Tron 2.0: Killer App

It's just a little too late for a reboot from last year. [Feb 2005, p.87]

The biggest issue I encountered was the out of control load times. [Jan 2005, p.132]

When a game's so hard that playing becomes more of a chore than enjoyment and the online gameplay that could have made up for the extremely taxing single-player mode doesn't even work the way it should, not too many gamers are going to give it a fair chance unless they're a uber geek that thrives on the computer-related features of TRON 2.0 Killer App.

This is a fun, visually unique title that shouldn't be overlooked. Pity that the multiplayer doesn't truly shine.

It's fun and unique for a little while, but the underlying lack of an innovative gameplay experience leaves the game too hollow for comfort.

With the single-player game so clearly in focus, it's disappointing that it plods along so unevenly, and at times, progress feels like you're wading through molasses rather than zipping through the ether. [Jan 2005, p.78]

Get past all the computer jargon (your sniper rifle is amusingly called the "LOL" gun), and you have a pretty typical first-peson shooter. [Jan 2005, p.135]

Underneath its flashy exterior, Tron 2.0: Killer App is still a fairly bland shooter whose few memorable moments are overshadowed by unimaginative level design and far too many load screens.

At its core, Tron 2.0: Killer App is a first-person-shooter with a few RPG elements that crop up ever now and then. With its stylized environments and sounds, it takes a while to get into the game world, but, if you do, the game does not embarrass itself.

The leveling up with build points is interesting, but the weapons, enemies, environments and overall premise of the game aren't enough to encourage you to finish it.

If the gunplay, pacing, plot, or characterization amounted up to its stunning visual style, then Tron 2.0 would certainly deserve its killer app subtitle.

Many who like the film should like this game, but I seriously had a time getting through the game. Not because it was hard, but because my heart was just not into it.

You could do much better than Tron 2.0: Killer App. In fact, you should.

We've used the word a few times during the review, but "chore" probably sums up TRON 2.0 if we were to plunge to our most uncharitable.

Tron 2.0 looks and feels just like the movie "Tron", but ultimately some poor choices in gameplay bring the overall package down.

Overall, the multiplayer game modes are far more engaging than the story mode, whose biggest failing is a lack of variety. One for Xbox Live maniacs only.

With its frustrating, haphazard single-player and a set of multiplayer features outshone by others in its class, this one's only for fans of the movie.

The game more than stands on its own because of its unique visual style and cool light cycle races, but it's plagued by a sloppy interface that makes switching weapons a chore, too many platform jumping elements, and so much loading I wasn't sure if the game was running correctly or if it locked up.

The controls take some time to master, and there's a surfeit of useless jargon seemingly designed to prevent you getting to grips with the gameplay. Nor is this a game for the short-sighted, since the on-screen captions that supposedly offer guidance are minute and virtually illegible.

Unfortunately, its style tends to outweigh its substance, leading to a fairly bland first-person shooter set in a very interesting universe. It breaks the routine, but that doesn't make it a killer.