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(More customer reviews)Hello, need reader canary talented really.
The above mess is a Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince video game experience. And I know despite what I write, if you're here you will end up playing the game anyway, hoping I'm mistaken. I will continue if only to persuade you to rent the game at best or wait for the inevitable, monstrous price drop.
To Begin - The Story, Characters, and Sound:
If you needed to write a report on the Half-Blood Prince film, this video game wouldn't even be acceptable as cliff notes. Scenes cut in and out, not caring about anything silly like making sense.
The video game starts with a random brush up with Quidditch at the Burrow and then bipolars you straight to the scene in Diagon Alley with Draco Malfoy. Why? That question should be read as a scream.
And from there you jump from moment to moment like a mental patient, who isn't improving.
As far as the characters in this cliff note of cliff notes, everyone is at least acceptable or great. Great, as in the case of when the film actors lend their voice (the focus being on Rupert Grint-Ron). The acceptable being characters like Snape and generally the look of everyone. There is one huge exception: Hermione. The actress who lends her voice is fine, but the rendered character looks nothing like Emma Watson. She looks more like Mema Witson, and while she's a great girl and all, Mema isnt in Harry Potter. The real problem is that Harry and Ron look reasonably similar to Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint (having gone through the work in the previous game, whereas Emma Watson did not, to my knowledge) so Hermione, aka Mema Witson, stands out.
The music of the games is always either nice or fantastic. This game favors more toward simply nice, but whoever thought that adding a record scratch to highlight an awkward moment between Harry and Ginny was a good idea; way to stand out, my man. That was truly A+ dumb.
Well, I'd love to continue with my review, but I need to have a duel.
The Middle, Gameplay?:
The Order of the Phoenix game had 3 things going for it: a beautiful Hogwarts, most of the film actors participated, and the painting that loved Chops and Gravy. Yum yum yum yum, gravy. This game?
Duel, quidditch (by which I mean flying through stars), and potions. Potions, duel, quidditch, punch making? Duel, potions, duel, quidditch. That is the Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince game.
And while dueling is far more refined here than in previous games, it pops up everywhere, and all you need to do is knock your opponent down once with Expelliarmus (yes, I looked up how to spell a lot of things in this review) and it's game over. And while potions can be fun, these are side games and side games do not a video game make. I get the feeling that, oh hold on. I need to duel again.
As I was saying, if EA would just put itself in a timeout and make a game based on several movies, we'd actually get an inspired gift of a game as opposed to these socks we keep getting. Or even if they, oh, I don't know, gave a damn? EA has done a Quidditch game before, so why isn't there at least a full on game here instead of Harry going through stars? Why can't we control other characters in actual mission, versus doing the same things Harry does (how fun would a thought out Luna side-mission be?). And whereas Order of the Phoenix was nothing but a list of chores to do, Half-Blood Prince is the same only with your mom running out of patience with you. GO PRACTICE QUIDDITCH NOW!!!!.
The only beauty comes from a very beautiful source, the character of Luna Lovegood. As you're lighting fireworks, and trying very hard but unsuccessfully to get a great look at Hogwarts lit by the exploding color wheel, Luna pleads "I wish fireworks didnt have an end."
The End:
This game was supposed to be released in November '08, as was the film (damn you Warner Brothers). But stock market greed from Warner's pushed the due date to June '09. And what did EA do with that extra time? Worked on Madden 11?
But that's irrelevant. To EA, this game was never meant to be anything but a cash grab, and all the extra time + 1 would never have made it any better. Ever since the Prisoner of Azkaban game, EA's effort with Harry Potter has equaled my effort in personal grooming when I was 12. Let's say, not so great. But the films and the books have been about love and bravery and effort. Where is any of that in these games? Where is it?
I really want better things to say, but ..... I solemnly swear this game is no good.
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Harry Potter and the Half Blood PrinceThe Story In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince the Video Game, Voldemort is tightening his grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds and Hogwarts is no longer the safe haven it once was. Harry suspects that dangers may even lie within the castle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle that he knows is fast approaching. Together they work to find the key to unlock Voldemort's defenses and, to this end, Dumbledore recruits his old friend and colleague, the well-connected and unsuspecting bon vivant Professor Horace Slughorn, whom he believes holds crucial information. Meanwhile, the students are under attack from a very different, but equally unavoidable adversary as teenage hormones rage across the ramparts. Harry finds himself more and more drawn to Ginny, but so is Dean Thomas. And Lavender Brown has decided that Ron is the one for her, only she hadn't counted on Romilda Vane's chocolates. And then there's Hermione, simmering with jealously, but determined not to show her feelings. Yet as romance blossoms throughout Hogwarts, one student remains aloof. He is determined to make his mark, albeit a dark one. Love is in the air, but tragedy lies ahead and Hogwarts may never be the same again. Gameplay Like earlier video game releases in the Harry Potter franchise, the action in Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince the Video Game revolves around the exploration of Hogwarts and the action that results from what you uncover. The game features both an engrossing single player mode as well as local multiplayer modes for up to two players. During their adventures, players will have a chance to engage in exciting wizard duels, mix and brew magical ingredients in potions class and take to the air to lead the Gryffindor Quidditch team to victory. Players may even get sidetracked by Ron's romantic entanglements as they journey towards a dramatic climax and discover the identity of the Half-Blood Prince. Key Features
Compete for Gryffindor in the Hogwarts Quidditch Cup as you take on Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin in the most exciting wizarding sport.
Perfect your Quidditch skills and prove you can dodge a Bludger and can catch the Snitch.
Take part in thrilling wizard duels, battling against Death Eaters in Hogwarts, Inferi in the Horcrux cave and much more.
Join the Gryffindor Dueling Club. Perfect your dueling skills beforeyou take on the other houses. Will you become the Dueling Club champion?
Create magical potions with Professor Slughorn, using the Half-Blood Prince's Potions book.
Explore Hogwarts at night, taking on nighttime missions while thecastle sleeps.
When you get stuck, call on Nearly Headless Nick for clues and tips to help you complete your challenges.
Relive the action of the movie...from the Hogwarts Express, to the dramatic revelation of the Half-Blood Prince.
See more of the wizarding world as you explore new magical places like The Burrow, the Horcrux cave and more.
Travel with Dumbledore to piece together Voldermort's past, and sneak around Hogwarts to discover Malfoy's secrets.
Local 2-player multiplayer play option available.
Xbox LIVE friends and achievements support.
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