Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

At least, it isn't about the games from "1001 Arabian nights", because getting at number five, my pleasure is already a bit diluted and don't have fun anymore.

As in the book, it's another school year at Hogwarts. But, when its reading brought me emotion, this video game leaves me cold. The blame goes to the developers who think above all, chores list, challenge, beat the game, etc… I'm really fed up with the things to collect, the tasks to do.

On the other hand, the graphics have never been so beautiful: it's really a virtual visit of the sets on the movie. But, as the school is huge, five minutes later, you are tired from running in the corridors.

This time, the gameplay is very easy thus you can't be stuck. The only difficult moment for me was to levitate some pack of food up a hill. The final level against Voldemort is playable so it's OK. However, the commands for magic are awful with a mouse so everything has to be done with the keys.

In conclusion, a serious improvement from the previous one (Goblet of fire) but not very inspired!

In India, this game is sold on the PC for Rs. 999, about $20 or so. Even after hearing the mixed reviews of this game, my mind didn't deter me from buying a DVD version of this game. And I apologize for that. It was a complete waste of money and time. Let's first see the good points of this game ( I'd to rack my brains to find some): 1) Hogwards is large: This, in one way, is good and bad. But as we are discussing about the 'good' points of the game, I'll tell that because it is large, there is a lot to see and discover. Even minute details and places are included in this game.

2) No loading time: Ah, this is one good thing about this game. In the second and the third parts, I got bugged and agitated when there was loading after every five minutes or so ( especially in the second). Here, there were no loading and you didn't have to bang your head against the wall to wait for the game to load after leaving every room or so.

3) Homely Hogwarts: This too has its pros and cons. Pros is that you feel as if you are at home and not at some military school where you are forced to do things. There are innumerable secrets to dig out at Hogwarts.

4) No bean or cards collecting: This is a good thing they've done. Collecting beans and cards becomes hectic and boring.

5) Open ended game: Advantage is that there are a lot many things to do even after completing the story mode and that takes some time to finish off. So, if you buy the game, you won't be able to finish it off in three days or so.

6) Excellent music: The background music was superb but it felt as if you wanted to hear more of that in the game.

5 pros! Think its a lot? Now lets review the cons of this game: 1) No lives: This is so dumb about this game. You don't have any lives. So, you either win or lose, depending on the storyline. I mean, if you are meant to lose, then even if you fight, there's no chance to win.

2) Bad voicing: Sometimes you wish that the main characters don't lend their voices for the game. I wasn't able to follow a lot many lines which the characters spoke.

3) Terrible duels: When you're in a fight, then you twist and turn your mouse and cast all sorts of spells. You don't even know what the others are casting.

4) Very less information given: Even in the manual, almost nothing is given about the game. In many of the places, you don't even know what to do.

5) Useless partners: You have two friends and it says that they can help you when you're puzzled or so. But they give such terrible clues and speak the same things over and over again that you wish that they weren't there.

6) It says that you visit many places from the book. But its so stupid to see that you spend only five minutes or so there and don't get to enjoy at all.

7) Horrible AI: Characters are so dumb that in some places, where you require more than one character to do the work, they help one in a blue moon and keep standing like dead logs.

8) Its boring to see the same place again and again. I mean, if you want to reach a place, you take almost five to ten minutes reaching there.

9) Terrible mini games: The mini games are atrocious, horrible and boring. No fun to play them.

All these factors contribute in making this game useless and intolerable. 3/10.

I got this game as a birthday present for my Nintendo DS. OK, I know people might say its lame and boring, but actually for me, I found it rather fun.

Lets start off with the graphics. Sure its a bit blurry and cartoony but hey! Do you expect game platforms such as the GBA, DS to just whip up outstanding graphics when its Harry Potter? Come on guys, its not a big deal and it's the gameplay that matters!

Secondly I LOVE the mini-games. My favourite are the classrooms games (Charms, Potions, Herbology especially!) and I also like the After-School Games. Exploding Snap was cool, I love Gobstones but Quiddtich was the best! Well, I started off as a poor player but ended up completing all the levels and winning every match against Slytherin! Boooooooooo Slytherin!

And the missions! I know sometimes you just run around Hogwarts but isn't it fun to just explore and plus there's Wizards Cards, Gobstones etc. which are scattered around Hogwarts to be found! Besides some of the missions were awesome! Like retrieving members of DA, making potions to cure creatures, exploring the OoTP Headquarters and duelling! Speaking off duelling the climax of the game is really cool! I got past the Death Eathers, Bellatrix and You-Know-Who... Voldermort! (Actually I was stuck for ages at the part when Sirius and Harry are duelling against 3 death eaters, but I found you just had to cast Flipendo trio at them!)

Now I completed 86% of the game. And I'm on the final and hardest mission! You have to retrieve all the Wizard cards, gobstones and Berti Box Beans in order to finish the game! I practically looked EVERYWHERE but I still need to find 5 more - it's VERY hard!

Overall, one of the best games I've ever played! And if you're put down what everybody is saying about it don't be! Just take it from me, a person who nearly finished the game and I say, its awesome!

Thanks game creators! I love it!

*********/********** stars

(9/10 stars)

~Kalendra

I have to say, with my experience with Harry Potter games, from playing the first one on PSone to playing the horrible Goblet of Fire on PS2. I got this game after finishing the Prisoner of Azkaban. This is a really good Harry Potter game to play, as you can explore Hogwarts and other places, find secret passages and go on quests. The new way of spell casting is excellent as well...even though sometimes you can accidentally cast the wrong spell with the right-analogue stick. It's a fun game to play and tones of things to do! Duelling is fun to do as well, as learning spells is easy and difficult at the same time. Collecting discovery points is a good system and the awards you get...are alright.

Overall, I'd give this game 8 out of 10, the graphics are alright, could of been a little better with the character design, but the game play is really good. It's a good game and I think picking it up one day is a good idea.

I thoroughly disagree with the above review of this film. It is awesome Harry Potter. Personally, the movie was the book and thats why I liked it so much. I'll even venture to say it was the best one yet or at least close to it.

The things they changed, some of Cho's roll, Dobby's absence and giving his part to Neville again, Firenze not being in the story, all made sense and worked well. The strong essentials of the plot were still there though. The finale, in my opinion, they nailed. They captured the strength of Dumbledore and the ruthlessness of Voldemort very well. Ralph Fiennes is a fantastic Voldemort and he does great here. Dumbledore's appearance at the ministry was kind of awe inspiring and I like Michael Gambon as Dumbledore more and more (although they need to put the half-moon glasses on him.) The big death and Harry's reaction were perfect, as well as Lupin holding him back. Imelda Staunton nailed Umbridge and she did a fantastic job. Daniel Radcliffe's angst as Harry was great and the main three, Rupert Grint, and Emma Watson as well, have become great actors. Luna Lovegood was portrayed perfectly by Evanna Lynch. The professors, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, Maggie Smith were great as usual, most notably Alan Rickman, who's colorful portrayal of Snape steals the movie. The Weasly Twins exit was greatly done too.

The story itself moves fast and keeps you into the plot very well and I can't wait until Half-Blood Prince comes out as well as the absolutely fantastic Deathly Hallows.