Harry Potter and the Sorcerer

Harry Potter and the
Sorcerer’s Stone is an updated remake of EA’s original Harry Potter game on last
generation systems.  The game, of course, follows closely the events of the book
and movie of the same name.  For those not “in-the-know” (all three of you) this
means that the game covers Harry and friends’ first year at Hogwarts School of
Witchcraft and Wizardry and their quest to unravel the secrets of the Sorcerer’s
Stone, a mythical stone with incredible power.

The game borrows heavily
from the Zelda franchise, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing.  It’s all
here, from the automatic jumps, to a very “Z” targeting like lock on system, to
assigning various spells and items to the face buttons for easy access and use.
It’s a great setup that frees the player to be able to concentrate on the action
and quest at hand, rather than fumbling through clumsy controls and menus.  The
gameplay is pretty straightforward adventuring, with the player exploring the
many environments of Hogwarts, battling against mythical creatures, evil foes,
and uncovering the mystery surrounding the Sorcerer’s Stone and “He Who Must Not
Be Named”.  It has a very light “collecting” aspect to it that is mercifully
kept to a minimum, consisting mainly of “Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans” which
acts as the currency for Fred and George Weasley’s “shop” and Wizard Cards,
featuring famous wizards and witches.  A lot of games of this type devolve into
monotonous fetch quests, and this game takes great care in never making the
gamer feel bogged down.  It keeps the game fresh and exciting, much like the
books and movies.

The developers of the
game have chosen to give the game an almost “cartoony” look that is
appropriately whimsical and fun.  Despite this, the game still looks reasonably
sharp and exhibits some nice lighting and particle effects.  The characters are
all immediately recognizable, bearing a striking resemblance to their movie
counterparts.  The environments are also well-done, oozing with character and
ambiance.  Of special note is the grand staircase, which is covered, as it
should be, with pictures upon pictures, all depicting various witches and
wizards of note.  Sadly the pictures are not “alive” as they are in the movies
and books, but the detail given to each individual portrait is a nice touch.
The graphics really go a long way in immersing the player in JK Rowling’s world
of magic and what it must feel like to run or fly broomstick-style freely
through a magical castle.  The sound is yet another aspect that is handled with
care.  While the voices are not those of the actors, they sound very much alike
and deliver their lines with appropriate emotion and conviction.  Sometimes its
problematic in situations such as these where voice actors have to fill in for
those from a beloved franchise, but it never becomes noticeable or troublesome
here, further helping in the gamer’s immersion into this world.  The sound
effects and music are also handled well, as everything and every action in the
game has an appropriate sound accompanying it.  Spells hiss and cackle at the
tip of wands, footfalls echo and plod in the stone hallways of the castle, and
creature mumble, growl, and howl, as you’d expect.

About the only problem(s)
that really jump out at me is that this has already been done once, in more ways
than one.  For those that invested in the earlier version of this game, I’m not
at all convinced that the update is worth another purchase.  Yes you’ll get
much, much better graphics, but you are playing in effect the same game and
definitely the same story.  Also, for those that played last year’s “Chamber of
Secrets”, once again you will be in effect playing the same game, with albeit a
different story.  When the mini-Bearer saw me playing this game after school he
immediately asked me, “Why are you playing that old game?”  It looks and plays
virtually identical to that game, obviously using the same engine with a few
well-implemented tweaks.  Nonetheless, it is admirable that EA took the time to
update the game for current generation consoles.

Ultimately your decision
to purchase and or play this game is ultimately going to be predicated on your
love of Harry Potter.  It is a solid, well-handled game based on a very beloved
franchise.  If you’re a fan of the series and didn’t buy the earlier version of
the game, then by all means give it a shot, I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.  And if
you did play the first version, it is certainly an admirable upgrade, but not a
lot has changed outside of the graphics.

Reviewer’s Scoring Details

Gameplay: 8
The gameplay
borrows heavily from the Zelda games and it works to great effect here.  The
controls are simple and easily mastered, never getting in the way of the gamer’s
enjoyment of the game. The game maintains a
great pace, keeping the game always exciting or right on the cusp of something
exciting.

Graphics: 8.5
While not
groundbreaking, the graphics are very nice and faithful to the source material.
Textures are sharp and clean, and the lighting effects are done well.  The
different spells, each colored differently than the last, bathe the environments
in a soft, eerie glow, which is impressive.

Sound: 8.5
The sound is
everything you’d expect from this world.  There are a nice variety of sound
effects for the various actions and creatures, and the voice actors do a stellar
job of delivering their lines.

Difficulty: Medium
There is a nice
balance of difficulty within the game.  For children or less experienced gamers
the game never proves too daunting and allows for the progression of the story
without frustration.  For more experienced gamers it may be a bit on the easy
side, but there is the matter of collecting all of the wizard cards if you are
looking for a bit more challenge.

Concept: 7.0
The story and the
world of Harry Potter is perfectly captured here, with the gamer being capable
of doing virtually everything that Harry can do.  But as I said earlier, they
have done this game before and not a lot has changed game wise.

Overall: 8.0
Overall a very
solid, fun game that does justice to the license, which is an accomplishment in
and of itself.  It’s a great way for those that want a more proactive way to
experience the story and movie.