For the mature gamer, the thought of dumbing himself down to play a child’s game seems destined to be ungratifying and unnecessary. He does not possess the urge to play fairytale princess nor does he feel the need to see how many bubbles he can pop. He simply wants to kill stuff. He lives for those tiny internal victories that he finds himself celebrating when he takes a terrorist down with a headshot or crushes another wave of aliens under his boot.<\/p>\n
With this in mind, it must be noted that Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince is not intended for the mature gamer, but rather for the younger generations that are not allowed to wield their own deagle just yet.<\/p>\n
The video game adaptation of Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince stays true to the movie . The storyline, the dialogue; it all pretty much feels like a mirror image. Unfortunately, out of the 6 films so far, the most recent was the worst, and unfortunately for Harry, the videogame isn’t much different.<\/p>\n
The game starts off in exactly the same fashion as the film; with players staring at the screen wearing a rather dumbfounded expression on their faces. The 1st mission, which acts as the tutorial, feels decidedly ungratifying. It teaches the basic spells that can be performed with the wand, however, the manner in which it teaches does not leave one feeling like they have really accomplished anything, nor does it feel like you’ve learned anything for that matter. I say this, because afterwards, you continuously struggle to perform the spell you’re supposed to have just learnt.<\/p>\n
After a few hours of being agitated at how simplistic the game was, and how meaningless the missions seemed, I took a much needed break. I took some time to reflect back on the very first Harry Potter game, with the bean collecting and wizard dueling. Only then did I realize that I was actually playing a really fun game. Yes, the missions were adolescent and simple minded, but they also happened to be fun. My jaded gamer goggles (JGG) had been preventing me from enjoying it for what it is. Fortunately for Harry then, this game’s target audience members are not likely to possess a set of JGGs.<\/p>\n
The introduction of potion making stepped things up a notch. Using your mouse as a guide for your ingredients, and your keyboard as a tipping scale, you mix together your magical concoctions. When you succeed, you are rewarded with fireworks erupting from your cauldron. Fail and everything is covered in a shroud of purple smoke, which will only disappear if you shake your mouse around frantically. Also, most of your events have a time limitation. The objectives have clearly been designed to be challenging to younger gamers, without being frustrating.<\/p>\n
Fun Factor<\/strong><\/p>\n This game is not meant for hard-core gamers. If you are amped for Modern Warfare 2, then you obviously will have no interest in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. However, if you have a child, or if you yourself are looking for some basic, casual gaming, then you could do much worse than this title. Visuals<\/strong><\/p>\n Once again, this game is not supposed to compete with AAA titles, and the graphics are therefore decidedly dated. Whilst they do fulfil their role on a basic level, more could have been done to make things better looking. Story<\/strong><\/p>\n The story plays out directly alongside that of the movie on which it is based. Expect nothing more and you will not be disappointed. Sound<\/strong><\/p>\n The lack of an actual actor doing the voice-over is a big knock to the system. With gaming magnate EA on board, you would expect a little bit more lavish expenditures on the game. However, in their defence, they know this title is for the youth market, and kids are not going to care whether or not Daniel Radcliff is the voice of Harry in the video game. Originality<\/strong><\/p>\n Not really much to discuss on this. If you have seen the film, then you know what to expect with the game. You never face off against Vauldemort, you never get the true gratification of being the saviour of Hogwarts and you never really get the girl. Plus, the game engine is an exact replica of previous titles, only with minor tweaks here and there. Longevity<\/strong><\/p>\n While the four hours would be scoffed at by serious gamers, this game probably has enough going for it this department to keep kids entertained and challenged for some time. <\/p>\n Bottom line<\/strong><\/p>\n While we can forgive it its numerous flaws based on the fact that it is essentially a children’s game, it is unfortunately not one of the better children’s games out there. Harry has nothing on Spiro and Lego Indiana Jones, two games which are both suitable for children but still have enough going on to entertain adults.<\/p>\n Discuss Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince<\/a> in the forums<\/p>\n\n\t\t
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