Review NaN of 5
, from Baltimore
Price Paid:
$6.00
from Rented - Blockbuster Summary:
I bet you didn't know that Harry Potter: Chamber of Secrets was a sad story. I bet you didn't think that this JK Rowling story that has delighted adults and children in a way that has not been seen since the first Star Wars was in fact a tragedy. I'm sorry to say that Harry Potter: The Chamber of Secrets for the Xbox is.
Now like all of the greatest tragedies the story begins full of hope. As a matter of fact, it was only two days ago that I exclaimed to my fiancée that Harry Potter: The Chamber of Secrets was my favorite Xbox game of all time. Yes, it even beat out Halo, my previous champion. As a matter of fact, after playing the game for only a few hours I started drafting my "Video Game Review" prose, readying myself for the straight 5 review that I was sure would inspire the world to give Harry Potter a try.
Unfortunately, Harry let me down. For one simple reason. After playing enjoyable level after level, and reveling in the fully immersive Harry Potter world, the fantastic graphics, and the amazing details, I reached a level that was so incredibly difficult I would never progress any further. The offending level is deep into the game, when Harry is sent by Professor McGonagal into the Avifors Challenge area, on a quest to find the Avifors spell-book. After playing on this level for a combined total of EIGHT hours (a full work day) I am finally throwing in the towel. I would have never lasted that long except that I loved the rest of the game so much.
Now here is the problem. The "Avifors" level is not difficult because it is at all challenging to the mind or the reflexes. This level is difficult because the camera changes position in the middle of two critical jumps, and when the camera changes position, the orientation of the controls changes. Thus you push Harry in an unintended direction at a critical moment. This causes you to fail and again without any way to compensate. And if you happen to get lucky on the first jump you still have one more impossible jump to make. Unfortunately this one level has turned Harry Potter from a beautiful story and relaxing escape into a world of frustration.
There are a few other times when I felt some degree of video game frustration. I felt that way at the end of Metal Gear Solid when I (as Snake) was running around trying to shoot down Metal Gear without being stomped into oblivion, but after scores of tries I was finally able to drop the giant. Of course the frustration level is eased by the fact that fighting a giant robot is more entertaining than just trying to center the camera behind Harry Potter while he jumps and dies over and over again.
The sad thing is that this Harry Potter game had everything else right! More than right! They had this game PERFECT! It is a wonderful story and the video game carries it perfectly. The characters are wonderful. The world seems so magical. And the game pulls it all off. Even my fiancée (who doesn't enjoy most games, but loves the Harry Potter books) enjoyed playing this one. But now we are both impossibly stuck.
We rented this game almost one week ago. We had every intention of going right to the store and purchasing Harry Potter tomorrow (after returning the rental.) I'm afraid that buying the game would do us little good. Our Harry Potter adventure has ended. (I told you it was a sad story.)
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I would welcome comments from the game developers, or by other players who may have figured a way through this level. I can be reached at richsigler@comcast.net. I have enjoyed this game so much - up to this point - that I would gladly give it another shot. It pains me to be unable to give this game a grade of 5. It is otherwise a truly wonderful game. (Remember - every great tragedy ends with a flicker of hope for the future - see your Shakespeare 101 notes.) Report this review >>
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