Reviewed: November 24, 2005
Reviewed by: Mark Smith
Publisher
Electronic Arts
Developer
Electronic Arts UK
Released: November 8, 2005
Genre: FPS
Players: 1-3
ESRB: Everyone
7
8
8
7
7.8
Supported Features:
Screenshots (Click Image for Gallery)
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is the fourth installment in the video game series based on the fourth, and what is arguably the best in the ongoing film series based on the books by J.K. Rowling, a writer so successful she is now worth more than the Queen of England. After all, the books were hugely popular long before the movies and games came along to feed our frenzy for this magical tale.
The Goblet of Fire follows the basic storyline of the book and movie, but not so rigidly that they don’t manage to throw in a few surprises for fans who already know what’s going on. The gameplay has lost the open-ended style of previous games in favor of mission-based levels that you can (and will) revisit multiple times to pick up missing collectibles.
Most surprising to me was just how easy this game really is. Normally you would expect the fourth game in the series to be more challenging, ramping up with the age and experience of the gamers who have been playing for the past five years, but Goblet of Fire seems to have actually been toned down and targeted toward a whole new generation of younger inductees.
The Goblet of Fire takes the game series into a new direction, offering simultaneous gameplay for up to three players in a cooperative Gauntlet-style adventure. If you choose to go at the game alone or with fewer than three players the computer manages to control the rest of the trio with relative proficiency.
There are no real advantages to picking any specific character. Diehard fans will likely want to play Harry while Hermione will fuel adolescent fantasies of young boys or offer a strong role model for girl gamers. Ron, as proven by our multiplayer testing, was always a character of last resort, even though by the time we had played a few hours his stats proved him to be the most powerful in the group. Ron didn’t look so bad then.
From the main menu you can access any available levels with more being unlocked as you progress through the story. You can return to previous levels at any time to find any missing collectibles like magic cards, shields, or dragon statues since many of these are off limits until you have acquired the right type of magic spell.
There is a fairly complex spell system in place all rooted in magic cards that you start off with and earn more during the adventure. Prior to setting out for each new mission you will preload your characters with a group of cards that will either enhance their personal abilities and stats or even benefit the entire group. Mixing and matching these cards for all the players takes a while to master but when you do you can create a very formidable party.
The actual casting of spells is pretty basic. The A and X buttons cast jinx and charm spells that are context sensitive to the situation, so if you are near a firetrap and press the cast button you will douse the flames with Aqua Eructo. The Y button is permanently assigned to Accio and used to gravitate floating beans and other hard-to-reach items to your character.
While you can’t pick the spells you cast you are offered a bit of freedom during the casting, especially when levitating objects or pulling open gates or bridges. Once you have attached to the desired object you can move it around freely with the analog stick. This leads to several environmental puzzles where you have to reposition blocks to gain access to higher ledges. You’ll even get to grab onto pod plants and use them as slingshots to fling acid blobs around the outdoor levels.
There are several opportunities for all three characters to simultaneously cast spells on an object and there are even special rewards for doing so. Example: Ron could levitate an enemy into the air and suspend it while Harry blasts it with another spell. There is friendly fire in the game so you have to be award of what you are doing and where the rest of your party is.
The game is designed to replay missions. You’ll be exploring one level and spot a shield high up in a tree and know that you’ll need to return when you have some Herbivicus spells in your arsenal. But once cleared of enemies, exploring these levels a second or even a third time is fairly quick and painless.
As you and the rest of your group collect blue beans your magic meter will slowly fill up and once filled you can execute a Magicus Extremos attack for extra damage and flashy effects. You can even upgrade this meter by equipping certain magic cards.
The AI for any non-human controlled characters is surprisingly good. If your chosen character is trying to move a block or pull down a gate the rest will “get the idea” and join in. They also manage to keep up and not stray too far behind or get stuck on objects that could potentially create camera issues.
Later in the game Harry will leave Ron and Hermione behind to compete in the Triwizard Tournament. This is where the game gets really fun and breaks away from the typical gameplay with some really cool broom flying and underwater swimming levels.
The Goblet of Fire can be quite bland at times but as soon as the spellcasting starts the game turns into a fireworks extravaganza. The lighting and particle effects used in this game are second to none and each new spell brings some new flashy effect.
The character models are nicely designed and expertly detailed, although at times the camera pulls so far out you can hardly appreciate them. Once you enter the tournament and are playing as Harry you can get in close enough to see some remarkable detail and fluid animation.
The level designs are massive and nicely fleshed out with subtle details that pay tribute to locations from the book and movie. They really help immerse you into the world of Harry Potter and offer some imaginative gameplay environments.
The rest of the presentation is solid with a great menus system and simple setup screen for choosing your cards and magic for each mission. Again, everything about the game has been simplified for a younger audience. I was disappointed in the lack of HDTV support, but the game looked surprisingly good without it.
Other than the cutscenes, there’s not a lot of speech in Goblet of Fire and when somebody does say something it’s usually a spell incantation, which can get terribly repetitive after a few levels of gameplay and thousands of cast spells.
The music is nicely done and carries over themes from the film as well as some original work that complements the environments and gameplay. Likewise, the sound effects are all quite supernatural and fit the spells they accompany. There is some nice environmental work, weather, strange creatures, grinding stone, creaking gates, etc. that all sound fantastic despite the lack of any Dolby Digital surround mix.
You can make your way through Goblet of Fire, either alone or with friends in about 8-10 hours, less if you race through and more if you are diligent in your quest for all the possible collectible items and hidden bonuses in each level.
While there are a few options for how to tackle each level and the obvious potential to replay as a character you didn’t play the first time, the game does unfold the same each time you play. True Harry Potter fans might play the game twice through, but probably not.
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is quite the enigma. As the movies and books mature with their audiences this game seems to have been left behind a grade in an attempt to attract a new generation of gamers that might be too young for the material the game is based upon.
Target audience not withstanding, the Goblet of Fire is still a fun little action romp, and given the lack of true cooperative multiplayer games these days, one that should attract both the loyal Potter fans and multiplayer gamers.