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Young Thor Review for PlayStation Portable (PSP)

Young Thor Review for PlayStation Portable (PSP)

Young Thor, Mjolnir, and a Horde of Baddies

How often have you dreamt of smashing your way through Midgard as Thor, the god of thunder? Well, dream no more because on July 20, 2010, consumers will see the release of Young Thor. In this epic side-scrolling action title, players have the chance to play Young Thor on a mission to rescue Urd, Skuld, and Verdandi, the Norns. As the keepers of Yggdrasil, the world tree, the Norns are charged with watching over the fates of those in the Nine Worlds. They have been captured by Hel, ruler of Helheim, realm of the dead. Without the Norns, Yggdrasil will die, and the Nine Worlds will fall into the realm of the dead, granting Hel untold power.

Young Thor screenshot

The story may sound pretty basic, and that’s because it is. Young Thor is a classic kidnapping and rescue game, but what isn’t basic about it is the in-depth mythology. As you progress through the game, you will unlock dictionary entries that can be viewed in the extras section of the game. I learned a great deal about Norse mythology by reading the entries and was impressed with the effort Frima Studios put into making sure they had everything right. This is the kind of effort that makes one look forward to buying a developer’s new game on release day.

When I first started playing, I wasn’t really sure what to expect. It had been a while since my last PSP adventure, so I was prepared for anything. What I didn’t expect was for the game to be a side-scroller. This is where the true appeal of Young Thor really shone through for me. I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the game, but less than halfway through the first level, I was completely hooked and enjoying every hammer-dropping, lightning-filled moment.

As Young Thor, you must battle your way through four levels, each with four variations, fighting hordes of enemies in order to level up as well as find treasures that will grant you further power. As you complete each level, the next will be unlocked, but you must be sure you are ready. You will need to play through easier levels multiple times in order to level up enough to take down the enemies that occupy the harder levels. There are also certain levels that contain the treasures you need to gain power, but the item may not be there the first time. This means that there will be certain levels you will need to play through multiple times in order to find the items you are looking for.

Young Thor screenshot

Despite the limited number of levels, there is a lot of incentive to play some of them multiple times, not only to acquire power-up items, but also to level up in general. As you progress through Midgard, the enemies you encounter will become stronger and if you are too low level, they will humble the great god of thunder very swiftly. Fortunately, it doesn’t matter what levels you repeat because all you need from them is the experience. If you are frustrated by your inability to progress, why not take it out on some lowly goblins? It will earn you a little experience, not to mention it will boost your morale, and give you the energy to take on the harder levels that grant more experience. Another fun thing to do is see how fast you can complete a level. I played one particular level multiple times trying to shave off mere seconds from my time. It doesn’t do much for your progression through the game, but it is a lot of fun nonetheless.

Young Thor screenshot

The controls for Young Thor are very basic; you have a weak attack, strong attack, and a lightning attack. Some people may not see this as a good thing, but I really enjoyed the simplicity.

Young Thor screenshot

Overly-complicated controls can really hurt the appeal of a game, potentially taking players several levels just to get the hang of them. With these simple controls, it is up to the player to be creative, finding the best ways to strike at opponents while avoiding damage. Each type of attack has a special move; including an uppercut that knocks opponents into the air and a spinning attack that strikes all nearby enemies. Also, each attack can be charged for increased strength. Use these different abilities wisely, and the Norns will soon be returned to safety.

Young Thor looks and sounds good, especially considering the limited computing power of the PlayStation Portable. There were no voices for the characters. However, the game makes up for it its cel-shaded animated storyboard style that helps convey the story and engage the player. As I played more of the game, I grew fond of the way the game was telling its story. I now believe that voice acting would’ve done more to hamper the experience than to help it. I also enjoyed that there weren’t many cut scenes taking up unnecessary time. While the mythology is deep, the actual story of the game is pretty straightforward. Therefore, there is no real need for a plethora of cutscenes. They show up when needed, at the boss encounters to set the mood for the fight ahead, and I enjoyed that style of storytelling.

Overall, Young Thor is a fun game with a decent amount of replayability. While repeating some of the levels multiple times to attain a high enough level to progress can be tedious, there is a certain satisfaction that comes with being able to smash the faces of those fiends that previously crushed you with ease. The sound and animation are solid and the controls are simple and easy to master. So hop onto the PlayStation Store because with a price tag of $4.99, Young Thor is absolutely worth picking up.

RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 3.5 Graphics
Despite the limits of the PlayStation Portable, Young Thor is a good looking game with smooth graphics and a fun animation style. 4.5 Control
Controls are solid, basic, and easy to master. 3.5 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
While there is no voice acting for any of the characters, the rest of the game sounds great and really helps to immerse the player in the world of Thor. 3.5 Play Value
Despite the lack of levels, there is a lot of replayability due to the need to play them multiple times, not only to level up and grow stronger, but also to find all of the pieces of Thor’s armor. 4.0 Overall Rating – Great
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.

Game Features:

  • Experience epic side-scrolling action as you fight your way through 16 levels in search of the three Norns as Young Thor, the mighty god of thunder.
  • Enjoy stunning animation and epic sound that will immerse you into the game as you fight to save the nine worlds from the nefarious plot of Hel.
  • Collect legendary treasure that will complete the armor of Thor, granting him the power to save Yggdrasil, the world tree, from certain doom.

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