maxglen

Tron: Evolution is a game I neglected to play for many years, simply because I'd heard middling accounts of its quality and had a lot in my back catalogue to get through but as part of my Tron binge in celebration of the release of another Tron movie (they don't come around that often) I've done the deed and I've played it and I actually had a really fun time with it. It's a flawed game, a bit buggy here and there, a few frustrating design choices, an upgrade system that feels a bit shallow but it's also got a few strengths that I think elevate it from being the typical movie tie-in dross; the traversal. Navigating the Grid is a lot of fun, the parkour style movement is fluid, responsive and easy on the eye, I never really got tired of it. The combat is also really solid in my opinion. Plenty of combos, four different disc styles to add depth to each encounter and it's surprisingly tough to master, I don't typically say this but I died... a lot. Luckily getting derezzed in this game isn't overly punishing as you usually respawn roughly where you were thanks to the generous amount of checkpoints provided. I also appreciate how when you fail you get a message on the screen telling you that a backup of your program is being rebooted, it adds a level of immersion that most games don't afford the player. The world-building and story of the game is a bit convoluted and messy at times but Tron fans will welcome the additions gladly, it's a well spun accompaniment to Legacy and it's comic book prequel "Betrayal" which is well worth a read if you haven't checked it out but thought Legacy didn't do a particularly great job of bridging itself to its 1982 predecessor. The soundtrack is a mixture of reused tracks from Daft Punk's astounding Legacy score and new compositions made specifically for this game. The new music is solid, it keeps you engaged and mostly fits the Tron vibe quite well but it's rarely anything to write home about. The light cycle sequences are snappy and impressive to look at but are linear point A to point B set pieces which I kind of wish they had found a way to integrate the multiplayer's arena style skirmish gameplay into the mix. The tank levels I had a blast with (pun intended) the tank controls... like a tank, which is to be expected and has a suitably weighty feel to it. Disintegrating recognisers makes you feel like your playing Space Paranoids which is the highest form of praise you could possibly hope for in this case. The Monitor or "Anon" is this game's silent protagonist and he's pretty boilerplate but I found myself surprisingly attached, perhaps it's the subtle mannerisms he adopts as the game progresses or maybe it's just that he is, in essence, Kevin Flynn's answer to Tron, or just the fact that he is immensely OP (like he's practically Tron's Starkiller, if you've ever played The Force Unleashed) whatever the case, I enjoyed my time with Tron: Evolution and can actually see myself replaying it at some point, which I wasn't expecting to say going into this.

Tron: Evolution gets a light to decent 7/10 from me. If you enjoyed reading this, check out my IMDb page for more reviews from the Grid as I go through the Tron franchise.

(Just to be clear I am reviewing the 4k rerelease which is absolutely the way to watch this gem of a movie) Tron is something a landmark in the history of cinema. In the early eighties many technologies were coming into their own, a sentiment that is felt within Tron itself, and whether Stephen Lisberger intended to or didn't, the work he and the crew put into this movie practically reinvented the way modern cinema is perceived and the filmmaking process.

The blend of live-action footage with hand painted vistas, rotoscoping, computer generated visuals, green screen and so many other meticulous techniques make Tron an immensely impressive movie to behold and though some claim it hasn't aged well, I still get chills during its many set pieces, the lightcycle sequences being a particular highlight.

Wendy Carlos' score is also just spectacular. The atmosphere she evokes here flip flops betwixt curiosity, oppression and sheer wonderment. A template that Daft Punk and Nine Inch Nails would later adhere their own unique voices to, but there is something singular in Carlos' compositions that is yet to be replicated.

Tron's story is where it seems to get the most criticism and while I'd agree it is its least appealing aspect, is still a fun and genuinely original yarn that doesn't detract from the movie's strengths.

It's also worth mentioning that the cast is fantastic with Jeff Bridges, David Warner and of course Bruce Boxleitner being the standouts.

Tron isn't a perfect movie but it's so bold and confident in its execution that I can't help but admire it. It's got plenty going for it and if you haven't graced the grid 'til now, it's the ideal time with the stunning 4k rerelease having dropped just a few weeks ago.

I'm gonna give Tron a decent 7/10.

Greetings User! Tron is a... unique IP, to say the least. When it released in 1982 there was nothing like it. Rotoscoping, green screen, hand drawn backgrounds and CGI mixed in with live action footage? It hadn't been done, not on that level, and it released to... middling reviews. Many praised its visuals and soundtrack whilst others complained that the narrative was flawed; some said it was too complex, others claimed it was too shallow. Whatever the case, the movie has since garnered a pretty significant cult following and is considered a classic in its own right. Then... it happened again. Tron: Legacy. Visually stunning, excellent soundtrack (many consider it to be the GOAT) but again it was found lacking in its script and was met with middling reviews and has since grown exponentially in popularity, many remembering it as on par or even better than the 82' original. Jump forward another fifteen years or so and here we are, with another gorgeous neon bathed movie with an excellent soundtrack that people can't seem to be able to make their minds up on how they feel about the contents of its script. It almost seems a right of passage at this point, but I imagine Tron: Ares like its predecessors will enjoy its fare share of devotees. The movie features a whole bunch of nods to 82' and Legacy, some of these are more welcome than others and I feel like it can sometimes feel a bit caught up in the past but it's clear at least that these people respect the series and that's more than can be said for a lot of blockbuster sequels released by major corporations in recent years. As I said, the visuals and soundtrack are sublime and though I didn't really connect with any of the users and programs in Ares the way I did with Kevin, Sam, Tron, etc. Nobody was egregious enough to stop me enjoying this movie. If you enjoy Tron as a franchise there will be things for you to enjoy here. I'm giving Tron: Ares a strong 6 to a light 7/10.

Hope you enjoyed reading this review, I'm hoping to do a deep dive of reviews for entire franchise (games and shows included) so if you're interested in those, check them out. End of Line.