Tron 2.0

$49.95, Windows

Teaches: logic, programming

CTR Review

In it's day (the '80s), the original Tron movie was unlike anything ever seen before from a technical perspective. It followed a young programmer who was "digitized" into the world of the computer. Two decades later, this video game looks a bit retro, with the same attempts at futuristic costumes. The game is a first-person shooter, with 12 weapons, including the disc from the movie. The game's plot line is long and well-thought out, with variable difficulty settings. The hardest part of this game is getting it installed on your computer. We tried it on two PCs, and both required tinkering with settings, or in one case downloading the newest patch. Make sure you have a hearty video card if you attempt this game. Another drawback is the view -- only in first-person, which makes puzzles difficult. Finally, weapons and abilities are upgraded by "optimizers", which are very limited, so it is hard to know whether you will get the same upgrade later or not, and unless you use the optimizers it is impossible to get full upgrades for some parts later in the game. The bottom line? This game isn't for everybody. If you liked the movie, and have a new computer, buy it. Otherwise, pass. Note that an Xbox version (Fall 1004) is a first person shooter with a Xbox live version.