Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4

Lego Harry Potter:
Years 1–4

Cover art for Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4
Developer(s)
Publisher(s)
Series Lego Harry Potter
Platform(s)

Release date(s)
  • NA 29 June 2010
  • EU 25 June 2010
  • AUS 30 June 2010

OS X

  • WW 22 February 2011
Genre(s) Action-adventure
Mode(s) Single-player, multiplayer

Lego Harry Potter: Years 1–4 is a 2010 video game in the Lego video game franchise, developed by Traveller's Tales and published by Warner Bros.[1][2] The game is based on the Lego Harry Potter line and its storyline covers the first four films in the Harry Potter series: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. The game is available on the Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, Microsoft Windows, OS X and iOS. The OS X version of the game was released on 22 February 2011 by Feral Interactive.[1][3] The PlayStation 2 version of the game was planned, but later cancelled for unknown reasons and was scrapped along with Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues without confirmed.

Gameplay

Lego Harry Potter's gameplay is similar to that of most previous Lego games, with an emphasis on collecting, exploring, and solving puzzles. Casting spells is an integral part of the gameplay, with a wide range of spells available for unlocking as the player progresses. As there are many spells available in the game, the player can use the spell wheel to select the spell. Potion-making is another integral feature; potions can help the player complete levels or, if created incorrectly, have adverse side effects such as turning the player into a frog.[4]

Changes to the mechanics of previous games include 'Student in Peril' missions, which are a group of challenges to help a student, and Polyjuice Potion, which allows players to temporarily change one of the player's characters into any other mini-figure unlocked.[5] A major change is to the hub system. The Leaky Cauldron works as a central hub for purchasing unlockable extras and returning to previous levels, while Hogwarts acts as a constantly evolving massive hub with the unlockable characters found by picking up their hidden portraits.[6] [7]

The bigger areas in Hogwarts have led developer Traveller's Tales to improve the overall level design. Also included is another bonus level that allows players to customize the level similar to Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues. If the player is lost in-game, they can follow a trail of Ghost Studs to the next level. These do not count towards the stud total, but will guide the player to the next section of the level. However one of the collectible 'red bricks', found in the courtyard next to Herbology, gets the player an 'extra' that makes the ghost studs worth 1,000 each.[8] [9]

The central hub is Diagon Alley and its entrance through the Leaky Cauldron. Players can access a room at the second floor of the building to watch videos from the game, as well as using a notice board with pictures from where the player can play completed levels again.[10] Diagon Alley serves as a series of stores where the player is able to buy characters or change a number of customizable ones, spells, and bricks that have a varying range of uses, such as changing the player's wand to a carrot, or making the player invincible.[11] Players are also able to visit Gringotts or Borgin and Burkes in order to play extra levels. There are 167 characters purchasable in the game.[12]

The game covers a wide range of characters of the first four parts, from notable ones like Albus Dumbledore, and Severus Snape, to others like Viktor Krum in shark form or the Trolley Witch from the Hogwarts Express.[13]

The storyline is substantially unaltered from the movies, with slight changes to allow consistent two-player mode throughout the game.

Multiplayer mode

The game employs the two player split-screen technique introduced in Lego Indiana Jones 2: The Adventure Continues. There is also online support for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. The plotline of the game differs from that of the books and films several times in order to have at least two characters in each level. For example, Hermione (accidentally) joins Harry during the first task of the Triwizard Tournament,[14] which was unlike both the book and the film, where Harry fights the dragon alone. Another example is in the final boss fight with Voldemort, Cedric is there to help and dies when trying to escape in the last cutscene, despite that in the book and movie, Cedric was killed before Voldemort's reincarnation.

Changes for the Nintendo DS, PSP, and iOS versions

In the Nintendo DS, PSP, and iOS versions, several changes were made from the versions of the other formats. There is only one hub, the Room of Requirement, but the explorable Hogwarts and Diagon Alley hubs of the other versions were removed and both boss battles and spellcasting were simplified. Also, unlike all previous Travelers Tales Lego Games, the Nintendo DS, PSP and iOS versions have written sentences. In other Lego games before 2012, the Lego figures only grunted to each other.[15] The DS version uses touchscreen controls to perform spells, and is a downscaled port of the PSP version.[16]

Development

Hogsmeade village in the game.

News of the game's existence was leaked in March 2009,[17] although rumours had been circulating since late 2008.[18] Warner Bros. officially confirmed the game in June 2009 with an estimated release of 2010.[19][20][21]

A teaser trailer was released on the day of the game's official announcement[22][23] followed by four individually released vignettes, beginning in December 2009. Each vignette focussed on one of the first four years featured in the game.[24][25][26][27] A new trailer was released to coincide with the game's launch.[28] All six trailers are available on the official website.[21][29] A demo of the game was made available to download from PlayStation Network, Xbox Live and PC in June 2010.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate scores
AggregatorScore
GameRankings81.45% [30]
Metacritic80/100 [31]
Review scores
PublicationScore
1UP.comB+ [32]
Game RevolutionB- [33]
GameSpot8/10 [34]
IGN8.5/10 [35]
ONM80% [36]
VideoGamer.com8/10 [37]

The game received generally positive reviews. Official Nintendo Magazine gave the Wii and DS version 80%. Saying that it was "one of the best Harry Potter games ever", but that it lacked originality compared to previous Lego games.[36] GameSpot gave the console versions an 8/10, complementing the large amount of secrets and charm.[34] IGN praised the game giving it an 8.5, complementing the new additions to the game, while the PSP version of the game received a 7.0.[35] IGN editor Nicole Tanner awarded it "Best Mindless Fun".[38]

Sequel

A sequel, covering the stories of the final three books and four movies in the series, Lego Harry Potter: Years 5–7, was released in 2011 by Warner Bros.[39]

References

  1. 1 2 "LEGO.com Video Game: Harry Potter Home".
  2. ↑ "LEGO Harry Potter coming soon!". Traveller's Tales. 26 April 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  3. ↑ "Feral Interactive: LEGO Harry Potter Years 1-4".
  4. ↑ Marchiafava, Jeff (December 2009). "Traveller's Tales spills the beans on the boy wizard's latest adventure". Game Informer. No. 201. pp. 60–61.
  5. ↑ Blum, Matt (1 July 2010). "Review: Lego Harry Potter Video Game Has the Movie Magic, Plus Silliness". Wired. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  6. ↑ http://palgn.com.au/video-game/7987/playstation-2/lego-harry-potter-years-1-4/
  7. ↑ http://blog.us.playstation.com/2010/04/06/uk-qa-lego-harry-potter-years-1-4/
  8. ↑ Ferry (25 June 2010). "Lego Harry Potter Walkthrough Videos". VideoGamesBlogger. Retrieved 25 June 2010.
  9. ↑ http://guides.ign.com/guides/14329937/
  10. ↑ http://guides.ign.com/guides/14329935/page_2.html
  11. ↑ http://guides.ign.com/guides/14329935/page_5.html
  12. ↑ http://faqs.ign.com/articles/110/1109088p1.html
  13. ↑ http://guides.ign.com/guides/14329935/page_90.html
  14. ↑ http://guides.ign.com/guides/14329935/page_62.html
  15. ↑ "LEGO Harry Potter PSP Review". IGN. 2 July 2010. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
  16. ↑ "LEGO Harry Potter DS Review". IGN. 2 July 2010. Retrieved 14 May 2011.
  17. ↑ Martin, Liam (14 March 2009). "'Lego Harry Potter' inadvertently confirmed". Digital Spy. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  18. ↑ Martin, Liam (1 December 2008). "Harry Potter to receive Lego makeover?". Digital Spy. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  19. ↑ Purchese, Robert (1 June 2009). "Warner confirms LEGO Harry Potter". Eurogamer. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  20. ↑ "LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1 - 4 "Spellbinding" Behind-the-Scenes Video".
  21. 1 2 "Behind the Magic of the LEGO Harry Potter Video Game!".
  22. ↑ Ishimoto, Moye (1 June 2009). "LEGO Harry Potter E3 Trailer". G4tv. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  23. ↑ "Teaser Trailer".
  24. ↑ "Year 1 Trailer".
  25. ↑ "Year 2 Trailer".
  26. ↑ "Year 3 Trailer".
  27. ↑ "Year 4 Trailer".
  28. ↑ "Launch Trailer".
  29. ↑ "Lego Harry Potter takes off with launch trailer".
  30. ↑ "LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4". GameRankings. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  31. ↑ "LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4". Metacritic. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  32. ↑ Liang, Alice (28 June 2010). "LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 (PS3)". 1UP.com. Retrieved 5 July 2010.
  33. ↑ "Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 - PS3". Game Revolution. 1 July 2010. Retrieved 5 July 2010.
  34. 1 2 VanOrd, Kevin (25 June 2010). "LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 5 July 2010.
  35. 1 2 Miller, Greg (28 June 2010). "LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 Review". IGN. Retrieved 5 July 2010.
  36. 1 2 Scullion, Chris (27 June 2010). "LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 Wii review". Official Nintendo Magazine. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  37. ↑ Ford, Seb (6 July 2010). "LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 Review". VideoGamer.com. Retrieved 6 July 2010.
  38. ↑ IGN Staff (5 August 2010). "Our Favorite Games of 2010 (So Far) - Wii Feature at IGN". IGN. Retrieved 9 August 2010.
  39. ↑ http://www.virtual-strategy.com/2011/05/19/warner-bros-interactive-entertainment-tt-games-and-lego-group-announce-lego%C2%AE-harry-potter

External links

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