The forgotten demo version. Rediscover the “Chamber of Secrets”!

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In November 2002, the game “Chamber of Secrets” was released.

Shortly before that, a demo version was released, which is a separate level, unlike any of the levels in the well-known full version of the game.

For those who have already fully studied their favorite game, it will be interesting to look into the forgotten demo version of the Chamber of Secrets.”

Rediscover the “Chamber of Secrets”!


When preparing this review, it accidentally turned out that already 2 versions of the demo version of the game “Chamber of Secrets” for PC are offered on the internet.

Which one is the first, which is the second? And isn’t one of them a self-made creation of an unknown miracle genius of engineering?

The question remains unanswered.

Harry and Card
border: #dddddd 10px solid;

Perhaps gamers of 2002 will be able to remember which demo version of the second game was offered for viewing on the eve of the release of the full version.

Today, a few years later, it is possible to build only hypotheses about how the “Chamber of Secrets” was created.

It seems that the work on the creation of the second game was very grandiose, various levels were prepared by a large number of developers. And the work was curtailed in the midst of activity (deadlines or finances were cut).

And there is a lot left of the “Chamber of Secrets” – remember at least the Gryffindor quest unused in the game or a whole list of unrealized spells.

Apparently, there were completely completed levels, tests.

It is possible that it was these materials that were not included in the game that formed the basis for the demo version. Usually, the demo offers just one of the levels of the full version (for example, in the “Philosopher’s Stone” demo, this is the initial level).

In the second game, the demo version is completely different from the full one. And even in 2 variations.

In any case, the quality of the drawing, sound, music, content – everything suggests that both of these works are well sharpened, completed in full.

In the “My Documents” directory, the game places folders with the names “Harry Potter II – Demo 1” and “Harry Potter II – Demo 2”. So we will count down: the 1st demo version and the 2nd.

The 2nd option is somewhat inferior in quality (seams in textures are visible).

In both variants there is a common drawback – Harry’s glasses are drawn with dark edging. Recall that this glitch with dark glasses also sins the main version of the game at the Privet Drive and Diagon Alley levels.

The beginning in both versions is almost the same. The direction of the character’s movement, locations and voice acting are almost identical. Then the plot diverges.

The 2nd option is shorter than the 1st.

1 option:

  • 10 stars
  • 8 hiding places
  • 3 cards

2 option:

  • 8 stars
  • 3 hiding places
  • 3 cards

You only need to find three cards: 1 bronze, 1 silver and 1 gold. If the choice of cards No. 1 Merlin and No. 100 Harry Potter is psychologically understandable, then why when choosing a silver card, the developers stopped at card No. 68 – the lead guitarist of the band “Strange Sisters” Kirley Duke – we can only guess.

We are invited, under the strict guidance of Lockhart, to run through the level, having mastered all the spells at once, except diffindo and skurge (remember that in the full version each spell is studied on a separate test).

As always, it touches Harry, who, for the first time approaching the chest, begins to remember, scratching his head, that, like, they passed something like Alohomora last year.

We are greeted by all our friends, all the animals from the full version.

Cute fire crabs:

FireCrab

Cute gnomes:

Gnome

Snails:

Snail

and even… Bloody Baron!

Bloody Baron

Although, probably, the Baron is more undead than living creatures…

The cult of Lockhart’s personality – statues and portraits on every corner. Unlike the full version – the white stone statues of Lockhart can be “clicked” Flippendo – and sweets pop out from there.

As always, finding caches is very pleasing.

It is often necessary for a mechanism to work to open a cache, for example, to roll a crab down the steps straight into a niche.

Passing the demo version opens up for us anew this long-familiar and beloved game.

It’s like you’ve had a heart-to-heart talk with an old friend.


1st version of the demo

2nd version of the demo

Game clipmaker: OOKS

For those who want to run around the locations on their own: the demo version can be found in the corresponding section of game page.

Placement and web design: OOKS (the design is simplified after adding themes support to the site).

He was the first to rediscover the “Chamber of Secrets”: АlехeyMS.

I express my gratitude to AlexeyMS and Setebos, with whom we jointly passed the 2nd version of the demo, being online, on December 26, 2011 🙂

P. S. Debugging mode is also available in demo versions 😉