I got a chance to play Catalyst ahead of its June 17 release, and the futuristic action game might be the most compelling interactive take on Tron yet.
Disney’s Tron returns to the big screen in 2025, 15 years after the cult-classic reboot, Tron: Legacy, and more than 40 years after the original film. Naturally, a franchise about people pulled into a computer should also extend to video games, and while there have been many great Tron games over the years, the upcoming Tron: Catalyst might just be the best yet. I recently played some of the isometric action-adventure title ahead of its June 17 release, and its blend of immersive interactivity and intriguing storytelling left me ready for me.A New Tron Tale
Tron: Catalyst comes from acclaimed indie developer Mike Bithell, creator of Thomas Was Alone and Volume. This is actually Bithell’s second Tron game, following 2023’s Tron: Identity. However, that game was a visual novel, a beloved but niche genre that’s almost entirely about story. Although Tron: Catalyst’s gameplay is much more robust, it maintains that attention to narrative.
You play as a program, Exo, stuck in Vertical Slice, a seedy city where everyone has their own agenda. There’s a surprising amount of Cyberpunk 2077 energy as you gather intel at nightclubs, distract guards to sneak through passages, and participate in underground gladiator fights.
