Customer Reviews

Harry Potter Order of the Phoenix

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I bought the game today at Walmart, and even though I am only 6% complete, I still find the desire to share my experiences with it.

I'll admit it: the graphics are pretty bad BUT there isn't much you can expect for a DS game. So for a DS game, the graphics are pretty good. Final Fantasy III, so far, has the best DS graphics that I've seen.

The game opens up in Little Whinging with Dudley but right after the dementors attack, you find yourself in Grimmauld Place. There, you have to run around and find people [there's a compass in the corner that tells you which direction you need to be going which is very helpful] and fix things like broken furniture. Clearly the game ignored the fact that you can't do magic outside of Hogwarts until you're 17 but all for amusement's sake.

The Hearing is skipped and reasonably so. You eventually find yourself at school and that's where task after task is thrown at you, but again, all for fun.


Also, this game appears to use screenshots from the other HP5 games made for the big consoles. For instance, when 'cinematic' moments take over, like when Harry argues with Umbridge, all they show are dialogue and still screens with much better graphics. I have to assume these are the graphics for the Wii, PS3, 360, PC, etc.

So far in the game, I've really enjoyed it. Basically, at 6% complete, all it has been is objectives like finding Hermione, the library, Potions class, DADA class, etc., beating a kid at Exploding Snaps, going to class [I really enjoy Potions class.] and randomly running into Draco for duels [duels are also very fun]. Anytime you have to use the stylus is where the game is most enjoyable.

I think this game is the most fun on the DS and most likely the Wii. On the DS, to perform certain spells, you have to draw certain kinds of squiggles and shapes with the stylus. On all the other platforms, you'll be button mashing combos to do spells, I'm sure.


In any case, if you like games where you'll be running around [by the way: Hogwarts is HUGE in this game....I never played the games 2-4, so I don't know how big Hogwarts was in those games, but in OOTP, it's ginormous] completing tasks and messing around with the stylus to do magic, then you'll have fun with this game.


Because I feel the need to advise:... When making a potion, if it says blow on the potion, literally blow on it [or really, the mic.] or you'll get a T [for Troll] for sure. I didn't know this the first time around, so I did get a T.... Being the video game perfectionist that I am, I turned my game off and on and got an O the second time.


I should also note the saving system. For the DS version [I don't know about the others] it saves on its own. And if you have it and can't figure out WHEN it saves, like I was confused about for a while, I'll have you know that it saves every time you complete a task, or in simpler words... every time you've gone through and done a few things, and then you suddenly end up back in the Commons Room [usually after a cinematic moment...]...that is where it's safe to turn off the game without worry of lost data. According to the booklet, it also saves each time you find something like a chocolate frog.

All in all, very amusing. It's so far very easy. It seems like one of those games where little-to-no brain effort is needed. You can just relax entirely and play. That might change though when I get closer to the Department of Mysteries chunk of the game.


5/5

I'm a little dissapointed with this game. I've enjoyed every Harry Potter game that's come out before, and it seemed the graphics got better each time and funner to play. I was shocked by the bad graphics in this one, and the camera angles are horrible. It's like the screen can't make up it's mind where I'm at most of the time and it's always switching to another screen constantly so I don't know if I'm coming or going. I think that may be why they added the arrow on the bottom left to point me in the right direction. Overall, it's an okay game. However, it's the small details that they could have tweaked just a little to make this game really awesome. Another example, except for a few main characters, all the other kids in Hogwarts looks exactly the same, which maybe isn't a big deal, but I found it annoying when I helped some student find an object a bully stole...and both boys look identical. They shouldn't do a face shot on every kid, if they're all going to be the same face. It just feels weird. They should call this game: Harry Potter and the Hogwart Clone Army". I NEED A LIFE PEOPLE!!, but i can't help it, I'm addicted to Video Games. ALSO this game never tells you how to save, I had to drag out the manual to find out. It says it automatically saves after completing a task. ooookay, so I assumed it saved after a task and turned the game off, and when I go to play again I'm back where I was when I started the game before. They don't tell you which tasks will do it...nice of them,eh? By the way, I'm a huge Harry potter fan, and I'm a huge DS fan, and YES, I have some excellent DS games that have wonderful graphics, including the last Harry Potter game in the series. This one, although okay, just couldv'e been much better. For the price, we deserve better. Atleast I got a free ticket out of it, which even an adult can use(like me) but only during Matinee hours. AND I have the satisfaction of owning the complete set so far. WHOPEEE! (sarcasm)

I am disappointed with this game. I don't like the arrow that points the way for one thing. Then it is easy to get Harry trapped in a wall or door and takes awhile to get him moving the right way. I am an adult woman gamer and I love the DS. This game probably young kids would like maybe. I will finish it most likely because I paid $29.99 for it.

I am actually writing this review on behalf of my 9 year old daughter. She absolutely loves this game. Other reviewers have mentioned "all of stairs" you have to climb. She said it is no big deal and actually added to the fun of the game. She really enjoys playing this game and likes that they have actual scenes from the movie when you get to the end. I made a couple of potions, too, and it was fun and entertaining. I don't know what all of the griping is about, but my kids think the game is a blast.

This game was.. Not so good I didn't like how there was this hand pointing where you go. And when you try to move your friends are in the way and you have to keep walking in front of them so they could move because they act like bricks. You fight the same enemie (Draco) over and over again till the end. The camera angles were horrid I liked the goblet of fire which i didnt think wasn't that fun but at least it wasnt as bad as this. And whatever happened to getting house points? I miss the ps one versions they should have ported that in here.. I passed the game with 46%.. I was so mad but you can use the stylus yay! there are mini games .. most of the game is trying to get people to join dumbledore's army which isn't much fun.

The developers and everyone else should have made this better. I played the psp one it's better then this but not that much. I think the only fun thing about this game is... um...eh.,. The mini games just rent this first before buying this or borrow it from a friend. I made the mistake from buying it without trying it out first but just check it out..

The only good thing about this game is that it will entertain you. Other than that the graphics are the worst I've seen out of all my games and the camera angles at times are pretty bad. Looks like a rushed job to get this game out. Could of had so much more potential.

I expected a whole lot more from this game. I've had it a whole two days and have only played it a few hours and I have the game 95% complete. I was hoping for better quality and a more complex plot. I enjoyed doing the lessons and the mini-games like gobstones and quidditch, but that was about it. I was hoping for some interesting battles and was there was no actual action and it was way to easy to "power up" spells. There is also a pointer at the bottom of the screen that tells you exactly where to go all of the time which takes away the only part of the game that could have been slightly complex (the navigation of the castle). There was just little excitement and a real lack of complexity to this game.

This game is great.

I love the graphics. Sure, this game is not the most visually stunning thing in the world, but it was not horrible.

The game is fun to play; progress is notable and the game has a couple of different things to do (mini games and the like).

My only complaint is that you have to complete a stage or task in order to save the game. You cannot automatically save.

I have a great time playing this.

I am a huge fan of the Harry Potter books, movies and games. I have enjoyed playing all the games made so far except for this one. I'm not sure how well it plays on other consoles besides the DS but it really sucks on this one.
1. It seems that the majority of the time you have to run from the Gryffindor common room all the way down 7 or 8 flights of stairs. This has to be done almost every time you begin a "mission." Its more running around than actual fun stuff. Thank god there is a directional arrow to help you or would would be just running around forever. Also Ron and Hermione will tell you if try to go in the wrong door.
2. Ron and Hermione are always in the way. (your usual traveling partners)
3. The game is not challenging at all, and if it tries to be its more annoying than anything.
4. The view of the game is constantly changing and you can't change it. So while your running one way and the view changes.. if you don't automatically switch buttons you won't be running in the right direction anymore. (extremely aggravating)
5. I would recommend this game to elementary school kids.. and possibly even younger than that because this game is NOT hard.
6. No matter how your fight with Voldemort ends, it follows the movie.
7. After the big fight with Dumbledore and Voldemort.. Harry ends up back in the common room.. with no directional arrow or Ron and Hermione to talk to. You just have to go roaming around the school to help get more cards... try to find all the ghosts or whatever. it doesn't tell you need to do this. You have no objectives. You just have to figure out what to do.

What I did like about the game (which isn't much) is some of the mini-games.. I liked playing Gobstones. Quidditch was a pain in the [...]. The chocolate frog mini-game was alright. And the card game (can't remember the name right off) was ok.. memory and speed for that one.
The lessons were ok. You only have access to these after you have been to each specific class. Herbology was easy, Potions you had to be quick, Astronomy.. could be tricky when you get to high levels, transfiguration was just coloring... the one class I didn't like was divination.
I particularly thought the game was a waste of money. Stick to watching the movie or reading the book. The game can be very monotonous.
They did really well copying how Hogwarts is portrayed from the movie though. The backgrounds graphics look awesome.

First off, the graphics in this game are horrible, but....okay. The constant DA meetings were annoying and I got tired of them pretty quickly. All of hogwarts was confusing and I would have completely lost my mind had it not been for the arrow that points you in the right direction. and I'd say that half the game was either recruiting new ppl for the DA or deuling, wich was annoying. But I'm not all complaints!!! This is a fun game, especially for the HP fans out there (like me.). :-)

Since this is Harry's O.W.L. (Ordinary Wizarding Level) year, you have to take a class (potions, transfiguration, Astronomy, divination, etc.)and study, wich both are really minigames according to what subject. Near the end of the game Harry takes his exams, wich are the minigames! There are other fun parts of this game, too, but find out for yourself.