Marvel’s mighty Thor — borne of Norse mythology and extreme butt-kicking — certainly deserves a big-budget cinematic slug-a-thon that’d make our consoles tremble. But you won’t find that legendary treatment here, despite the goal of nonstop combat and skyscraper-sized bosses. Ultimately, this pedestrian third-person action game turns the Odinson into a puny shadow of his comic-book self.

The game takes place prior to the events of the recent movie, which means it’s set entirely in realms other than Midgard (a.k.a. Earth) and you battle scores of frost giants, trolls, and lizard men. Loki has yet to reveal himself as a villain to Thor, so the game boils down to Thor smacking lots of same-looking monsters with his famed hammer (Mjolnir) while unleashing wind, thunder, and lightning attacks.

With a great story and production values, that might’ve been enough. But everything about the game is less-than-heroic, including Thor himself. Usually appearing tiny amid the murky visuals, and with his cape clipping through his body, the fearsome deity is pretty much a God of Bore.

On Xbox 360

+ The film’s Thor and Loki voice actors reprise their roles.

+ Definitely not the worst movie game we’ve played.

- God of War with a fraction of the ambition and production quality.

? Why can’t Thor fly around the game world at will? He does it all the time in the comics!

4.5