| Product: |
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (PS2) |
| Date: |
13/04/03 (281 review reads) |
| Rating: |
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Advantages: great graphics, great challenge, good levels
Disadvantages: controls, quidditch
I didn't play the last Harry Potter game on Play Station so I was looking forward to seeing this one, I always get excited when I get a new game because it's a new challenge. It is probably best to play this game either if you have read the book or seen the film because you might recognise some scenes and be able to get through the game by knowing certain things. Although this game is based on a film for younger people the game is not simple there are some difficult parts which I have had to stop at and play another day because I wasn't sure how to pass the section. You definitely need a memory card for this game because it is impossible to pass certain areas without your energy running out or being killed. Sometimes you just have to use your common sense at parts.
This game begins with Harry Potter going to Hogwarts and being at the Weasley house and then having to do a training task. We get told about the Wizard cards that every time you collect ten you get more energy. Bertie Botts every flavoured beans are used anyone but when you get hit by an enemy or something else they will be lost if you don't hurry up and eat them again. Headwig is helpful in some levels and whenever you need the owl's help it will fly to you and either give you notes that have been lying around or some clues to get you out of a bad situation.
So at first in the training level you have to fix a washing machine that is out of control and you can also explore the barn and find some wizard cards hidden here. Ron, Fred and George have to de-gnome the garden so what you do is that you pick up these gnomes but don?t let them hit you or you will lose your beans which can be used to buy certain things. Wizard cards can be traded with other students at Hogwarts later in the game.
The gnomes are picked up and you swing them round by spinning yourself round then let go and try to aim for the targets to get them as far away as possible but they do run ar
ound and get annoying. At first I thought I had to stay doing this forever and that eventually it would pass to another level but it doesn't when the remember all appears at the bottom left hand corner press select and find out what you need to do to end your day.
I like the way when you finish a certain level animated scenes come up from the film and they are really well done and look just like the characters. I am not sure if the voices are done by the real actors/actresses but they sound like them. Once the training level has ended the next area is when you go to Diagon Alley using floo powder which all goes a bit wrong. The next level is in Knockturn Alley in the wrong place where Harry ends up because when using floo powder Harry says diagonally instead of Diagon Alley. He ends up in the creepy place where we see the Malfoy's and this level is quite hard t get yourself out of but I did do it after a lot of playing.
Headwig helps you here and throughout the levels you gain new powers and when you press select you can see maps of where you are and what you have found. Your powers can be selected on the triangle, square, X or circle whatever you choose when selecting. When pressing select you can also look through spell books you collect on the way and see items you have bought or passwords you have found out and Quidditch scores.
When you pass the level in Knockturn Alley you get to Diagon Alley where you meet the Weasley's and Lucius Malfoy also Hermione and Gilderoy Lockhart the new teacher for defence against the dark arts. You explore the shops like Olivander's and many other great shops where you are given tasks of what you need to buy. You also need to sneak around some shops to get things but in one shop there is a shopkeeper you have to pass without him hearing and this part is quite difficult but I passed it.
You fly on Ron's dads car to Hogwarts but meet the Womping Willow also wolves that attac
k you, so many exciting things happen and I am still not finished the game yet. Usually in the classes Harry is always picked to go on an adventure to find out something and can earn Gryffindor points.
On the house points they are added up after a certain amount of days, you earn these points by doing tasks but you can lose them when you also have missions at night when you have to sneak out past bedtime, the prefects say "hey get back here" and they run after you unless you creep. If you are caught in the wrong part of the school you have points taken off and they tell you to get back to your room they are in and outside the building, prefects guarding.
Moaning Myrtle is another character in it and Draco's friends say nothing but mumble it's quite funny. All of the rooms are just like in the film but the school can be difficult to get around finding your way. In the common room you meet most of the famous characters, Neville, Oliver Wood, Snape, Hagrid and so on.
One part of the game which is exciting to play is the Quidditch match but it isn't as easy as I expected. When playing you don't get to do your own thing you have to fly through hoops and the other players hit you off your broom all of the time. I always lose the Quidditch matches which means I am not doing too well in the house points. Gryffindor is losing in my current game and Slytherin is winning. Your points for every match are recorded in the books for all of the cups but I don't get 0 points I am usually not too far behind in winning but the controls are hard to follow when playing Quidditch but the graphics are great for the game. You can walk about libraries late at night and the spells are fantastic.
You don't get a lot of help and have to figure a lot out yourself which is a good thing, I thought this would be an easy childish game but it is a good challenge and not too easy. The game is still quite expensive around £40 bu
t I am still playing and have done lots of levels but am not finished yet. I would recommend to save after every difficult part of the game or you will never pass and you don't want to have to repeat a part that you have taken ages to pass.
The controls can be difficult at some points and can be annoying but they are not too difficult and are quite straight forward. I lose most points by prefects catching me and taking off 5 points all of the time because then I lose Gryffindor points and am always last when the house points are totaled.
The game is fantastic and all of the characters were just like they were in the film the levels are brilliant and there is so much to work out which means there is never a dull moments. The game looks very real and play station 2's are a big improvement. I can't wait to play more of the game to see the later levels, definitely buy this if you are a Harry Potter fan or if you want a fun but challenging game.
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