Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Going on its fourth year, now, Harry Potter movies are filling up the theaters with enthusiastic fans (including this one). Even if they haven’t read the book(s), millions are flocking to see the latest movie in the seven-book series. As each one is revealed, so is a darker take on the worlds within Hogwart’s—and the Wizarding community in general. Likewise, the games have been taking more dramatic steps and this latest one, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, looks remarkably different when compared to the almost angelic first in the series (Sorcerer’s Stone). In the book, movie and game, the difference is very defined, but the energy and fun is also stepped up—for the most part.

The main plot of GoF is simple: Harry has to survive and make it to the next book. Digging a little deeper, there is a competition called the TriWizard Tournament in which three (hence, the “Tri” part!) wizards must complete very dangerous tasks with one ultimate winner declared by obtaining the Goblet of Fire. However, Harry’s name is pulled from the magic pot, and since such events are a magical contract, he is “allowed” to compete. How did his name get in there in the first place? That can be answered somewhere else. Now, the TriWizard Tourney is suddenly a QuadWizard event. Dragons, underwater baddies and his eternal tormentor (He who must not be named) are among the setbacks Harry must face. In the book/movie, HP is mostly solo in his adventures, with a side-plot of having his best friend loathing him for (again) being elevated to Superstar status at the school. Can’t Ron get through one year without his buddy being so popular? I guess not. That factor is not in the game at all so that leaves us with just the danger, killing and nightmares to deal with.

The game starts quickly with a sobering violent event following an otherwise (not shown) exhilarating World Cup Quidditch match. HP, Ron and Hermione have to flee an invasion of Voldemort’s Death Eaters. Right from the start, you and your pals have to combine forces (and spells) to move big things and beat back the bad guys. You can choose at the beginning which one character you want to use: Ron, Harry or Hermione; but can summon them all to help you with a spell that needs more ... punch. Though not always necessary, that help is required for a good deal of obstacles. It’s immediately apparent that this is different from previous games in the series. No longer is it a quest RPG game like Zelda in robes. No, it is a trudge-along adventure title that requires you to beat bosses, gather tokens (ie: Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans), and move objects to get through impasses. It still has fun and plenty of adventure, but for many people that liked the game for the way it used to be played, there may be a disappointment—or downright disdain for the new offering. That being said, it is a good game, with less flaws than there are grand visuals and action.

Where the game feels stale is in its predictability. There’s a lot of walking, moving things and hunting for pseudo power-ups. Your friends tag along faithfully behind you, and come forward when needed. However, they can be left behind often, which requires you to stop and let them catch up  —or go after them more proactively if you’re in a hurry. Casting spells is fortunately simple. Though they are numerous, it is not required for you to memorize them or pause and scroll through an inventory of selections to figure out how to raise a foe off the ground. Likewise, if you encounter fire, just produce the wand and cast a spell — and water (Aqua Eructo) comes forth. Amazing! Again, if you live to show off your ability to retain them in your Potter-obsessed memory banks, you will be somewhat deflated. Once you recover from that disappointment, get away from the books for a while and ride a bike or something. You’re way too involved. Hey — I know what “Leviosa” means in that world, but I don’t want to brag about it.

As you succeed in your quests and complete portions of the Tournament (that’s what the game is about, remember?), you collect your goodies for upgrades, energy and more power (in spells). Just like Jack (the one with the beanstalk), you can use beans to buy things. You can strategically direct who gets a particular strength for future situations. That allows you to control more of the abilities of your “team.” Aside from the images of dragons and bad bosses trying to kill you, it’s a kid-friendly game (by no means am I saying this is for any audience!) in that you do not die, but “faint” and must use collected treats to energize you — or start the level over if none are available. The puzzles are easy and common sense. However, once you gather all of what you need, it is not obviously clear how to utilize it. You will often have to replay a level to achieve a goal that was impossible when you went through it the first time. If you liked going through that level, you’ll like it again. But, if you hated the journey … don’t expect it to improve the second time around.

The game is graphically brilliant. Where it shines the most is in the environments you explore. The terrain, skies and water looks very rich. The characters come off as blocky and vague at a not-so-far distance, but up close they look like the actors. The (spell casting) flashes and explosions kind of shake in an awkward way, but such things are quick and minimally annoying. Mostly, it’s just a pleasure to view as you explore. Given the (walking and walking) nature of the game, that’s a good thing.

The voice acting is good, but there is some repetition relatively early on. The spells are shouted and sparks fly … all with nice energy and good delivery. It doesn’t feel “scripted” like many games like this. It’s frustrating to see the movie where actors deliver their lines well, then experience a game version of that material only to have the actors — act flat. The music is nicely tied in to the experience as well. It was a nice movie score, and there’s no exception, here.

Though there are some disappointments in the way this game plays out, it is not bad overall. It does feel like the audience is meant to be younger, as it plays like a game for teens. However, if you notice the direction of the film — versus the previous installments, you realize that there are differences there as well. It’s consistent with the change of the perception, but I miss the quest parts that kept you more engaged in the previous titles. It’s a run and “gun” game, but not a bad one.  

Gameplay: 7.5
Thanks to an easy spell-system, it’s not too hard to pick up and just play. There isn’t a lot of complex mapping and inventory to memorize or constantly have to access, so it flows along very nicely. .  

Graphics: 8.5 
It looks great. The water especially looks nice, and I imagine it was a fun labor of love. The results indicate they didn’t take short cuts with the terrain and nature elements. Some of the more explosive visuals don’t come off as well, but soon you’re back to star-gazing and enjoying the frightening scenery around the Hogwarts grounds (and murky depths). .    

Sound: 7.0
The voices sound great with only a few exceptions. It’s a shame that the lines repeat so soon into the game, but that’s common. It’s disappointing, but “normal.” The actors sound engaging and “into” the performance. Maybe it’s youth?! The music sticks in your head, and not in a really bad way.     

Difficulty: Easy
There are some moments of puzzle-solving that require more footwork, but that’s more tedious than difficult. If you can pilot a broom well (and who can’t?!!), the rest is standard walking, attacking and appropriate retreat.  

Concept: 6.0 
This the is the biggest setback to this game. It does not feel fresh at all. Even casting spells has been done many times in many games. There isn’t much fresh about it. The sole redeeming part of it — that keeps it from being too familiar — is the exciting world Rowling created. It’s faithfully recreated in the movies, and within the game, as well.  

Overall: 7.5
I would really like to play this game with its ability to have three live players. I believe that will hurdle the fun a great deal. It’s almost a burden to have the other two friends tagging along as (slow) eye candy until a heavy spell, and more muscle, is required. With human players, you can actively use more strategy and not have to take everything upon yourself. True with any multiplayer game, but this one lends itself more to that than similar titles. There is a peculiar absence of the interior of the school, itself. You get to explore everything else, but it’s exterior-laden. That’s Ok, since we’ve been inside several times. This is a different game, so a different setting is fine with me. If I need some moving stairs to make me smile, I can go back to older versions … but why bother? For its shortcomings and benefits, it is what it is — a more action-based game based on a book and movie of the same style. It is not deep and meticulous like others, but it has plenty of energy and thrills for a different mood and design. How exciting would it be if the same game was created year after year? Change is good, though I think they can put a little more in it to separate it from similar genres. Still, as it is, it’s likely to cast a spell on fans and fans of the genre, alike.