Review of 'TRON Evolution' Video Game

Very few movies seem to have the natural ability of being adapted into video games. "TRON Legacy" should be one of those movies. The "TRON Evolution" video game is available for the Xbox 360, PS3, PSP, and PC. It is rated T for teens. There are some exciting aspects, but it fails to be the great experience a "TRON" based game should be.

Story

The plot of "TRON Evolution" tells the story between the original movie and "TRON Legacy." This is a great idea, giving fans fresh material instead of just rehashing the movie plot. Unfortunately, the story does get a bit hard to follow and perhaps only die hard "TRON" fans will have an easy time. Plenty of references to the original movie are sprinkled throughout the game. Players are a System Monitor program called Anon. Anon must stop a spreading virus that is attacking both programs and a new life form, the Isos.

Game Play

The game focuses a lot on acrobatic combat. Players will have to master jumping, running on walls, and taking down multiple enemies at once. The only problem with the combat is it starts to feel repetitive. There are only so many times Anon can shot discs at similar groups of enemies before it gets stale. For the most part, the controls and player's view of the action are smooth. Occasionally they can hamper the game and it gets frustrating. Check points are plentiful, so even if a difficult jump is missed there shouldn't be much backtracking. Puzzles also play a part, but most are very simple and easy to figure out.

"TRON Evolution" breaks up the combat with sections that require a light cycle or tank. On the light cycle, the main objective is to dodge explosions. This is exciting at first, but it can get repetitive. The tanks move much slower. While the tank feels a bit bulky and out of place, it's a blast to see the destruction it causes.

Replay Value

The single player campaign is fairly short, at about seven hours. The four online multiplayer modes include King of the Hill and Capture the Flag. Online play is more thrilling then single player. The light cycle and tank are available to use in some maps. In multiplayer, the light cycle is especially exciting. Players can perform quick 90 degree turns in the fast paced action. Even though the online part of the game isn't big, it's still fun to play. Hopefully, the game expands the online portion in the future.

"TRON Evolution" is a better movie based video game then most. It would have been nice if the combat and environments didn't start feeling stale. Die hard fans of "TRON" should enjoy the experience that bridges the gap between the movies. While the single player isn't bad, the multiplayer is where the game really shines.