Quidditch is awesome. Trying to pass it off as airborn soccer is not.
Being able to play Quidditch in real life would be the most exciting, fun thing anyone could ever hope to do. It’s as complex as any real life sport, it runs on pure adrenaline, and it’s incredibly entertaining. The problem is that this game simply doesn’t capture the essence of what makes Quidditch fun. The broomstick is supposed to be capable of super speeds and split-second turns. Instead, the controls feel sluggish and unresponsive, and your broomstick feel like it could be outstripped by passing butterflies. Most of the experience is from the perspective of the three Chasers, with only tiny minigames for the keeper and beaters. The part with the Seeker is pretty short, and is track-based- what the ****? And even then, you’re basically limited to following an opponent with the Quaffle and mindlessly swiping at them, or kicking the other seeker while you gain boost (a racing game?) and attempt to grab the Snitch. And the worst part is that is feels like playing soccer- the gameplay is limited to a single, flat plane. What’s the point of a flying game if you can’t move in 3D? There are some positives- the graphic are pretty good, particularly the stadiums, and the game does faithfully include many characters and team rosters from the books. The obviously pre-rendered videos look pretty cool- too bad the actual game doesn’t remotely resemble them. I certainly wouldn’t mind seeing a next-gen Quidditch game where you get to choose your player, and that features complete player and movement freedom with precise controls and a great sense of speed. It certainly could be done, if EA is willing to cough up the cash and finance the making of a really good licensed game. But sorry, this just isn’t it.
Oh, and people who slam this game just because it's Harry Potter have no idea what they're talking about. The subject matter is superb- the game isn't.