| The LEGO game idea has spanned three popular | | | | characters through the course of the game, and will |
| franchises in the past: Star Wars, Indiana Jones and | | | | be able to learn new spells and abilities as they go |
| Batman. Now a fourth has been added to the list in | | | | through the various chapters in the game. That's |
| the form of the Boy Who Lived. JK Rowling's | | | | where going back to redo things comes in. Take, for |
| creation, Harry Potter, has been given the little plastic | | | | example, polyjuice potion. Learning to use this potion |
| block treatment, and the result is a game that is fun, | | | | will allow the player to change characters at |
| fresh and highly addictive. | | | | conveniently placed cauldrons. Need to get through a |
| The LEGO games have always been fun, thanks to | | | | door that will only allow Hufflepuff house students |
| their excellent recreation of the subject matter on | | | | access? No problem... simply use polyjuice to assume |
| which they are based, as well as the irreverent | | | | the form of a Hufflepuff character. The catch is that |
| attitude they take to that subject matter. But, aside | | | | you may come across such a door in the first |
| from characters and settings, there really hasn't been | | | | chapter, but you'll only learn the skill in the second. I |
| much of a difference between them. We've been to | | | | am sure you see what I am getting at. |
| Tatooine and the Amazon with these games, but the | | | | It's great fun, and the use of different magic spells |
| overall dynamic hasn't changed much in any of the | | | | allows the player to interact with the world of a |
| previous versions. You can read that another way, of | | | | LEGO game like never before. Wingardium Leviosa, |
| course... the game-play was getting old. | | | | for example, will enable the player to construct |
| It seems that developers Travellers Tales were well | | | | individual LEGO blocks to solve puzzles. Previously, |
| aware of the problem, because LEGO Harry Potter: | | | | construction was kind of automated, and while there |
| Years 1 - 4 brings a very different feel with it. Sure, | | | | still is automated construction this time around, the |
| it's still a LEGO game, and the basic principles are the | | | | puzzles add a new dimension to the game. |
| same, but additions and tweaks to these ideas have | | | | The game also features a drop-in / drop-out |
| made a massive difference to the overall experience | | | | multiplayer, which is brilliantly handled this time around. |
| that it offers. | | | | Players can play through all four chapters together |
| The obvious change is that the game has a different | | | | (which cover The Philosopher's Stone, The Chamber |
| setting. Now the player will be able to explore a | | | | of Secrets, The Prisoner of Azkaban and The Goblet |
| LEGO version of Hogwarts, which is a sprawling | | | | of Fire) thanks to an intuitive split screen |
| environment that allows the player a lot of freedom. | | | | implementation that only splits the screen when |
| The magic school has been recreated from the films, | | | | necessary. This is one of the best implementations of |
| and events that play out in the game are based on | | | | split screen we have ever seen. |
| the movies, rather than the books (hardly surprising | | | | The game doesn't feature too many boss battles, |
| when you consider that the game is published by | | | | and vehicle sections are mercifully kept to a minimum |
| Warner Bros, the same company that did the films). | | | | (because they were nasty in other LEGO titles). On |
| There is a lot to do in Hogwarts, from collecting | | | | the whole, the game is a beautifully presented, fairly |
| studs (which is common to all the games, and serves | | | | forgiving title that shines above a few of the |
| as currency in this title) through to gathering | | | | previous LEGO games. It's great fun for the whole |
| Hogwarts crests and more. The free roaming that | | | | family, and well worth playing, offering tons to do |
| the game allows implies (as do the myriad items that | | | | and lots of humour for those familiar with the Harry |
| suggest interactions later on) that the player will be | | | | Potter stories. |
| revisiting areas time and again to access things they | | | | At A Glance |
| couldn't get to before. This is a fantastic concept, | | | | A great adventure for the whole family, based on |
| but it also adds a bit of trudging to the game. | | | | the Harry Potter universe. |
| The player will be able to make use of 167 unlockable | | | | |