On November 11 (18), 2011, it seems that the last game on the theme of the world of Harry Potter was released.
As many people already know, LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 covers the plots of the last 3 books and the last 4 films.
A brief description of the installation process of the game
If you have a demo version of the game installed (the one with only 1 level with Lovegood), then you need to get rid of it before installing the full version. Since the installer of the game may «think» that the English version of the game is already installed.
After removing the demo version, run the game installation program (it usually starts automatically a few seconds after inserting the disc into the CD/DVD reader).
The installer started in Russian. Find the «Install» button and click it. Next, the installation process of the game begins.
Step 1. License Agreement. It is advisable to read it (although until you agree to its terms, you will not be able to install the game).
Step 2. Selecting the installation type. Of the two proposed options (Simple or Selective), choose «Selective», since you need to explicitly specify where to install the game.
Step 3. Selecting a folder to install the game. We can agree with the default folder, but no one forbids you to specify another path for installation.
Step 4. Confirmation of the User Account Control System (UAC). It is necessary to confirm that this program was launched.
Step 5. Copying files to the selected folder… Just watching the filling strip.
Step 6. DirectX auto-installation. Just waiting a bit. If DirectX was not updated earlier than 2007, then the game may have problems starting.
Step 7. A window with a message about the end of the installation process. Click the button — the installation process is completed.
Step 8. Using the modified installer window, we launch the game.
Note. The installation is quite noisy — it feels like more than one disk access process is running.
The noise level depends on the specific computer.
As in the first game (LEGO Harry Potter: 1-4 years), there are 6 passable tasks + puzzles in the main locations for each year. The exception is the last, seventh year of study — 12 passable tasks are assigned to it (division according to the films). Some puzzles and tasks may seem impossible at first, but they are not: solutions are found quickly enough.
So, what happens after the launch. The menu structure has remained almost unchanged — to start the game, you also need to press the Enter key several times: confirm the selection of the save cell, as well as the error-free loading of the save.
The first launch is usually the longest and depends on the selected graphics quality — service files necessary for the gameplay are created on the hard disk. After all the preparations and watching the jumping cauldron, you can start playing.
The gameplay consists of the following parts:
- The passage of the story part (the levels go one after another).
- Passage of impassable levels in free-play mode (although it is possible to reset the results of passing these levels and pass them again).
- The study of Hogwarts and its adjacent locations, which are gradually becoming available.
- A study of Diagon Alley and the shops located in it, as well as the Leaky Cauldron pub.
Now let’s look at the frames taken during the passage of the game. Out of more than 4 thousand frames, 22 had to be selected so that the review remained a review, and not a multi-page step-by-step instruction 🙂
The game begins with a cut scene showing a version of events on the playground. However, within a few minutes after the launch of the level, the site changes somewhat.
It’s still a playground… 😉
During the passage, we also need to break everything, move everything that is possible, using all the characters provided. For example, Dudley can’t do magic, and Harry is too weak to open the gate or pull the bumper of a car. The result of «communicating with dementors» is shown in the next frame — Dudley clearly looks unhealthy, Uncle Vernon scolds the tribal.
Dudley definitely didn’t like talking to dementors
When performing tasks, you can notice the developers’ efforts to recreate the design of locations as much as possible according to the descriptions in the books and how it was done in the movies (of course, there was no styling for the designer and built-in jokes). A typical example is the Ministry of Magic with its characteristic design and bustle, constantly hurrying employees somewhere. The ubiquitous memos-airplanes are not forgotten either.
Ministry of Magic. Parquet, statue, memos — all according to the book movie!
As promised, the game has implemented several new locations, such as Platform 9 3/4, Hogsmeade station.
Platform 9 3/4 is available for study!
In addition, the existing ones in the first game were also redone: the bridge leading from the castle to the courtyard with Hagrid’s hut is now displayed rotated 90 degrees, the courtyard itself and many other locations have been changed. The location in front of the stadium, the bathroom and some others are missing. Apparently, this is a forced measure. But in general, the game territories have become much larger!
Hogsmeade. More tasks and more locations!
Many locations and spells are familiar to us from books and movies, as well as other games about the world of Harry Potter. The Diffindo spell is no exception (something like replacing scissors). After studying this spell, you can approach red tiles and other objects and cut out a shape from them along the contour.
The good old Diffindo is a worthy realization!
After passing the games that come out with the films (HP1…HP8), many did not have enough tasks that were not implemented normally. Apparently, the developers of the LEGO version decided, if possible, to fix these flaws in this game. Here we can not only view video exhibitions, but also participate in the events taking place in the memories of Harry, Snape, Albus Dumbledore.
Memories of Severus Snape: watching and taking part!
Of course, there is no exact realization of the plot of the book or the movie scene here, but the LEGO adaptation is also pleasing. The developers seem to have tried to make the game as good and interesting as possible: since the events in the memories do not occur at the moment, they were decorated in the appropriate color scheme. And in the story of the three brothers there is a clear hint of an interactive cartoon.
Tom Riddle as a child — Albus Dumbledore’s memory is also realized!
Compared to the previous one, this game has significantly added the number of locations in the snow-covered Hogsmeade. Some of the locations are familiar to us from the first game, some appeared only in this one. Some locations have been discarded as unnecessary.
Hogsmeade. This location has hardly changed since the last game.
At the end of the sixth year of study, Harry and Dumbledore will have to pick up the locket (a fake horcrux). At first glance, the level is difficult, but if you choose the right strategy, then everything is quite simple!
Events in the very cave with the medallion: infernals are coming!
At the end of the sixth year after the death of the headmaster, there is a series of duels, as in HP6.
End of year 6. Hogwarts is on fire. Duel with Severus Snape
There are enough tasks in the game that were not in the movies or in the books. One of them is motorcycle repair. It is necessary to «manage» in part of the Dursleys’ courtyard and repair the motorcycle in which the real Harry and Hagrid will have to get to the «Burrow».
«7 Potters». Fixing a motorcycle
Some of the tasks are very similar to those in the recently released two-part «Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows». The courtroom is no exception. In this game, the emphasis is on logic, and not on constant «shooting» at countless enemies. Well, how is it without branded humor? 😉
Courtroom. The goal is to return the medallion.
The destruction of the horcrux-medallion was remembered by many: those who watched the film in the first part, repeatedly going through this level in HP7 😉 It is also better not to yawn here, but the tests of the nervous system for strength are not exactly expected: the level is passed with interest! And after all, no one forbids to try it again!
Destruction of the medallion horcrux. No frills, compared to the movie!
A visit to Bellatrix’s safe with subsequent unpleasant events is also not forgotten here: we visit the safe, solve puzzles there, after which several tasks like «hit a goblin with a spell while sitting on a dragon and controlling it!» and freedom!
Gringotts is a goblin hunt. The cup is extracted, you need to get out of the bank.
After the events in the dark Great Hall, we will have to fight several duels. The main thing is to understand the principle (to have time to change the spell in time according to the color of the opponent’s semicircle) and this process will become one of the fascinating activities in the game.
Hogwarts. The battle has begun!
Well, what kind of LEGO game will do without «branded» jokes and non-standard solutions to puzzles? This one is no exception: a giant can be shot down with a catapult, however, some servant of Voldemort periodically interferes, but without this servant it would be too easy 😉
Defeat the giant with a catapult!
There was also a joke with Fenrir Graybeck — at the beginning of the 6th part, he was clearly fond of gnawing bones, which Hermione did not forget
A sure means of distracting Fenrir 😉
As it was described in the book, on the way to Voldemort, Harry was still able to open a snitch with the inscription «I open only at the end» or something like that. Inside was the resurrection stone from the fairy tale.
On the way to Voldemort. The Resurrection Stone in action.
After Voldemort once again sent the famous unforgivable spell to Harry, he found himself in this location. In the game, this scene is presented in the form of a small video.
Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter at an imaginary King’s Cross Station
During the battle with Voldemort, which takes place in several stages and almost without our participation, we will have to use the skills acquired by participating in duels.
One of the scenes of the battle with Voldemort.
As in the movie / book, the game also had a video in which the main events of the epilogue were shown.
19 years later. A new generation is going to Hogwarts!
So, the plot part is passed. As a rule, the game is completed by no more than 50%. There are still a lot of interesting things left!
Well, it remains to summarize what the game developers have prepared for us.
Locations
Of the locations that can be visited at any time, we can highlight:
- Hogwarts (castle), which has significantly increased in size, although it has lost some of the locations;
- the territories adjacent to the castle. Some of them have changed in the direction of increasing or decreasing, some have disappeared — the location by the lake has decreased, the location between the courtyard near Hagrid’s hut and the stadium has disappeared (but something like Quidditch is available — flying on a broom with collecting coins and character badges);
- new locations, including: Hogsmeade station, platform 9 3/4, a fragment of London (between the pub and the subway), Hogsmeade.
Locations available during the passage of «passable» tasks: Grimmo Square, house No. 12, Tisovaya Street, House No. 4 and courtyard, playground from HP5, Ministry of Magic (several locations), Godric’s Hollow, Hogsmeade, the shelter where Tom Riddle lived for a while, Professor Slughorn’s abode, cave, where the medallion was located, Gringotts, several locations «in nature».
Characters
Of the promised 200 characters, no more than 120 are really available, but in different clothes. Even this amount is more than enough, since almost every character has its own characteristics: Ron still does not tolerate spiders, Lupin can turn into a «wolf», Sirius into a dog. It was unrealistic to check everyone so far 🙂
Spells
Basic spells from the last game are available, but after Umbridge’s lesson, their number is noticeably reduced. However, new spells are gradually appearing, some of which are studied in the help-out room, some at Flitwick lessons, the rest can be studied (bought) at Fred and George’s store located in Diagon Alley (it’s hard not to notice it there). And do not forget that the characters controlled by the game sometimes fight back — after receiving a spell from Harry, they can respond with the same or another spell.
Prizes and finances
Among the prizes there are still: gold parts (blocks), which need to be collected 200 pieces; red parts that allow you to simplify the game somewhat (money multipliers, assistants in finding other prizes, statistics found at the level, etc.) — they need to be collected 20 pieces, but you can not activate them in the «surprises» menu;-), character icons that need to be redeemed later in Madame Malkin’s store and used in a Free Game or after consuming a polyjuice potion.
Multicolored «round» parts still appear as in-game currency, although they have lost some of their dignity:
- gray has a dignity of 10 units;
- yellow in 100 units;
- blue in 1000 units;
- purple in 10,000 units (rare enough).
Gold blocks are given for completing various tasks, hidden in hiding places or just lying in a prominent place. The red blocks are hidden at Hogwarts, Hogsmeade Station, Platform 9 3/4 and London. After finding such a detail, you need to bring it to the owl located in the same location. You can buy it on the second floor of the Leaky Cauldron pub. Character badges are also issued for completing tasks, hidden or lying in a prominent place. Coins are scattered around locations or hidden in objects that can be broken. They can also be issued as a reward.
Control
As in the previous game, you can control the PC using both the keyboard and the gamepad. The main problem of the game is that the user settings are not saved and you have to configure the keyboard after each launch of the game.
After setting up and a little time of getting used to it, it’s convenient to play.
Advantages of the game:
- All the main locations are implemented with the possibility of visiting them during the passage and in the free game mode.
- According to Maxim, the plot of books and films is transmitted (in some places the plot is closest to the script of the film)
- You can control a huge number of characters: both major and minor.
- After passing the main storyline, there is a convenient switching between the existing found characters.
- The opportunity to participate in some retroscenes: the memory of Snape, Dumbledore.
- Adaptation for children — tragic scenes are somewhat «softened».
- Does not get bored and does not test the nerves of the player. Maybe.
- You can play the game together (not necessarily at first).
- Much more.
Disadvantages of the game:
- The keyboard settings are not remembered: each time the game starts, we get the standard keyboard settings for 1 player.
- The problem with clouds over the characters is that sometimes it is possible to get rid of them from the nth time.
- Periodically, the game is minimized to an icon on the taskbar (perhaps this is due to some program running on the system).
There have been no serious errors so far.
Our ratings of the game.
The convenience of switching spells: 10/10.
Control in general: 9,5/10
Background music: 10/10.
Voice acting: as such, it is missing, replaced by gestures and pictures.
Graphics (characters, environment): 10/10
Transfer of the plot of the book: 9,5/10 (an excellent compromise between the plot of books and film versions, taking into account the reduction in the amount of material)
Overall rating: 10/10 (Great!)
The review prepared by АlехeyMS
The game is provided by 1C-SoftClub