the gameplay so much.”
“The platforming is annoying because platforms are spaced awkwardly and the jump mechanic is wonky.”
- graphics234 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of Tron 2.0, while showing some age, are largely praised for their unique and stylized aesthetic that effectively captures the essence of the original film. Many players find the visuals still appealing, especially with the recommended "Killer App" mod that enhances resolution and performance. Overall, the game's vibrant colors and digital environments create an immersive experience that resonates well with both nostalgic fans and new players, making it visually impressive for its time and even today.
“The graphics still look good and match the Tron art style perfectly.”
“The very stylized graphics of the Tron world are perfect at helping a fairly old game still look great (as long as you download the killer app mod to allow it to run in modern resolutions).”
“The environments in the game expertly balance the fine line between paying homage to the original film's neon glow aesthetics, while at the same time updating them and giving the game levels a more sophisticated look.”
“The graphics have aged for sure, but the choice in design is good enough to mask most of this game's age, so it still holds up relatively well.”
“Pretty solid gameplay with very dated graphics.”
“If the graphics were remastered and bugs fixed, this game would be total perfection.”
- music106 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 37 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its strong connection to the original "Tron" film, featuring a fantastic soundtrack that captures the whimsical and adventurous spirit of the classic melodies while incorporating new material. Many reviewers highlight the sound design as a key element that enhances the overall atmosphere, although some note occasional bugs and moments of mediocrity in the music. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's immersive experience.
“The soundtrack by Nathan Grigg perfectly encapsulates the magic of Tron and sounds very similar to Wendy Carlos' original score while still keeping its own identity.”
“The music feels exactly like the original movie.”
“The music takes the Wendy Carlos source and embellishes it with completely relevant new material, and the sound effects are extremely faithful to the movie with special surprises like the Atari 2600 tank explosion sounds.”
“The soundtrack is painfully underwhelming in light of Daft Punk's brilliant score for Tron Legacy, but the visuals (due to their highly stylized nature) hold up relatively well.”
“The music bugs out and either keeps playing the same part of the tune over and over or just stops playing altogether.”
“Music is mediocre most of the time but can also be really good and inspired once in a while.”
- atmosphere34 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 21 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its authenticity and vibrant visual aesthetic, effectively capturing the essence of the original Tron film. Reviewers highlight the immersive design, beautiful graphics, and a futuristic soundtrack that enhance the overall experience, making it a standout in honoring its cinematic roots. The combination of creative storytelling and engaging technology themes further contributes to a deeply atmospheric gameplay experience.
“Amazing atmosphere, visual aesthetic, and futuristic soundtrack.”
“The game is incredibly creative in its design, does a great job honoring the original film, and has such great atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere was very true to the film with an immersive story that superbly fit right along with the original film's plot.”
“The technology atmosphere really immerses you and all the computer talk really makes it awesome too!”
“Tron lore and atmosphere is total.”
“Never heard of it before but as a huge Tron fan I just bought it and this game just emits the atmosphere of the first movie mixed with the game feel of System Shock 2 and the engine of No One Lives Forever 1 with a big flair of Jedi Knights: Dark Forces 2.”
- humor32 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in Tron 2.0 is characterized by clever, nerdy jokes and puns that resonate particularly with those familiar with early computer culture, making it both engaging and entertaining. Players appreciate the light-hearted tone and imaginative takes on computer concepts, such as humorous dialogue and scenarios like encountering spam messages. Overall, the game successfully blends its unique setting with a fun narrative, ensuring that the humor enhances the overall experience.
“If you stick around to beat it, you'll enjoy a skill system and hilarious takes on just exactly what goes on inside a computer.”
“So many tongue-in-cheek computer jokes and jargon wordplay that you'll be chuckling repeatedly, and there's a light-hearted tone that makes coming back for another gameplay session a joy.”
“The storytelling takes the computer fantasy setting and keeps the same balance of programmer nerd knowledge and general approachability while throwing in subtle nods to the fans, along with just a genuinely fun sense of humor.”
- stability24 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 83 % negative mentions
The game's stability is notably inconsistent, with many users reporting significant bugs and glitches, particularly in the Steam version and on Windows 8.1, leading to crashes and frustrating AI behavior. While some players experienced minimal issues on lower-end systems, the overall sentiment highlights a need for caution, especially regarding quick saves and multiplayer functionality. Despite the glitches, some players found humor in the unexpected effects they caused.
“I ran it at 1440p with no issues and no glitches.”
“Easily ran on my not-so-great gaming laptop and had next to no glitches.”
“The game is pretty outdated and buggy, though (do not quick save when you're about to die, do not do it). Sometimes the AI got a bit frustrating, which was pretty stressful.”
“Unfortunately, whether it's the Steam version or the game in general, it's buggy as all hell running on Windows 8.1.”
“Lots of crashes and control glitches.”
- optimization14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while some players report smooth performance on Windows 10 with no issues, others experience significant stuttering and lag, particularly during enemy encounters. Essential mods and patches are recommended to enhance performance, and forcing v-sync can help mitigate stuttering. Overall, the game requires some initial setup to run optimally, but once configured, it offers a rewarding experience.
“The programming itself hasn't aged well, with the killer app mod being basically essential, as well as a number of other fixes needed to make the game run smoothly. But once it is running great, you're going to have a truly special game to play.”
“The controls are very fluid, and having three optimized graphical settings is a nice touch, giving us speed over aesthetics.”
“It doesn't often become onerous, but it does reward clever allocation and optimization.”
“Great game, but the stuttering and lag when encountering enemies almost ruined it.”
“There are two patches to apply and make sure to force v-sync on in-game (I also had to force it on my video card) to prevent stuttering around enemies.”
“The clunky cut-scenes are filled with characters that just can't seem to keep still or wave their arms around while they talk.”
- replayability12 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is limited due to its linearity, with most players feeling that it only offers value for those interested in maximizing their character builds. While there are some elements that can alter gameplay slightly, the consensus is that the lack of diverse paths and experiences significantly restricts replay value. However, the immersive story and solid gameplay may still attract players for multiple playthroughs.
“It may not be Deus Ex, but if you're looking for a first-person game with more than just shooting, graphics that still pass the test of time due to the visual style they went with, gorgeous audio, and absolutely solid gameplay, there is some replay value in the potential builds you can go with. The story and world capture the essence of what Tron should be, wonderfully immersing you in the setting - this is definitely worth picking up.”
“That can alter gameplay in a small way, adding to the replayability.”
“This severe linearity (which, sadly, is completely normal in most video games) severely limits the replay value.”
“Aside from that, there's not much replayability.”
“Replayability shouldn't be much of an issue.”
- grinding8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, often requiring manual effort and leading to frequent backtracking due to health and energy shortages. While some appreciate the opportunity to gain free character levels through tutorials, many express frustration with the repetitive nature of boss fights and the need for cheat codes to progress. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a mixed bag, combining elements of strategy with significant tedium.
“You’re always running out of health and energy, which means lots of backtracking, which is incredibly frustrating, so the whole thing is tedious.”
“And you do, but not without making some compromises, like finding cheat codes to top off your health from time to time (the boss fights are really tedious) and even skipping a section here and there.”
“Honestly, I think this is neat, though it's a little tedious having to do it manually.”
- character development6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is noted for its presence, but many reviewers feel it falls short, particularly regarding the depth and motivations of the antagonists. While the game captures a nostalgic aesthetic reminiscent of the late 90s and early 2000s, it lacks the intensity and scariness that could enhance the character arcs. Overall, the development is seen as adequate but could benefit from more complexity and engagement.
“There's a lot of character development throughout the game and even now the graphics are still okay (not UT3-like, but you get the point ;)).”
“Character development could have been better, especially when it came to the Fcon antagonists; perhaps their goals could have been scarier.”
“While this game kinda reeks of late 90's-early 2000's aesthetics with its character designs (mainly Jet), it still maintains the iconic feel of Tron.”
“There's a lot of character development throughout the game, but it feels lacking in depth.”
- emotional4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users express a mix of nostalgia and disappointment regarding the emotional impact of the game. While the charming graphics evoke feelings reminiscent of the original movie, the outdated gameplay detracts from the overall experience, leaving players feeling that it lacks the fun and engagement they hoped for.
“Even though it's from 2003, the graphics are quite charming, and they really made me feel like I was in the first movie.”
Critic Reviews
Tron 2.0
Perhaps it makes sense that the sequel to Tron, the ground-breaking Disney movie from 1982, comes to us a little over 20 years later as a computer game rather than a big-screen blockbuster. The first feature film to integrate computer-generated images with real-world actors, Tron used a story set in
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