A review of Lego Harry Potter for the PS3
Humour is noticeably present from the first mission in which game designer, Traveller's Tales, take the serious perception of Gringotts' Goblins and alter them forever. The sight of the plastic money men dancing in a perfectly orchestrated conga line will stay with me till the grave, I laughed out loud. This humour continuous in every Lego game is a key substance that engages the audience and is what has made the series such a hit.
There are six missions in each book 1-4 accumulating to a grand total of 24 missions in all, with eleven additional bonus missions if discovered. The missions utilise and highlight the most iconic and cinematic moments from the novels i.e. Aragog, The night bus and the Serpent creating an action filled adventure containing a rich, varied and peculiar array of characters spanning the duration of the four novels.
Although Hogwarts may have been bigger in EA's more realistic take on the wizarding game (realistic a word rarely associated with Harry Potter) its Lego counterpart has managed to build a Hogwarts resembling the castle we have wandered over the years. Although some rooms may have been emitted, we can only presume they ran out of Grey Lego blocks.
The first year is difficult to take as you only have a minute number of spells to cast from your plastic stick and as you venture and explore each alleyway of the castle you discover pathways that cannot be trodden until later years, with later spells. Once the first year is complete the fun commences, I say 'commences', what I really mean is...the fun is visible and is hidden thoroughly inside the 3rd year. It is like a Potato Waffle simmering on a measly gas mark 2; however, you know full-well that it needs to be on gas mark 4 to have any chance of becoming crisp. Waffle Sandwiches, try em'!
So once the fun begins i.e. you have all spells, the game is the best Lego game available. The feeling of unlocking a doorway that previously was not possible is indescribable and filled me with joy. There are an enormous collection of hidden areas waiting to throw Lego bouquets in your arms as you march through the doorway want ablazin'!
The game implements lego skeletons throughout whose comedic quality cannot be put into words, you just have to experience it.
No online capabilities was not a putt off for me personally as I enjoyed playing this more alone than with friends, however for younger children, the game's target audience, the co-op mode will surpass.
The red and golden bricks make a welcome return, appearing in some of the most unusual and obscene locations, making the difficulty meter rise ever so slightly. Almost half of the the 200 gold bricks required were found by pure chance as I took a punt and fired a Flipping good Flipendo at a presumptuous candle.
The level's themselves are easy enough and cannot really be failed, unless you are incompetent, extremely incompetent. The game screams harry potter louder than the challenge cup egg...which is good.
The game has a vast and vigorous level of content and replay value, meaning that parents won't be seeing this gathering dust or being used as a storage device for cocaine anytime soon.
Harry and Pals have never looked better.
9.2