Going on its
fourth year, now, Harry Potter movies are filling up the theaters with
enthusiastic fans (including this one). Even if they haven’t read the book(s),
millions are flocking to see the latest movie in the seven-book series. As
each one is revealed, so is a darker take on the worlds within
Hogwart’s—and the Wizarding
community in general. Likewise, the games have been taking more dramatic steps
and this latest one, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, looks
remarkably different when compared to the almost angelic first in the
series (Sorcerer’s Stone). In the book, movie and game, the difference
is very defined, but the energy and fun is also
stepped up—for the most part.
The main
plot of GoF is simple: Harry has to survive and
make it to the next book. Digging a little deeper, there is a competition
called the TriWizard Tournament in which three (hence, the “Tri” part!)
wizards must complete very dangerous tasks with one ultimate winner declared
by obtaining the Goblet of Fire. However, Harry’s name is pulled from
the magic pot, and since such events are a magical contract, he is “allowed”
to compete. How did his name get in there in the first place? That can be
answered somewhere else. Now, the TriWizard Tourney is suddenly a
QuadWizard event. Dragons, underwater
baddies and his eternal tormentor (He who must not be named) are among the
setbacks Harry must face. In the book/movie, HP is mostly solo in his
adventures, with a side-plot of having his best friend loathing him for
(again) being elevated to Superstar status at the school. Can’t Ron get
through one year without his buddy being so popular? I guess not.
That factor is not in the game at all so that leaves us with just the
danger, killing and nightmares to deal with.
The game
starts quickly with a sobering violent event following an otherwise (not
shown) exhilarating World Cup Quidditch match. HP,
Ron and Hermione have to flee an invasion of Voldemort’s
Death Eaters. Right from the start, you and your pals have to combine forces
(and spells) to move big things and beat back the bad guys. You can choose at
the beginning which one character you want to use: Ron, Harry or
Hermione; but can summon them all to help you with a spell that needs
more … punch. Though not always necessary, that help is required for
a good deal of obstacles. It’s immediately apparent that this is different
from previous games in the series. No longer is it a quest RPG game like Zelda
in robes. No, it is a trudge-along adventure title that requires you to beat
bosses, gather tokens (ie: Bertie
Bott’s Every Flavor Beans), and move objects to
get through impasses. It still has fun and plenty of adventure, but for many
people that liked the game for the way it used to be played, there may be a
disappointment—or downright disdain for the new offering. That being said, it
is a good game, with less flaws than there are grand visuals and action.
Where the
game feels stale is in its predictability. There’s a lot of walking, moving
things and hunting for pseudo power-ups. Your friends tag along faithfully
behind you, and come forward when needed. However, they can be left behind
often, which requires you to stop and let them catch up —or go after
them more proactively if you’re in a hurry. Casting spells is fortunately
simple. Though they are numerous, it is not required for you to memorize them
or pause and scroll through an inventory of selections to figure out how to
raise a foe off the ground. Likewise, if you encounter fire, just produce the
wand and cast a spell — and water (Aqua Eructo)
comes forth. Amazing! Again, if you live to show off your ability to retain
them in your Potter-obsessed memory banks, you will be somewhat deflated. Once
you recover from that disappointment, get away from the books for a while and
ride a bike or something. You’re way too involved. Hey — I know what “Leviosa”
means in that world, but I don’t want to brag about it.
As you
succeed in your quests and complete portions of the Tournament (that’s what
the game is about, remember?), you collect your goodies for upgrades, energy
and more power (in spells). Just like Jack (the one with the beanstalk), you
can use beans to buy things. You can strategically direct who gets a
particular strength for future situations. That allows you to control more of
the abilities of your “team.” Aside from the images of dragons and bad bosses
trying to kill you, it’s a kid-friendly game (by no means am I saying this is
for any audience!) in that you do not die, but “faint” and must use
collected treats to energize you — or start the level over if none are
available. The puzzles are easy and common sense. However, once you gather all
of what you need, it is not obviously clear how to utilize it. You will often
have to replay a level to achieve a goal that was impossible when you went
through it the first time. If you liked going through that level, you’ll like
it again. But, if you hated the journey … don’t expect it to improve the
second time around.
The game is
graphically brilliant. Where it shines the most is in the environments you
explore. The terrain, skies and water looks very rich. The characters come off
as blocky and vague at a not-so-far distance, but up close they look like the
actors. The (spell casting) flashes and explosions kind of shake in an awkward
way, but such things are quick and minimally annoying. Mostly, it’s just a
pleasure to view as you explore. Given the (walking and walking) nature of the
game, that’s a good thing.
The voice
acting is good, but there is some repetition relatively early on. The spells
are shouted and sparks fly … all with nice energy and good delivery. It
doesn’t feel “scripted” like many games like this. It’s frustrating to see the
movie where actors deliver their lines well, then experience a game version of
that material only to have the actors — act flat. The music is nicely
tied in to the experience as well. It was a nice movie score, and there’s no
exception, here.
Though there
are some disappointments in the way this game plays out, it is not bad
overall. It does feel like the audience is meant to be younger, as it plays
like a game for teens. However, if you notice the direction of the film —
versus the previous installments, you realize that there are differences there
as well. It’s consistent with the change of the perception, but I miss the
quest parts that kept you more engaged in the previous titles. It’s a run
and “gun” game, but not a bad one.
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Gameplay: 7.5
Thanks to an easy
spell-system, it’s not too hard to pick up and just play. There isn’t a lot of
complex mapping and inventory to memorize or constantly have to access, so it
flows along very nicely. .
Graphics: 8.5
It
looks great. The water especially looks nice, and I imagine it was a fun labor
of love. The results indicate they didn’t take short cuts with the terrain and
nature elements. Some of the more explosive visuals don’t come off as well,
but soon you’re back to star-gazing and enjoying the frightening scenery
around the Hogwarts grounds (and murky depths). .
Sound: 7.0
The
voices sound great with only a few exceptions. It’s a shame that the lines
repeat so soon into the game, but that’s common. It’s disappointing, but
“normal.” The actors sound engaging and “into” the performance. Maybe it’s
youth?! The music sticks in your head, and not in a really bad way.
Difficulty: Easy
There are some
moments of puzzle-solving that require more footwork, but that’s more tedious
than difficult. If you can pilot a broom well (and who can’t?!!), the rest is
standard walking, attacking and appropriate retreat.
Concept: 6.0
This
the is the biggest setback to this game. It does not feel fresh at all. Even
casting spells has been done many times in many games. There isn’t much fresh
about it. The sole redeeming part of it — that keeps it from being too
familiar — is the exciting world Rowling created. It’s faithfully recreated in
the movies, and within the game, as well.
Overall: 7.5
I would really
like to play this game with its ability to have three live players. I
believe that will hurdle the fun a great deal. It’s almost a burden to have
the other two friends tagging along as (slow) eye candy until a heavy spell,
and more muscle, is required. With human players, you can actively use more
strategy and not have to take everything upon yourself. True with any
multiplayer game, but this one lends itself more to that than similar titles.
There is a peculiar absence of the interior of the school, itself. You get to
explore everything else, but it’s exterior-laden. That’s Ok, since we’ve been
inside several times. This is a different game, so a different setting is fine
with me. If I need some moving stairs to make me smile, I can go back to older
versions … but why bother? For its shortcomings and benefits, it is what it is
— a more action-based game based on a book and movie of the same style. It is
not deep and meticulous like others, but it has plenty of energy and thrills
for a different mood and design. How exciting would it be if the same game was
created year after year? Change is good, though I think they can put a little
more in it to separate it from similar genres. Still, as it is, it’s likely to
cast a spell on fans and fans of the genre, alike.
