Way better than the movie.
At its core Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is a pretty basic puzzle-platformer. Although it has combat too, it could barely be classified as an action game. Most of the game you're solving very simple puzzles and jumping over platforms. Despite its simplicity, it actually works really well, and the tactile feeling is sufficient enough to make the process enjoyable. I think there's just the right balance between challenges and rewards.
However, the core mechanics do have a few flaws. The spells don't always get casted; not all ledges can be grabbed onto (which can lead to some frustrating deaths out of confusion); the camera and movement controls are pretty clunky and especially become a problem during boss fights, which are the only cases you're allowed to move whileshooting casting. The cutscenes are unskippable, and the checkpoints are usually placed before them, so you gotta watch them again and again every time you die.
That being said, they keep them short. There isn't a lot of story here, but it somehow manages to cover the entire plotline of the movie (maybe because most of the movie did not have much of a story either). Also, unlike the movie, there are black people in this game, hooray! It is no longer a white supremacist paradise.
One thing I love about this game is the presentation. The colors are vibrant and the music is beautiful. That's one of the main reasons I kept wanting to return to it and actually completed it, despite starting to get a little bored.
I mean, this is clearly a game designed for kids, but for what it is, it works. It's pretty simple, but it gives you a quick and immersive little adventure through Hogwarts. And, personally, as far as I can remember, I liked these first three games way more than the follow-ups. Complexity doesn't always equal quality.
At its core Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone is a pretty basic puzzle-platformer. Although it has combat too, it could barely be classified as an action game. Most of the game you're solving very simple puzzles and jumping over platforms. Despite its simplicity, it actually works really well, and the tactile feeling is sufficient enough to make the process enjoyable. I think there's just the right balance between challenges and rewards.
However, the core mechanics do have a few flaws. The spells don't always get casted; not all ledges can be grabbed onto (which can lead to some frustrating deaths out of confusion); the camera and movement controls are pretty clunky and especially become a problem during boss fights, which are the only cases you're allowed to move while
That being said, they keep them short. There isn't a lot of story here, but it somehow manages to cover the entire plotline of the movie (maybe because most of the movie did not have much of a story either). Also, unlike the movie, there are black people in this game, hooray! It is no longer a white supremacist paradise.
One thing I love about this game is the presentation. The colors are vibrant and the music is beautiful. That's one of the main reasons I kept wanting to return to it and actually completed it, despite starting to get a little bored.
I mean, this is clearly a game designed for kids, but for what it is, it works. It's pretty simple, but it gives you a quick and immersive little adventure through Hogwarts. And, personally, as far as I can remember, I liked these first three games way more than the follow-ups. Complexity doesn't always equal quality.