First look: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Electronic Arts has today released information pertaining to all seven of the different versions of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets that are currently in development. We have screenshots of all seven versions, which you can see by clicking on the links to the right.

In the PC, PS2, Xbox, and GameCube versions of the game, players will get to explore locations including Weasley's Burrow, Diagon Alley, the Forbidden Forest, and, of course, Hogwarts and its grounds. In between learning new spells in class and interacting with friends such as Hermione and Ron, players will get to play out key scenes from the book including the escape from the Whomping Willow, Professor Lockhart's dueling club, and Harry's second Quidditch season.

The gameplay in the PlayStation version of the game, which is being developed by Argonaut, will be somewhat different, focusing on Harry's quest to win the house cup for Gryffindor. Players will get to taste life as Hogwarts' most famous student as they complete coursework on such subjects as potions, transfiguration, and herbology in preparation for the final confrontation in the Chamber of Secrets.

The Game Boy Advance version of the game, which is being developed by Eurocom--along with the Xbox and GameCube versions--boasts a completely new engine since last year's game and will feature rendered versions of many of the same locations found in the other console versions. Players will be able to link the game up with the GameCube version and transfer maps, secret spells, and magical items between the two games.

The Game Boy Color version of the game is being developed by Griptonite Games, and, like last year's game, it will allow players to collect Famous Witches and Wizards cards as they progress through what is effectively a 2D role-playing game.

All seven versions of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets are scheduled for release alongside the second movie in November. We'll bring you more information on the games as it becomes available.