Creators,
Traveller's Tales, have again managed to add the same charm and wit to
Harry Potter as the previous titles. However, you'll want to have seen
the movies or read the books to truly understand what's going on here,
otherwise the humour will be lost and you'll be left scratching your
head in wonder.
In saying that, the beautiful environments,
clever use of the spells and the adorable characters are enough to make anyone
forget about the story and simply have fun playing the game.
Fans
of the Harry Potter franchise take note as the game takes place over
the defining moments of the first four movies/books only this time
around there is a LEGO spin. Harry and friends are all made of LEGO
playing out the story in a LEGO world where players can blast blocks
apart with their magic wands, build LEGO to solve puzzles and more.
Running
around the LEGO world players will find that almost everything is
destructible, players will spend hours blowing up LEGO bricks causing
smaller coloured studs to fly across the screen. These coloured studs
are the currency of the game, you can use them to buy new characters,
outfits, cheats and a whole host of other goodies.
Players of
previous titles will be familiar with the LEGO style of game play, and
it's much the same for LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4. Much
like the
many different suits for Batman and Indiana's whip from previous games,
Harry Potter LEGO has wands (as you would expect) which sees the game
utilising a number of magical spells that each have their own specific
purpose.
As you progress through the game, players will unlock new
spells and potions that you need in order to go back to certain levels
to unlock extra goodies. This aspect of replaying levels is ok for the
most part, but for older gamers it does become a bit repetitive and a tad tiresome.
Wingardium Leviosa is the first and most useful
spell in
your repertoire. You'll use this to lift items in the air, assemble
blocks to complete puzzles, and break apart other objects for coloured
studs. There are several spells to unlock ranging from a glowing wand
to light up dark areas and warn off nasty plants, to fire balls that
inflict damage upon enemies.
In addition, each character has his/her own
unique spell. For instance, Ron Weasley can summon a rat to get into
hard to reach places, while Herminone can access special bookcases that
need to be unlocked. It's a simple yet clever device that really keeps things interesting.
The game
takes place over a varity of beautifully crafted environments that are
yanked straight out of the movies/books. Diagon Alley, the Forbidden
Forest, the village of Hogsmeade and Hogwarts castle, all translate
well into the LEGO world.
As you progress through the game you
are allowed to wander the halls of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft
and Wizardry, along the way players will be attending lessons, chatting
to professors, mixing potions and flying broomsticks – all in true
Harry Potter style.
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 features a
handy drop-in/drop-out co-op multiplayer function, this time around
co-op is split screen which works better than the
previous titles that saw both players sharing the one screen and fighting over which way to go.
Unlike
previous LEGO titles, Harry Potter
focuses on puzzle solving rather than combat (apart from the main boss battles).
Explore and learn are
the two key elements to this game. While most puzzles are easy to solve
they are varied, you need to keep in mind that this game aimed at kids, so in that regard it really does a
great job.
In closing LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 is one for
the fans, as long as they have a sense of humour, as the LEGO
games
have never taken them self too seriously. Younger gamers are sure to
love the LEGO Harry Potter experience as there is a heap to do and a lot
of gaming hours.
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 is a family fun
game that effortlessly blends humour, wizardry and problem solving into
one highly colourful and exciting environment.
