GameGuide » Blog Archive » Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4

The Lego franchise has already had a number of outings in the console gaming arena, Star Wars, Batman and Indiana Jones have all had the Lego treatment, some more than once. And yet here we see another addition to the tried and tested formula, but will the magic still be there, or is it one game too many in a series that essentially produces the same game, only with different characters and environments, over and over again? 

The truth is that Lego Harry Potter still is a destroy everything, collect the lego studs and solve problems style game – not a lot has changed to the basic game play. However, what sets Harry Potter apart from the other games of the franchise is the use of spells. Different spells allow you to do different things – the most basic spell is Wingardium Leviosa, a spell you’ll use to help your partner reach those inaccessible parts of the level. The real genius however is that you don’t start with all the spells, you have to learn them along the way, meaning that to collect everything, you’ll have to go back to some levels once you have the right kind of spell available.

Essentially a kids game, the other beauty of Lego Harry Potter is that it’s appeal is not limited to children or fans of the Harry Potter series. Sure, if you’re not a fan of Harry, you’ll miss all the humorous references and the experience won’t be as complete as if you were, but even an non-Harry fan like me can have a blast.

Lego Harry Potter is best played with a friend, it really excels as a two player game, and this is made even better by the way the two player split screen works. It’s an intelligent split screen that morphs depending on where both characters are keeping the game play running smoothly and encouraging team play.

All up, Harry Potter is a welcome addition to a series that was on the verge of becoming stale and uninteresting, but fortunately has been given a shot of pure magic.

Reviewed on: XBox 360

Available on: XBox 360, PS3, Wii, PSP, DS, PC

Reviewed by:

You may also like...