Tron: Identity Review: Crime Noir Comes to the Grid

Disney's Tron franchise is getting a lot of attention right now thanks to the excellent Light Cycle Run attraction at Magic Kingdom, so the timing couldn't be better for a video game based on the franchise. Enter developer Bithell Games with Tron: Identity on PC and Nintendo Switch. While there have been previous video games that put players in the world of Tron, Tron: Identity is much different from what's come before. A visual novel, Tron: Identity is a mystery involving unique characters taking place in a new version of the Grid. It's a bold take on the license, but it's difficult to say how much existing fans will embrace it.

In Tron: Identity players take on the role of Query, a program hired to investigate a break-in at a building known as the Repository. An explosion has taken place, and the administrator Prinz has enlisted the Disciples of Tron to investigate. Query's presence comes at the frustration of the head of security, Grish, who is trying to figure things out on his own. Unsurprisingly, things are much more complicated than they seem on the surface, and Query will have to make a number of decisions as he tries to determine exactly what took place that evening.

Those decisions make up the majority of the gameplay in Tron: Identity. As Query attempts to uncover the mystery of what happened and what may have been taken, he'll have to talk to suspects and visit different locations in the Repository. Each encounter offers a number of different dialogue options for Query, and making the "wrong choice" can have a major impact on the narrative, or even result in programs getting derezzed. Seeing programs cut down based on a decision you've made really does feel impactful, and even when your decisions don't result in a program's death, they can have a huge impact on how these programs respond to you. These decisions also give the game a decent amount of replay value, encouraging players to see how things might change based on different decisions.

In addition to traditional visual novel gameplay, Tron: Identity contains sequences in which Query must defrag the discs of his fellow programs to help restore bits of their memory. This takes the form of puzzles where players must try to clear a set number of cards by using matching suits or matching numbers. This can only be done with cards directly next to one another, or three cards away. It sounds simple enough, but if players don't have enough cards left that can be cleared, they'll have to use the undo option to bring back cleared cards and make choices that help set themselves up for the win. Initially, I found these sequences a bit confusing, and somewhat frustrating. However, as I stuck with it, I found it started to become more enjoyable. The game allows players to skip these sequences completely if they wish, and each defrag puzzle allows the computer to play three turns if the player gets stuck, so there's a lot of help to be had. Players who find themselves really enjoying these sequences will be happy to know that there's also an endless mode that can be accessed from the main menu.

While Tron: Identity might takes place in a whole new version of the Grid, it still feels very faithful to what's come before. Bithell Games has done an excellent job channeling the look and feel of the movies and existing Tron media. While the game's graphics consist of mostly static scenes, everything looks great, most notably the classic Tron colors, which really pop off the screen. There's nothing in terms of voice acting, but the music also feels like it would be right at home in Tron: Legacy. Admittedly, I don't have a ton of experience with the Tron franchise, but the game does a good job of making the world feel inviting for people like me.

Tron: Identity is a hard game to review. Bithell Games has done an excellent job capturing the look and feel of the brand, and there's a lot to enjoy while it lasts. That said, each play through offers a fairly short experience, and it's hard to say whether longtime fans of the franchise will embrace the visual novel genre; it doesn't help that the game ends on a pretty big cliffhanger! It's an intriguing setup for future entries, and I find myself excited to see what happens next, and where Query's new quest will take him. It won't be for everyone, but Tron: Identity is a bold new take on a Disney favorite, and I applaud the company for being willing to try something different.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Tron: Identity is set to release April 11th on Nintendo Switch and PC via Steam. The game was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review, and it was reviewed on a Nintendo Switch OLED.