Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4
Wave your wand at your favorite Danish toy!
Posted August 13, 2010
The Lego brand has grown remarkably in the world of video games. Taking licensed properties and putting them in the world of Lego was an inspired idea, and has worked over a wide variety of films and characters, including Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Batman. Aside from branching out into different licenses, the series has also kept itself fresh by trying out different gameplay styles and modes. Now, with Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4, the franchise reinvents itself once again.
As you must surely know by now, the Harry Potter tells the story the titular wizard, fated to face the evil wizard Voldemort. In this game, you play as Harry and his friends (and enemies) through the first four years of his schooling (covering the books The Sorcerer's Stone, The Chamber of Secrets, The Prisoner of Azkaban, and The Goblet of Fire). As is the norm for the Lego games, the story is told through short, humorous, dialogue-free cutscenes that give the barest sketch of what's actually happening. I found the gags less funny in this game than previous ones, but not enough to detract from the game.
Given that most of the action takes place at a school, Telltale wisely moved the focus away from combat (which, to be honest, was never well implemented in these games anyway), and more towards puzzle-solving and interactivity. Since you're playing as wizard, it makes sense that much of the world is malleable thanks to the spells you possess (and as the game progresses, you learn more in class). The game has become about seeing just how much stuff you can blow up, move around, or turn into a tea cup.
Another aspect of the Lego games is collecting. There are studs to collect, gold bricks, and other assorted items. Lego Harry Potter takes it to a whole new level, adding more things to collect than ever before. There are kids in peril you have to save, house seals to collect, and even ghost studs. It leads to a slower paced game, but one that also has more to discover.
The graphics and audio are about par for the course with the Lego series. However, Hogwarts provides a lush backdrop, full of fun hidden items and wonderfully drawn details. The audio uses several sound effects from the series, but also uses aural loops too often for comfort. It's especially annoying when you're in Diagon Alley, where you have about a thousand old wizards all making the same "baa" sound like a goat.
There are a few other game quirks that don't work in its favor. The first is that the targeting system, which you use for all your spells, can be inconsistent, targeting things you don't intend. The other issue is that you can buy new spells, but they all go into a single slot and the active spell rotates at intervals through that slot. In other words, with the purchased spells, which are some of the most fun in the game, you can't choose which one you get to use at any given moment. Not a deal breaker, but an annoyance nonetheless.
Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 is another excellent entry in the Lego game series. With a new focus on interactive objects and puzzle solving, combined with more items than ever to collect, it's a good time for any Harry Potter fan, no matter what age you are. Highly Recommended.
Discuss This Game on Our Official VGT Forum
As you must surely know by now, the Harry Potter tells the story the titular wizard, fated to face the evil wizard Voldemort. In this game, you play as Harry and his friends (and enemies) through the first four years of his schooling (covering the books The Sorcerer's Stone, The Chamber of Secrets, The Prisoner of Azkaban, and The Goblet of Fire). As is the norm for the Lego games, the story is told through short, humorous, dialogue-free cutscenes that give the barest sketch of what's actually happening. I found the gags less funny in this game than previous ones, but not enough to detract from the game.
Given that most of the action takes place at a school, Telltale wisely moved the focus away from combat (which, to be honest, was never well implemented in these games anyway), and more towards puzzle-solving and interactivity. Since you're playing as wizard, it makes sense that much of the world is malleable thanks to the spells you possess (and as the game progresses, you learn more in class). The game has become about seeing just how much stuff you can blow up, move around, or turn into a tea cup.
Another aspect of the Lego games is collecting. There are studs to collect, gold bricks, and other assorted items. Lego Harry Potter takes it to a whole new level, adding more things to collect than ever before. There are kids in peril you have to save, house seals to collect, and even ghost studs. It leads to a slower paced game, but one that also has more to discover.
The graphics and audio are about par for the course with the Lego series. However, Hogwarts provides a lush backdrop, full of fun hidden items and wonderfully drawn details. The audio uses several sound effects from the series, but also uses aural loops too often for comfort. It's especially annoying when you're in Diagon Alley, where you have about a thousand old wizards all making the same "baa" sound like a goat.
There are a few other game quirks that don't work in its favor. The first is that the targeting system, which you use for all your spells, can be inconsistent, targeting things you don't intend. The other issue is that you can buy new spells, but they all go into a single slot and the active spell rotates at intervals through that slot. In other words, with the purchased spells, which are some of the most fun in the game, you can't choose which one you get to use at any given moment. Not a deal breaker, but an annoyance nonetheless.
Conclusion
Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 is another excellent entry in the Lego game series. With a new focus on interactive objects and puzzle solving, combined with more items than ever to collect, it's a good time for any Harry Potter fan, no matter what age you are. Highly Recommended.
Discuss This Game on Our Official VGT Forum