FFull Review of LEGO Harry Potter 1-7 - There once was a boy, named Harry...
No big movie franchise will escape Legofication - this is their doom. We've seen Indiana Jones, Batman, Star Wars, DC/Marvel, etc. reincarnated in the lovely aesthetics of the beloved construction toy. Harry Potter couldn't escape that destiny either and as a result, we have all 7 movies about the wizard kids reenacted in the cute and humorous manner.
Imagine if tiny LEGO plastic figurines came to life and decided to make their own rendition of Harry Potter's adventures. This is what the game looks like. Its cartoony vibe is both eye and children-friendly - you won't see blood spatters or other abominable elements of the in-game violence.
No, in this universe everything is made of colorful studs - from humble decorations to the frightful Basilisk.
Even Harry himself and other playable characters are made of them. And once you deplete the HP or miss a platform while jumping and fall into a pit - your avatar will decompose into these studs. This will cause an instant respawn.
Despite that you manipulate plastic figurines, their movements are quite smooth and lifelike. The game has a great sense of dynamics, outlined by the animation - even hair and clothes of the characters are animated correspondingly to the physics motion.
What a devoted fan of H.P. movies will find especially lovable is the Hogwarts setting. It's been carefully recreated after the celebrated School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The dim lights, living portraits, creeping shadows and even crying Myrtle will let you dive deep into the magic ambiance from the movies.
The game is accompanied by the actual OST written by John Williams, but there are no dialogues whatsoever. All the emotions and situations are illustrated with laughs, grunts, screeching, screams and so on. What a vast emotional palette and not yet a single word uttered!
In LEGO Harry Potter you're about to repeat all of the adventures that the scarred magic boy once had to come through. Only in the game occasionally dark and tragic undertones are greatly softened by amiable humor that at times turns the original story into a cute caricature.
In the game you can:
- Smash monsters and objects to collect the plastic studs.
- Unlock characters - Hermione, Professor Snape, Neville Longbottom, etc.
- Explore the Hogwarts or Quidditch area.
- Utilize magic spells.
- Ride the flying broom etc.
The spell system is the unique catch of the game. You have almost every single spell from the H.P. universe from Expeliarmus to Avada Kedavra. They colossally simplify the objectives: e.g., you can assemble a makeshift ladder using Wingardium Leviosa or neutralize a phobia with Riddikulus.
You still get no online multiplayer, but the co-op is satisfyingly good. As long as you and your buddy remain distanced close to each other - the screen will be undivided. If you ramble too far from your companion - stare into the split-screen.
And of course, every year has an original final boss battle: the Ogre, the toilet worm Basilisk, incarnations of Voldemort... Epicness is unlimited.
Controls are easy-to-master - the only require good reaction and timing form you. A second player can join/quit the game anytime painlessly.
Replay Value: 4.5
If you're an H.P. fan, I guarantee you'll develop a stable addiction to this game.
Although designed primarily for kids and H.P. loyal fans, the game has its own cute and silly charm, enhanced by the captivating back-story, opportunity for exploration and good humor. But it may bore a grown-up quickly.
- Good visuals.
- Silly humor.
- Room for exploration.
- Level editor.
- Co-op mode.
- No online multiplayer.
- Custom levels can't be shared.
- No dialogues.
- Generic combat system.
- Mostly for kids.