Harry Potter for Kinect Review for Xbox 360

System: Xbox 360
Dev: Eurocom
Pub: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Release: October 9, 2012
Players: 1-2
Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p	Animated Blood, Comic Mischief, Fantasy Violence

The difficulty of the game is a bit random, however. Combat never seems to get as difficult as, say, Quidditch. In fact, the more mundane tasks like random school activities tend to be far harder than the epic confrontations you have with the series' antagonists. This can be frustrating, at times, but never to the degree that it detracts from the experience. In fact, I'd say the entire game is actually too easy on the whole. Most sections can be completed on the first or second try. In a way, this feels almost like an interactive story experience more than a game, which meshes so weirdly with the way the game tries to tell the Harry Potter story.

Harry Potter for Kinect Screenshot

The game is relatively short, which is a good thing. You will be doing a lot of standing and moving, which means you will get tired and sweaty very quickly. I was never comfortable playing the game for long stretches because of the physical element of the game, and there wasn't much forcing me to go onward considering I wasn't very attached to the story of Harry Potter. The game is best when played in short spurts between your other gaming sessions. Unfortunately, there isn't a whole lot of replay value outside of co-op, so you'll pretty much be done after your first playthrough.

I can't stress enough how much this game was designed for Harry Potter fans and Harry Potter fans alone. Though it tries to get you into the Harry Potter universe, it doesn't have a sense of pacing. This is very obviously meant for fans of the series who want to re-live some of the series' best moments. I would not recommend this game as your first Harry Potter experience, that's for sure.

Harry Potter was a book series designed for children that just so happened to attract a much older geeky fan base. I can't help but feel this game was going for the same effect and missed the point a little. The quickly changing gameplay, short length, and active tiring controls seem to be built for someone with a lot of energy and a short attention span. It's probably great for a younger child who is really into the series, but any older fan who is looking for a deep and involved Harry Potter gameplay experience should probably look elsewhere.

By
Angelo M. D’Argenio
Contributing Writer
Date: October 17, 2012

RATING OUT OF 5

RATING DESCRIPTION

2.7

Graphics
The whole game has a creepy uncanny valley vibe that freaks me out.

4.1

Control
The Kinect controls actually work really well, and the game gets extra points for letting you actually shout your spell names.

3.5

Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
They didn't get the original voice cast, but I, as a non-fan, couldn't tell the difference.

3.4

Play Value
It's quite fun, but I feel like I wasn't getting the full effect considering I'm not a real Harry Potter fan.

3.5

Overall Rating - Good
Not an average. See Rating legend below for a final score breakdown.

Review Rating Legend
0.1 - 1.9 = Avoid	2.5 - 2.9 = Average	3.5 - 3.9 = Good	4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
2.0 - 2.4 = Poor	3.0 - 3.4 = Fair	4.0 - 4.4 = Great	5.0 = The Best

Game Features:

For the first time, create a witch or wizard character in your likeness that will become part of the gameplay through Kinect's scanning technology.

Experience unforgettable moments from all eight films—from having your wand choose you at Ollivanders and being Sorted as a first-year student at Hogwarts, to battling You-Know-Who in a climactic wizard battle.

Cast spells at your opponents by performing the proper casting maneuvers and calling out spell names utilizing Kinect's controller-free and voice-recognition capabilities.

Hone your casting, brewing, and dueling skills (among others) in class to unlock even more lessons and challenges.