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Video Game Review: Simple Thrills of PSP Mini ‘Young Thor’
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CHICAGO – Is it possible that by making simple-but-effective mini-games like “Young Thor,” we could be looking to the future of the world of gaming by bringing back what worked well in the past? The fact is that more and more gamers are going to be doing so on the go on their iPhone, PSP, DS, or whatever, making simpler titles a more essential part of the marketplace over the next few years. Let’s hope they’re all as much fun as “Young Thor.”
![]() Video Game Rating: 4.0/5.0 |
“Young Thor” is not going to blow your mind or change the world of PSP gaming. Titles under the “Minis” banner for $5 aren’t designed to do so. They’re designed merely to offer bang for the buck for a limited amount of time for a small amount of money. Judged on the terms of its aspirations, “Young Thor” totally works.
![Young Thor Young Thor](http://www.hollywoodchicago.com/sites/default/files/YoungThor_screenshot8.jpg)
Young Thor
Photo credit: Activision
With a cleverly cartoonish style, “Young Thor” tells the story of a warrior travelling to the legendary Asgard to stop the destruction of the universe. The world tree Yggdrasil is dying and it’s up to Thor to find the godly artifacts that will save the day. Standing in his way are a variety of creatures in four environments that can then be replayed with more difficult enemies, making for a pretty decent amount of gameplay for $5.
The game plays like an old-fashioned, side-scrolling platform. Jump, hit, jump some more, hit some more. There are some items that can change your powers and levelling up that comes with experience, but it’s a simple gameplay that recalls games that most of my generation grew up playing. The developers probably could have infused the title with a bit more variety but how can we possibly complain about a title that costs less than most Blockbuster rentals?
As more and more gamers play their games in brief captured moments on buses or between classes, titles like “Young Thor” are going to become a more and more influential sector of the marketplace. Let’s hope they’re all this cleverly designed and consistently entertaining.
Check out the trailer before you go download your own copy of “Young Thor”:
![]() | By BRIAN TALLERICO |