If I could only use one word to describe Thor: Sons of Asgard, it would probably be ‘meh.’ But not ‘meh’ in a highly deprecating sort of way, mind you. It’d have been more of a ‘meh, this could have been better. Maybe.’ Then again, I’m somewhat cynical about movie tie-ins. And while Thor: Sons of Asgard looks absolutely lovely, this action-adventure doesn’t evoke much more than lukewarm appreciation.
If I could only use one word to describe Thor: Sons of Asgard, it would probably be ‘meh.’ But not ‘meh’ in a highly deprecating sort of way, mind you. It’d have been more of a ‘meh, this could have been better. Maybe.’ Then again, I’m somewhat cynical about movie tie-ins. And while Thor: Sons of Asgard looks absolutely lovely, this action-adventure doesn’t evoke much more than lukewarm appreciation.
But yes, if nothing else, Thor: Sons of Asgard is gorgeous. It isn’t quite up to the standards that Infinity Blade set, but it is definitely nowhere near lacking in this department. Lovingly-rendered is the titular character, complete with flowing cape and scaled armor. Each time he makes use of his hammer’s powers, the scene will segue into a Matrix-esque moment where everything slows into the game’s approximation of bullet-time, even as lightning crackles through the air. It looks rather impressive the first time, but after it plays out several times in a row the animation starts losing its appeal.
Thor: Sons of Asgard isn’t engaging, but it isn’t a bad game, per se. While most titles within the genre tend to resemble interactive sequences from the movie, this one, at least, delves deeper into the universe and things not otherwise touched upon during the flick. However, what bothered me was the fact that the fights didn’t feel anywhere near as intense as they could be. I’m aware that it’s an iPhone game, and that it’d take a lot of work to get a pint-sized Kratos in place, but I’ve seen good action games on the App Store. This, unfortunately, isn’t one of them.
Enemies seem to do little except cluster around you, anticipating the inevitable blow from your mighty hammer. Of course this would be a bit more satisfying if the animation didn’t feel so sluggish. Then again, even that could be excused if there was more variety to the attacks and well… you get the picture.
In other respects, however, Thor: Sons of Asgard is relatively passable. I found the voice acting pretty appropriate; it got a little bit cheesy from time to time, but hey, it’s based on a comic book universe. Such things are prerequisites. Controls are also fairly intuitive and standard for action games on the mobile platform. A button on the left controls movements, while virtual buttons on the right permit you to mash virtual heads.
As always, I suppose movie tie-ins are best for die hard fans of both the film itself and the universe that it is based on. For everyone else, it can be a less than satisfying experience. To make matters worse, Thor: Sons of Asgard leans on the more expensive side of things when it comes to iPhone games, making it a title that’s hard to recommend.
