I started reading the Harry
Potter books last year. I had heard about them for years (who hasn’t?), but did
not read them until October. They are full of wonder, magic and fantasy– the
recipe for a great game!! For kids young and old, this RPG will keep you busy
for hours. If you are not familiar with the characters and story, perhaps a FAQ
would help. There are many on the Web. If nothing else, knowledge of the Harry
Potter world enhances the game’s experience. Unfortunately, I do not have the
space to get too deep into it.
You begin in Daigon Alley,
where you must first collect your money from Gringott’s Bank (run by Goblins, of
course). Once you have some loot, you have to browse the various shops in the
"Alley" to collect the items you will need for your first year at Hogwarts. This
follows the first book nicely, and real fans will enjoy the experience. Unlike
the book, however, your time at the bank and in the Alley are not as easy. You
must fight a variety of creatures (rats, snakes, trolls, etc) in your quest for
items. You battle them with spells, of course. You can use your "Magic points"
to cast a spell, or use your "Famous Witches and Wizards" cards to complete the
tasks. Each has it’s benefit and drawbacks. You must learn your spells and how
well they do (or do not) work against a particular foe. The cards are fun to
use, but not easy to come by.
Once you survive the Alley
and arrive at Hogwart’s (there is a lot to see and do in between!), the game
almost seems to start over at a new level. You should now have supplies,
familiarity with spells, and other experience. The first part is merely a
training ground for the rest of the story– which has you exploring the halls of
the school while also racking up points for your "house"– Gryffindor .
What I found most
interesting about this game was it’s ability to provide great color graphics AND
have good game play. I am not a big RPG player, so for this to capture my
attention for hours and hours is saying a lot. Along the way in this game, there
are "mini-games" to play, which seem more suited to a younger audience. Still,
this game is a lot of fun to play. I am amazed so much fun could be packed into
a game for the GBC. It will provide hours of game play and entertainment. It
really helps to know the story from the books. In fact, I am not sure someone
who has NOT read the book(s) would get as far or enjoy it as much as a familiar
participant. I know it helped me a great deal, but I am sure a dedicated gamer
without the book under their belt will do well– since it is an engaging
experience for anyone.
Gameplay: 8.5
The more you play, the more you learn and
can do. It snowballs as you gain experience and knowledge of spells and
surroundings.
Graphics: 9
Great graphics for this small platform. The colors are vibrant and
characters/scenes have good features that help bring the book to life in your
hands.
Sound: 7
The sounds are good. The music gets mundane after a while, but not too bad.
Typical for the audio-limited GBC.
Difficulty: Medium
Learning the spells and navigating the environments are all part of a good
RPG. Once you learn what spells are good for, the game becomes easier—
buy not easy.
Concept: 8
A great transfer from book to game. It is typical for a RPG to have this
kind of "mission", but the layout is fun and nice to experience. Great
translation from written word to hand-held game.
Overall: 8.5
Harry Potter was a blast to read, and the game is no exception. Knowing the
story is a great asset here, but I feel that anyone can enjoy this one. The
colors, characters and environment add to the challenge of the quests. Having
the "mini-games" peppered within the game is nice, though they are kind of
simple for a seasoned gamer. A lot of fun and somewhat pleasantly addicting.
