image: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
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Review: Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix game

Occasionally enjoyable, but something only fans of the film will truly enjoy

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Price: 29.99
Manufacturer: EA Games 01932 450 000
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Verdict

Overall: It has its moments, but charging around Hogwarts soon becomes tedious


Will Stapley, Personal Computer World 10 Aug 2007

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Following the book and film of the same name, the latest instalment in the Potter series sees Harry recruiting and tutoring Dumbledore's Army - a group of students who hope to pick up enough skills to take on Voldemort and his cronies.

The first 15 minutes or so is a pretty tiresome affair where you learn how to wiggle your mouse to cast spells. Thanks to the on-screen guides, it doesn't take long to get to grips with the spells and it is actually quite a fun experience - however, the various mundane tasks, such as loading a box with clothes, won't set your pulse racing.

Once you've picked up the basics, you're free to charge around the faithfully recreated Hogwarts campus, bumping into pretty much every character from the film on your way. The level of detail is impressive, although careful mouse control is required to avoid charging Harry into wall after wall - something we didn't see much of in the film.

Being such a humungous area to explore, even Potter devotees will tire of having to repeatedly traipse from one end to the other. In an attempt to make navigation a bit easier, you can select an area or person on the map and footprints will guide you to your destination. It's a nice idea, but also an infuriating one - the footprints only appear a couple at a time and right in front of you, so you're often left having to running round in circles trying to fathom exactly which way you should be heading.

Despite our criticisms, it's actually a reasonably enjoyable game to play. Voices are realistic and characters instantly recognisable. Being able to cast spells by with your mouse is also an interesting experience, and something Logitech's new MX Air would be absolutely perfect for.

See also:

image: transformers gameAnother movie spin-off, with so much wasted potential  09 Aug 2007
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image: tomb raider anniversaryEidos raids its own archives for Lara’s latest outing  21 Jun 2007

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