HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2
Xbox 360, PS3 £49.99
The final Harry Potter game continues in the same cover-shooter gameplay style that we saw in Deathly Hallows: Part 1.
It’s basically Gears Of War with wands instead of lancer guns and Harry Potter and Hermione Granger instead of Marcus Fenix and Dominic Santiago.
You get a set piece-laden tour of JK Rowling’s magical world. Along the way, you’ll escape the underground caverns of Gringott’s wizarding bank after facing off against a dragon, battle Death Eaters through the quaint snowy streets of Hogsmeade, and come face to face with the evil Lord Voldemort in the final dramatic duel.
Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is not a particularly difficult game, which is unsurprising considering the young audience it’s aimed at.
It is usually a case of matching the right spell against the right dark wizard defences, and more skilled gamers will comfortably fly through it.
This final instalment is a polished if repetitive affair that’s bolstered by the keen mining of the reference material. Being able to play as minor Hogwarts stars such as Neville Longbottom and Seamus Finnigan – as well as Harry and his better-known friends – will certainly raise a smile from the legions of loyal Potterites.
It’s just a shame that more time isn’t given to exploring the wondrous surroundings rather than concentrating just on blasting every one of the hundreds of masked wand-wielders that stand before you.
While it visually captures the essence of the Potter world and isn’t lacking in action, Part 2 doesn’t quite qualify as being truly magical.
