Customer Reviews

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

So here it is, the final Harry Potter game. I've played them all, from Sorcerer's Stone upwards, and have found something to like about each one (Hallows Part 1 excepted). While still within the new format pioneered by Pt. 1, Pt. 2 stands on its own as something a little different, and is, in my opinion, one of the better games in the Potter universe.

While the controls are the same concept as Part 1, the idea has been finessed a bit more, making for a much easier gameplay. The panning is a bit less loose and the keys seem to respond better to both large and small movements. I like that you can also configure the keyboard to your own requirements, something that wasn't available in some of the other games.

As far as playability goes, I found this one much easier and less frustrating. Unlike some of the other games, this one actually employs strategy in order to win a battle, which constitutes about 95% of this game. You have to know what spells would best be used when, how to move without getting hit too many to many times, where and how to hide from enemies, and how to cast. There is also a nice feature where you can adjust the level of difficulty, ranging from Normal, Medium, and Expert, which unlocks once you reach the end of the game. Recalling how much trouble I had with the game before it, I chose the Normal level, but now that I've played it through once, I'll probably go through it again with a bit more challenge added.

Storywise, things are pretty much a carbon copy of the movie, though cleansed of almost all of the blood and gore. Even the many deaths in battle are sanitized; each time you destroy an enemy, he simply Disapparates into thin air. Sure, there's a lot of fighting and wand-dueling going on, but that's to be expected from a film that's basically one long duel. Spell casting is more intuitive than in Part 1, with the aiming controlled by the left mouse and the casting controlled by the pad. I find this a very effective way of using the wand, but I'm sure it's even better on a controller. Tedium is cleverly avoided by placing the battles in such varying locations that no battle is quite alike, and the ability to play as different characters at crucial points in the storyline make a nice change from simply being Harry all the time.

Spells are the same as in Part 1 but seem more effective and easier to control. I didn't have to cast a million times to defeat an opponent, and I was able to aim with better accuracy. Protego has been improved; now you can walk and cast it at the same time, a feature I found very useful during some of the more frenetic battles. Apparating, a feature exclusive to Harry, is actually quite cool--you just hold the directional arrows and then hit Left Control, and he teleports several feet, usually to another place of safety on the battlefield.

The first chapter, Gringotts, is basically a tutorial, provided you know what key does what, showing you how to duck for cover, cast, and generally move about. The others are all centered at Hogsmeade and within Hogwarts while the castle prepares for Voldemort's forces and Harry, Ron, and Hermione search for the Horcruxes, which is a welcome change from running around in endless wildernesses doing goodness-knows-what. Breaking up all the constant duelling and running around are intermittent "mini-game" sections like what used to be in the earlier games (Think running from the Troll in SS, or Legilimency Lessons in OOTP). Unlike Hallows, Pt. 1, these areas actually have something to do with the main thread. They are challenging but fun, and aren't ridiculously frustrating like fighting off Dementors and Death Eaters, all while sneaking under the invisibility cloak to rescue muggle-borns.

There isn't all that much exploring to do; Hogwarts is under seige after all; but there is that nostalgic feeling of being back inside its walls. There are things to collect, in a way (pieces of music from the soundtrack by James Hannigan and "Characters" that can be viewed from the main menu). I like that there isn't an overwhelming number to hunt down like the Wizard Cards--only about 4 per chapter--and that you can go back after completing the game to any chapter to finish collecting them all.

The finale is episodic, like the film, alternating between Harry and his showdown with Voldemort, Ron and Hermione chasing Nagini, and Ginny and the others defending the courtyard. I found the final battle to be a bit easy and anti-climactic, but I guess that's better than being so ridiculously hard that you can't finish the game because of it.

The only real trouble I had with this game was its tendency to run slow if the quality of the graphics are set too high. My computer is only a few years old, but I found lowering the default setting (High) down to medium or low remedied this problem immediately.

In conclusion, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" is a fun game that closely recreates the film which it is based upon. If you aren't a fan of 24-7 fighting games you might not enjoy it to the same degree of games 1-3 and 5-6, but for me, it certainly has replay value, and even if I never play it all the way through again, it was certainly worth every penny I paid for it.

It is a linear game.... But not many of you have noticed that the game actually does follow the movie pretty well... So often on the past games people have complained about all the sidemissions that are just a bore... This one is pretty much pure action (like the movie!) So lets start this review and think about some of the points that official reviews and player reviews havent mentioned
(+) are positives about the game, (-) are negatives about the game

MENUS -
Not much to say here... They are fresh and interesting, nothing bad about them

GRAPHICS -
(+) = Nice Hogwarts scenes and really great depth on the Gringotts levels
(+) = Good paths to wander around, but not wandering around to be had
(-) = Background battles and effects arent very good to look at... but they get the job done

SPELL CASTING -
Reviews referring to Spells really bug me for this game... They dont look at the positives!

(+) = Newer (more mature) handling of spell casting
(+) = Great looking effects and a nice variety of spells to interest you
(+) = Wand feels a bit like a gun when you shoot spells, but wand movements bring you back to the feel of the wand
(-) = Some spells really do just feel like youre handling a gun (sniper rifle, rocket launcher, etc!)

GAMEPLAY -
(+) = Different situations call for different handlings (new types of gameplay!)

Altogether, this is a great game! All the reviews that ive read really just dont give it the credit it deserves... Even the movies hinted at this type of spellwork and the game really feels like there was time put into it - Good job EA for making another high quality game! (my favorites of all of the HP games were the 5th, 6th, and this one!)

I mean, WOW! EA TOTALLY pulled out all the stops for this last edition of Harry Potter and gave us a game that really delivers the action we're going to be seeing in the movie. It was nothing BUT action the entire time!

First, there were no bugs that I could see, so unlike the first Deathly Hallows game, which had a LOT of bugs in it, this one was clean and crisp. Couldn't ask for more than that.

Second, the graphics are top notch. I play the first Harry Potter game for the Playstation 1 when I was 9, and I'll tell you, the difference between where the series first started and where it has ended is HUGE.

The Cutscenes are perfect. The voice acting done by the original cast is something to be reckoned with. The music goes VERY well with the moods set in the game, as do the sound effects.

Playability is also the best I've seen. Aiming is VERY EASY to do with a 360 controller, and this time around, you're able to aim at specific body parts. If you aim Stupefy at the head of a Death Eater, then you'll kill him in one or two shots- versus eight or nine shots to the groin. You can run and aim as well, making those fights with Death Eaters that surround you completely that much more easy to win at. Granted, I died several times trying to get to the next stage, but that's what makes the game fun. If it were too easy, then victories wouldn't really mean anything.

I am SO HAPPY I purchased this game to complete my collection of Harry Potter (The second installment of Lego Harry Potter excempted). I don't know why EA has decided to wait until NOW to give us a Harry Potter game of this magnitude, but I guess the old saying of "Better late than never" definetly applies here.

BUY THIS GAME, YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT!

I've read all the books and played games 1-4 and 7-8. Of the games I have played, I would rank this as my least favorite one. Throughout this game, the only thing that happens is battle after battle after battle. Yes, I realize that is what happens in the last 1/3 of the book and in the entire eighth movie; however, a fun adventure that is a spin off from the norm would be exciting. In the 7th game we got to adventure through Godric's Hollow under an invisibility cloak and save muggleborns: that does not happen in this game. You are constantly battling death eaters, snatchers, snakes, trolls, or Voldemort; sometimes as a different character: Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Mrs. Weasley.

The Every Flavor Beans and the Wizard Cards do not return, nor does the adventure mode. One thing I really liked about the earlier games in the series is that they had the free-roaming capabilities. This game lacks that. If I had the choice to go back, I would have not spent 30 bucks on this and perhaps wait for the price to fall.

I am not a regular video game player. I am typically not good at video games. Althoug I beat this game in 2 days. It was very excting and fun! But at the end I was disappointed that it was not hard at ALL. Even the battle against voldemort.... was EASY. Throughout the entire game i only died TWICE. I AM NOT GOOD AT VIDEO GAMES. I would recommend this game to you BUT i would suggest renting from somewhere because you will beat it quick. I would not buy this game because you will beat it and not know what to do with it after that. RENTING is the best. but i do say it was A FANTASTIC GAME THAT MADE MY HEART POUND. except for the difficulty.

I'm very disappointed in this game. For one thing, it does not work well with my computer, though I have sufficient memory and speed. It simply does not let me manipulate the figures or navigate through the scenes easily. I'm also disappointed that there's so much "kill, kill, kill," which is what I call games where you spend most of your time blasting creatures or enemies. Frankly, it's boring when it just goes on and on and on. My all-time favorite comptuer game is the first Harry Potter one (Sorcerer's Stone). While the graphics are not as sophisticated as the later games, the concept is the best--the right balance between exploring, solving puzzles, learning spells, inter-acting w/ other characters, earning points, agility tests, and conquering magical creatures. Sometimes less really is more - or at least "variety" is more. Maybe I'll just replay that one instead.

After trying and failing to install on my own PC (XP) I managed to install this on my daughter's newest computer (vista- with tons of available memory) This game lagged so badly with even walking and changing camera angle. I knew we were in trouble before the first battle and I was right. We just had to totally quit and uninstall.

This is not to mention my ongoing disappointment with EA at making ALL the Potter games (after HP2) as battle games. The fun of this world is NOT one long series of duels... there is so much more fun to be had. The very old Chamber of Secrets game is yet to be matched. *sigh* what a great game. I wish they would make more like this!

This may be playable in another format, but probably won't be what I'm looking for.

Length:: 1:31 Mins

Medium length review on HARRY POTTER 7 PART II