Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Review

Game Name: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Platform: Xbox

Publisher: EA Games

Genre: Action/Adventure

ESRB Rating: Everyone (E)

About Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is another action/adventure game to the magic filled wizardry school series. This time Harry and his friends work together in a multitude of quests using only their wits and spell casting abilities to aid them. Harry also has the opportunity to participate in the Triwizard Tournament where he can earn the prestigious Triwizard Cup by completing three challenging tasks.

Fun Factor

This is a fun and easy game to learn. Harry, Hermione and Ron all cast spells, charms and jinxes using single buttons. It’s a no-brainer. In the early stages of the game, there is a short training section in Defense of the Dark Arts with Professor Moody, but it is not really needed. Simply by experimenting you will get the hang of the game.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a single or multiplayer game. No matter how you choose to play, there will always be the three characters. When you play a single game, you can switch between characters at the beginning of each quest.

Skills are improved by the successful use of Jinx and Charm spells. At the end of each level, your Magic Mastery level increases and you unlock collector cards that will add to your skills. To use the cards, you will need to purchase them using beans collected during your quests. Explore everything you can to find these goodies. Use “Accio” (Y button) to draw hard to reach items close to you. Other useful spells are “Aqua Eructo” which creates a stream of water to put out fires, and “Herbivicus” which causes plants to grow and bloom very quickly.

Teamwork is very important since you will need to work together with your friends to defeat creatures and complete certain tasks (like moving large, heavy objects). Use “Wingardium Leviosa” to levitate objects and creatures where you want.

The game is divided into a series of mini-quests that require you to find Triwizard Shields, which will unlock other areas and give you the opportunity to participate in the Triwizard Tournament. Once the Tournament is unlocked, a whole new series of fun awaits you. In the first task, Harry needs to fly with his broomstick across some rough terrain while being chased by a dragon that breathes fire. Your score is then determined by how fast you can complete the course. If you are unhappy with your rating, you can repeat it for a better score. This applies to any of the other levels you have played before. It is a good way to get extra beans and bonus items.

Audio/Video

The graphics in Harry Potter Goblet of Fire are decent. Character motion is pretty smooth, and actions are easy to do. The camera view is annoying, since you don’t have control over it, making it difficult to see certain angles. The game is pretty linear and pretty much directs you through levels. It is difficult to get lost, since the game will simply block off areas that you cannot travel.

The sound quality in this game could be better. The music is prominent in the menu sections of the game, but during play is very subtle. The character voices could use improvement. Some of the dialog they give Ron and Harry is quite annoying, almost like they are complaining all the time.

Summary

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire continues the series of action/adventure games based on the series and the blockbuster movies. Join Harry, Hermione and Ron through many mini-quests. Find Triwizard Shields to unlock other areas, and have the opportunity to participate in the Triwizard Tournament, an exciting trial of three challenges that only Harry can face alone. Use Charms, Jinxes and Accio to defeat enemies, find goodies and do some amazing things. Find collector cards to improve your skills. Play solo or with friends. Check out this easy, fun game as a rental.