Dare to return to Hogwarts?
Be Harry Potter and unlock the mystery at the heart of the Chamber of Secrets.
- A brand new 3D adventure with the freedom to explore fantastically rich environments.
- Go deeper into Harry's world - a faithful representation of the magical world of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
- Fly to Hogwarts in a flying car and learn esciting new spells, including Skurge, Diffindo and Spongify.
- Featuring Wizard Duels, a duelling club, Quidditch and all your favourite characters from the Chamber of Secrets including Ron, Hermione and Gilderoy Lockhart!
- Multple mini-game side quests.
~from the back of the box
By all accounts, the best straight-up Harry Potter video game comes from the worst movie. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, on the PC at least, surpasses and improves upon almost everything the surprisingly good original established. From the gameplay, the level design and mini-games it ups the ante to be a top-tier movie licence. A feat considering it came from the early-2000s regime of Electronic Arts.
Philosopher's Stone had to be patched so that it could live up to today's standards, yet there is no need for a strafing fix in its follow up. The familiar third-person mouse and keyboard controls are available straight out of the box improving the gameplay greatly. That being said, the patch does make the two releases more comparable in the gameplay department, but the additional spells available. Flipendo, Alohamora and Lumos return to flip enemies, unlock chests and reveal secrets respectively but we can now learn Skurge, Diffindo, Spongify, Rictusempra, Expelliarmus and MimbleWimble.
Skurge cleans up sticky stuff that blocks your path, while Diffindo severs ropes, webs and the like. Along with the bounce spell Spongify and the knockback charm Rictusempra, these make for some interesting levels. All of them will be put to good use quite often, including the expanded halls of Hogwarts.
The wizarding school again acts as a hub world, but most areas are open to explore right from the off. Previously, with one exception, your time here was little more than to get from one level to another, but here the grounds offer up secrets galore, whether you climb the magical moving staircase or visit Hagrid at his hut. You can also trade beans with many other students and some will even ask you for some Wizard Duel practice.
Skurge cleans up sticky stuff that blocks your path, while Diffindo severs ropes, webs and the like. Along with the bounce spell Spongify and the knockback charm Rictusempra, these make for some interesting levels. All of them will be put to good use quite often, including the expanded halls of Hogwarts.
The wizarding school again acts as a hub world, but most areas are open to explore right from the off. Previously, with one exception, your time here was little more than to get from one level to another, but here the grounds offer up secrets galore, whether you climb the magical moving staircase or visit Hagrid at his hut. You can also trade beans with many other students and some will even ask you for some Wizard Duel practice.
Wizard Duels are like Rock-Paper-Scissors meets Pong as you flip spells across the court and time your bounce back. This is where those other spells I've yet to explain come into good use as you can tactically disrupt their plans. Other mini-games include a simplified and improved rhythm game to learn spells in a classroom and a simplified and nerfed Quidditch game. The latter has been devolved into an on-rails obstacle course which isn't nearly as fun; a decision likely due to Quidditch World Cup - a separate sports game - being greenlit for release the next year.
Either way, it doesn't run the main bulk of the game. Levels are large and enjoyable, if a little on the easy side, and each one contains collectables galore. Every Flavour Beans again act as currency, and chocolate frogs regain your stamina, but other collectables deepen the experience too. Wizard cards now increase your health if you have enough and stamina potions can be made from raw materials wherever you find a smouldering cauldron.
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is one of those rare licenced games that are very good. I dismissed it at the time after briefly playing the first thanks to a desire for more adult fare, but don't be fooled; there's a lot to like here. The entire package makes for a highly entertaining action adventure that anyone will enjoy, and any Harry Potter fan will adore.
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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is © Electronic Arts
Review, Cover Design and Installer created by me
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The only thing I am sad about here is the lack of Jim Dale narration in the American Version of the game. He narrated the books in the states and it was fantastic hearing him in this game as opposed to Stephen Fry. But the Texture flickering and other minor problems are gone so I guess this is a good copy to have. Those flickering glitches were annoying. This was a childhood favorite as I mentioned in the other comment for Sorcerer's Stone. It's good to have a nearly perfect copy. I guess each region has a beloved narrator of the books.
ReplyDeleteStephen Fry is God over here. I know people who listen to his Harry Potter audio books just to fall asleep. And their adults now!
DeleteI tried to source the UK version for Philosopher's Stone, but for some reason I only followed through with the US version. If I have time, perhaps I should try and get both versions up. Or at least see what needs to be changed so others can do it for themselves if possible.
Oh I am quite aware. What we got Jim Dale for you can just as easily say Stephen Fry is just like that if not more (When in doubt always assume the positive) it's just, that was the copy I grew up with and Jim Dale lulled me to sleep with his reading of Goblet of Fire... when I read fanfiction, I hear his narration for things. These are fantastic copies of these games. Especially on Windows 10 where there were a lot of bugs and texture flickering and the Ground is normal with no speedups or anything. I don't know what you did, but they are gone now. If you can, the US version of Chamber of Secrets would be gold... but not a major problem. The only difference between Sorcerer's Stone is the correct British way of doing it. Whereas Chamber of Secrets has a different narrator!
DeleteIn old copies of this game that I was able to get to work, there was an interesting bug very late into the game near I believe the quest for one of the potion ingredients where a block in the fireplace after you Flippendo'd it down off the fireplace roof thing, became a solid object you couldn't move anymore. You had to jump platform onto some candles and make a tricky jump to the bookcases to get to the secret area. Hopefully when I get to that area when I play the game, that weird bug will be fixed and I can Flippendo that block to the Bookshelf.
Great for challenge platforming but really annoying and precise
We all have our nostalgia :). Not sure about the fireplace bug. I believe got to near the end before I ran out of time and had to move on. Got half way through the nightime forest level, just before the Aragog fight. Didn't experience any bugs beyond the unstretched menus (unlike the many T-poses in the first game).
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