Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4

'Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 (2010)' is the first of two Lego-based titles chronicling the 'Harry Potter' series. Its gameplay is an extension of that seen in the prior Lego games, a combination of puzzles, combat and exploration that usually culminates in collecting copious amount of 'studs'. The game is, in fact, all about collecting, with its variety of collectible types providing a fair amount of replay value. The thing is mostly mindless fun, the sort of thing you can play while having a conversation with someone. It's enjoyable regardless. Its simplicity enhances its accessibility, which is further bolstered by the fact that there is no spoken dialogue. The game is rather clever when it comes to conveying its narrative, doing it all with visual storytelling and compressing when necessary. It's quite witty in places and is generally charming, to boot. It provides more than a few chuckles and is a great way to experience the world of 'Harry Potter', especially for fans. Indeed, it's this styling that makes it stand out from the crowd. It's great to roam around a semi-open Hogwarts or play your favourite moments from the movies. While it may not be the most accomplished video-game of all time, it's an entertaining experience throughout. For best results, play with a friend. 7/10

What should you do when that inevitable question occurs: Can I get Fang to climb a ladder? Is holding onto a hovering pumpkin fun? Have Tt Games managed to successfully regain the fun and imaginative scale of the Star Wars Lego games? The answer to all these is yes. After a spell of some 'Meh' games from the Lego game makers, ranging from Indiana Jones to its sequel (which I won't completely judge on their demos) the appeal was slipping away faster than the effects of Polyjuice Potion for the once inventive makers. Lego Harry Potter: Years 1 – 4 could not have come at a better time.

Fully restored back to inspirational genius Tt are becoming as notorious as the brains behind Little Big Planet for the meticulousness and gaming entertainment shown in mere levels of playing. Everything from Gringotts to Hogsmeade has been reinterpreted to inconceivable effect which the Harry Potter fans will recognise the Lego transformation immediately, whereas the fans of the Lego game series can enjoy it for the new magical take of the definable gameplay seen in all the previous games; such as the assembling of bricks now being Wingardium Leviosa instead of doing it manually.

If you have grown up with the films (which they are loosely based upon) the changes are shrewd, making even the smallest sequences which are hardly seen in the movies entire thirty minute levels; but none of this rarely makes a vast change to the amusing retelling of the plot, so it's reassuring to the fans how the limitations of the Harry Potter world haven't gone to the makers heads as it had slightly done previous games. They have also kept their trademark techniques of using no dialogue throughout the game meaning it's the sound effects that usually make everything so funny. Hagrid's greeting of: 'Lo' and the opening cut scene, with the sound of whacking envelopes on Vernon's head are personal favourites because neither of them ever becomes irksome.

The format of the gameplay still makes it understandable for the whole family to enjoy (something which the Wii adverts make look as simple as waking up) so regular players will certainly appreciate the ease of a having a parent or sibling 'Drop In' without having to explain the use of every single button and the main objective of the level. The experience of playing will definitely clash though for many players. If you played Bethesda's RPG epic Fallout 3, the looting in every nook and cranny will only be second nature to you, this time with studs instead of caps. But say however you are more the arcade gamer or don't have the patience to bounce on mushrooms for studs, (people who don't want to bounce on Lego mushrooms come few and far between though) then the newly implemented split screen works wonders compared to the drag of the screen which could only have been avoided with a 100 inch television.

Split screen, despite not being a particularly new discovery, twists around the screen to benefit the players who might need a more diagonal angle on things such as the rewards tucked away in high spots or students in peril, who seem to find themselves in obscure places – one of the most memorable being trapped inside a snowman. Character/Spell rewards are easily the most deserving of merit compared to the Gold and Red Bricks which reward with almost minimum satisfaction until the end. The characters whether they be squib, muggle or just plain wizard can all be unlocked if you have seen or played as them within your game, some with abilities awe striking on first go, then forgotten once unlocked. There are creature characters, which admittedly don't prove majorly useful to the completion of levels or stud collecting because of their limited abilities, but make a nice change of character in free mode.

Free mode, accessible once a level is completed, is usually an easy mop-up that continues to hold surprises you never expected levels to have – skeletons dancing to theme of the film for example. It's also surprises like this that you find within the game that make it so detachable from other games, especially compared to more dominant genres such as shooters which are getting more and more alike by the day. The only thing close to shooters in the world of Lego Harry Potter is the Metal Gear Solid reference which I'm more than happy to let it off with (anyone who labels themselves as a gamer will likely agree). It's a fact this game will be deprived from Gaming Bafta glory, and will unlikely receive more than nominations, but that doesn't stop it being a hugely fun game for the year and one that ranges from all ages. At least until Little Big Planet 2 comes along to take its place anyway; or if were lucky enough in the foreseeable future, Years 5 -7.

Enough!

After the disastrous last two adult games of the Potter saga, I had to face now the Lego adaptations.

If the production is really excellent (music & design), I didn't have more fun and finally gave up after Year 2 (Chamber of secrets).

As I wrote before about Lego Star Wars, Lego Indy, still applies here: the games are too long and above all, too repetitive. There's only 1 way to play and if you can't figure the logical steps, you can't progress. At the beginning, it's okay but when you know that the end of each year is 20 levels ahead, with maybe too much cut scene, you get tired. On top of that, you only meet mumbling characters: sure it's easy to have an international release but I'm not that dumb! Next, the saving process is awful, as you have to finish a part to save and can't leave after a level!

In conclusion, this lack of fun was too painful and leads me to let down the 5-7 Years game as well. I don't even try to install it and for now, I know that I won't never play again a Lego game, even if the graphics, music and universe are really interesting! Bye bye !

I wouldn't say I'm a huge harry potter fan but I loved the first movie as a kid when I saw it on my birthday with friends. I've always liked the Slytherin house and that's like a childhood memory for me. Harry potter 1 and 4 has the best characters in my personal opinion. I even remember collecting the lego sets from the first movie as a young boy and I still own the lego set of the final battle when Harry and Quirrell need to show down for one last battle. Lately I have been collecting Slytherin product and not because I'm a harry potter fan but because I enjoy some of it and I guess it's fair to say I'm a Slytherin fan.