More than any other entertainment genre, I love a good piece of science fiction. It’s a form of media with limitless potential, allowing creators to invent a vision of the future that’s as grounded or fantastical as they can imagine. But what I love most about a great work of sci-fi is how it can speak to something truthful about our present day by providing a cautionary tale on where tech is going or simply reflecting the human condition.
As its name implies, the sequel uses its sci-fi framework to talk about what it means to be a survivor in an unforgiving world. Kestis and Gera have two very different ideas of that, with the latter embracing their inner darkness in order to dismantle a harmful status quo created by the Jedi Order. That theme gets explored more explicitly later on, as characters are forced to make difficult decisions to defend the people they love.
Tron: Identity As an IP, Tron has always seemed like a natural fit for video games — after all, the original movie centers around an arcade cabinet. Tron: Identity delivers that dream, but probably not in the way you’re expecting. It’s not a neon-tinged action game complete with light cycle chases and disc-throwing combat. Instead, it’s a cerebral visual novel that dishes out an excellent slice of traditional, hard sci-fi.
While the gameplay is sparse, revolving around walking exploration and a few simple puzzles, its story feels especially right for the current moment. The deeper you get into the facility, the more you learn about how humanity revered Grace, treating it like a God that could solve all of its problems. It all builds to a thoughtful ethical question that I’ve been chewing on since I finished it, leaving me to wonder if AI’s convenience could lead to complacency.