| God of Thunder | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Adept Software |
| Publisher(s) | Software Creations |
| Designer(s) | Ron Davis |
| Platform(s) | DOS |
| Release date(s) | 1993 |
| Genre(s) | Puzzle, Action |
| Mode(s) | Single player |
| Media/distribution | Floppy Disk (Shareware) CD (Complete Game) Download (Freeware) |
God of Thunder (abbreviated GoT) is a 2D platform/top-down freeware puzzle game created by Ron Davis and published by Software Creations in 1993. It was previously a shareware product but was released as freeware in 2002 or earlier. The game chronicles the quest of Thor, son of Odin and god of thunder as he tries to reclaim Midgard for his father. Midgard, the beloved land of Odin's, was stolen from the god during his "Odinsleep" by Loki, the god of mischief, with the help of Jormangund the serpent and Nognir, the Prince of the Underworld. To help in his quest, Thor is given the mythical hammer Mjolnir by Odin.
As Thor progresses, he must solve puzzles set before him by Jormangund, Nognir and finally Loki. He also has to fight his way through the countryside, past city guards, and into the lairs of the gods. Along with puzzles and action, role-playing elements are included. Thor slowly gains more powers as he progresses and his hammer and armor are upgraded when the player defeats one of the three bosses. Through the entire game, Odin watches over him and Thor will find himself admonished by the king of the gods if Mjolnir fells an innocent person.
The game features tongue-in-cheek humor, which becomes more apparent as the episodes are played. A bridge repairman parodies Star Trek when he responds to a request for a dental bridge with "Dammit, Thor! I'm a bridge and TV repairman, not a dentist!" Other examples of humor include countless references to sliding and non-stick surfaces in the second chapter, Non-Stick Nognir. The joke comes from Nognir's use of all of the male citizens in his area as slaves to mine Teflor, a parody of teflon. Stores also feature catchy or humorous slogans, such as "Andy's Armor Repair. You scuff 'em, We buff 'em." Probably the most blunt is a blatantly anachronistic use of a jig-saw in the 3rd episode.
The game also features several references to the Marvel Comics book character Thor. These include the idea of the Odinsleep, Loki's costume and a mention at the end that Thor should have his own comic book.
The game was reviewed in 1994 in Dragon #208 by Sandy Petersen in the "Eye of the Monitor" column. Petersen gave the game 3 out of 5 stars.[1]
HonestGamers reviewed God of Thunder in 2003, awarding 9 out of 10.[2]