Steve Butts is scared there’s another half of this game lurking somewhere in his future. If not, then you’d better look elsewhere. When you consider that this is the best we can come up with when we combine one of this generation’s most important franchises with one of this generation’s most stimulating entertainment forms, it’s depressing enough to keep you from ever seeing your Patronum again.īottom Line: If you want to stare at the back of Harry’s head while he shouts “Stupefy!” forty times a minute, this is the game for you.
Even with the powerful momentum of the Potter marketing machine behind it, there’s just not enough here to grab your attention.
#HARRY POTTER DEATHLY HALLOWS PART 1 VIDEO GAME MOVIE#
Ultimately, the movie license is the only thing this game has going for it. None of the levels are open enough to really need this feature, but it seems as if the designers are saying, “If you are dumb, go this way.” Of course, the bigger question is why a bunch of wizards need to find a reason to go around a chain link fence, but that’s one of the game’s more subtle problems. On the other hand, there’s a spell you can cast that leads a glowing trail in the direction of your next objective. Some of the firefights can be fairly challenging, and the stealth missions require a fair bit of anticipation and planning. While the game is clearly aimed at Potter fans, I’m still not sure whether it’s meant to be hard or easy.
Dragons, horcruxes and Ministry break-ins are just lined up and the player is left to fill in the transitions. I read the books and even I was confused by the progression. Instead, the designers simply move the player from scene to scene without any attempt to make it clear that B is supposed to follow A for a reason. But that’s no excuse for not trying to create an experience that stands on its own. I get that anyone who plays this (or, indeed, any conscious person between the ages of ten and fifty) already knows this story. That’s just one example of the game’s lack of narrative cohesion. You almost expect to see Harry and Hermione in the next scene saying “Wow, I can’t believe we got out of that one!” In fact, I was even killed during one mission, but because I had accomplished my objective, I just respawned at the start of the next chapter. You may even find the mission just ends in the midst of a giant firefight after you’ve accomplished your objective. You’ll be asked not to be detected but, as long as you accomplish your objective, being found by your enemies is irrelevant. There are a number of stealth missions where being detected doesn’t really seem to matter all that much. Trying to sneak around cramped corridors or rooms can also be problematic, especially in the stealth levels where you’re wearing your invisibility cloak and desperately hoping not to bump into anyone.Įven if you do, things aren’t necessarily over. Harry has a tough time hitting things right in front of his face, which makes fighting the swarming pixies very frustrating. The third person perspective definitely helps you connect with Harry, but it does highlight some camera problems. Cover works, at least better than shooting, but you’ll still find yourself accidentally hitting whatever you’re hiding behind, which is particularly unfortunate when you’re using the exploding Confringo spell. After that, enemies tend to stay in one place. Strangely, this is particularly troublesome during the very first level of the game. The inconsistent lock on aiming makes it either too easy or virtually impossible to hit what you’re aiming at, and it’s practically useless when your targets are moving. Unfortunately, the shooting mechanics are off. Sure, I didn’t want Harry Potter to suddenly be storming Normandy Beach, but a little more bite in the combat would definitely make the game stand out. While it might seem a bit forced, at least it makes sense from a gameplay perspective. I had high hopes when I heard that this version of Harry Potter was going to feature actual shooting and cover mechanics. Action sequences that have us on the edge of our seat in the theaters become merely tedious when expanded to many times their original length.
Sadly, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 exhibits every one of those shortcomings.