Ever since the exceptionally horrible "E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial" disappointed Atari 2600 owners in the early 1980s, video games based on feature films have cultivated a deserved reputation for being among the worst products to befoul our beloved gaming consoles.
Sadly, despite the seemingly can't-miss premise of being a video game based on a series of movies about video games, "Tron: Evolution" manages to keep that dubious reputation solidly intact.
To be fair, Vancouver-based developers Propaganda Entertainment at least ensured that "Tron: Evolution" is not a cynical attempt to cash in on the standard marketing hype that is spawned by a hit movie. The visuals are impressive, and while the dialogue is confusing and wooden, at least the voice actors put in an earnest performance.
Also, instead of simply rehashing the events of the latest "Tron" film in video game form, "Tron: Evolution" has its own narrative and serves as a bridge between the events of the original movie released in 1982 and the 2010 sequel, "Tron: Evolution."
Unfortunately, any early goodwill the game earns is quickly squandered on cheap deaths and baffling design decisions, and the resulting awkward and frustrating gameplay makes for a thoroughly unenjoyable experience.
You control Anon, a system monitor who lives in The Grid, a virtual world inside a computer. The Grid is a rather unfortunate place, being hit simultaneously by a virus and a militaristic coup by a renegade program named Clu.
To combat these unsavoury elements, Anon has a deadly disc which he uses to hurl at enemies or block their attacks. The disc gets additional powers as anon progresses, including attacks that slow enemies, cause explosions, or even heal the player.
Anon can also get around The Grid in style, implementing a series of wall runs and acrobatic jumps reminiscent of the "Prince of Persia" games. Other times a tank or a light-emitting motorcycle will be at Anon's disposal.
Standing in Anon's way are Clu's minions, as well as virus-infected programs, but these foes pale in comparison to the game's environment. The world is full of precarious ledges and outcroppings that need to be traversed, and one false move will cause Anon to die, or in the parlance of The Grid, get "de-rezzed."
And you will get de-rezzed. Over and over again.
"Tron: Evolution" suffers from imprecise controls and there are times that Anon will not do exactly what you want him to do. In a game where moving accurately is absolutely essential to surviving, the loose controls result in a lot of cheap, frustrating deaths.
An attempt to leap over a gap in a broken bridge might result in Anon hurdling over an obstacle and plummeting to his death. What would logically seem to be a leap from an outcropping to a platform may instead see Anon run along a wall until he once again plummets to his death.
More frustrating still are the stages where Anon must pilot a light cycle through city streets afflicted with various hazards, from debris to disintegration. Because the poor controls cause the light cycle to oversteer, it is very difficult not to drive right off the road while simply trying to avoid an obstacle.
There is nothing theoretically wrong with a punishing game. If the player deaths are earned and the obstacles tough but not insurmountable, a good deal of satisfaction can be derived from overcoming a game's challenges. But "Tron: Evolution" is challenging for all the wrong reasons. You know what you have to do, but the game doesn't provide you with the tools to consistently do it. You eventually progress, but only after an irritating amount of trial and error.
With the necessary polish, "Tron: Evolution" could have been a fun game, and an enjoyable diversion during a time when there's not a lot of new titles being released. Instead, it's another underdeveloped movie tie-in that the discerning gamer would do well to avoid.
"Tron: Evolution" is rated T for teen and is available for PC, Xbox 360 and PS3.
The PS3 version has 3D content, if you have a 3D TV. It is also compatible with the PlayStation Move controller.
