Name five games you are probably not looking forward to this coming holiday season, any five, and odds are one of those five will probably be Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
Yeah, the Harry Potter franchise of games do seem to get more than it’s fair share of fans who buy each and every game when they roll out in conjunction with every movie release (and in the case of Quidditch World Cup NOT in conjunction with a movie release). For fans of the franchise it’s heaven whenever a new Harry Potter games releases, akin to a video gaming religious experience I dare say, though for the rest us who probably don’t care too much about another Harry Potter game it‘s just another release to clutter up the shelves at the local gaming store that doesn‘t interest us in the slightest.
Well, sad to say, with the coming of the fourth Harry Potter movie (Goblet of Fire) this November we are once again faced with a multi-console release of another Harry Potter game. So buck up readers and take heart, ‘cause like it or not we’re taking the first look at Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

It’s been awhile since the last game, hasn’t it? And right about now you should be able to find cheap copies of said game (Prisoner of Azkaban) for $20 or so (either preplayed or, dare we dream, new). But how has the gameplay changed since then? First let’s take a recap of the changes that occurred between Chamber of Secrets and Prisoner of Azkaban. Straying away from the fairly decently done Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (of which I did a review concerning it‘s PSOne incarnation) gameplay, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban embraced a more platformer-y premise as you gain the ability to take control of all three of the main characters (alternating between them during gameplay). This, and the added platformer elements should have made the game better, and yet it drags the game further and further away from it’s ties to the books they are based on, which just sucks.
How so? Well each part of the story basically turns into a thing where you have to accomplish such and such goals by going through such and such levels which are set up with challenges and so forth, with the aforementioned challenges and levels being interrupted here and there with smatherings of something called a “story” which doesn’t seem to hold center court in the game as much as the gameplay does.
Ok, yes, sure Prisoner of Azkaban did manage to keep some of the good elements of Chamber of Secrets intact like the freeroaming gameplay and some puzzles, but it just wasn’t as deep as Chamber of Secrets.
Also while Chamber of Secrets managed to keep some of the spirit of the book intact, including adding the Deathday party into the game while same scene was removed from the movie, the third game just ran like a run of the mill platformer and seemed to be more interested in the gameplay than the story it was supposed to be based on. Not to mention the fact that the game can be finished in 6-8 hours which blows severely.

Now, in November 2005, we are faced with Movie #4 slash Game #4, and a whole new story.
It’s Year 4 and Harry, Hermione and Ron slash family are off to the Quidditch World Cup (just like in the badly conceived “sports” game of the same name -- you do remember Harry Potter : Quidditch World Cup, don‘t you?), only the festive mood of this World Cup event is spoiled when dark robed figures known as “Death Eaters” begin causing chaos, only to be chased away by the sign of Lord Voldemort (he who will not gain his own spinoff series). However the appearance of the Death Eaters and the dark mark are just the tip of the iceberg in the cold mass that is Harry Potter’s worries. Besides the spectre of the resurrection of Voldemort to be concerned over, Harry finds himself facing a new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher (the paranoia inducing one eyed Moody), as well as finding himself entered against his will into a competition known as the TriWizard Tournament which hasn’t been played for awhile -- due to sudden death of past competitors. Oh, that and he has to finally get jiggy and start dating ‘cause he needs this date for a dance and oh how awkwardly it’ll go and dear good Hermione looks so hot in that -- never mind.
So I guess it is ironic that this movie’s director once directed the movie Four Weddings and a Funeral, ‘cause it looks like we can safely dub this sequel “Harry

Potter : Four Champions and a Funeral”.

The game, of course, takes this premise of the movie itself and runs with it like how Natsume takes the premise of remarketing Harvest Moon : A Wonderful Life over and over again and runs with it to another console (the PS2). But how will this new Potter play out? Last time we had new innovations as the ability to pick between the three characters (Harry, Hermione and Ron) and use each rather well (who in turn had their own special abilities to use during gameplay). What will the new gimmicks for Goblet of Fire be?
Oh, wait, before we go any further I think I should warn you that once again, as with my recent first look at The Chronicles of Narnia game, be warned that this first look is again based on an article which looks at a BETA version of the game! I.e. the game was still in it’s development stages when the article was written, hence (by now) the game is actually done and might not resemble in some ways the game talked about in this first look -- just so you know. Also be warned that this is only a first look of the big console version, and by no mean does this represent the portable version (no more GBA version seems available which is sad if you‘ve been a fan of the little GBA Harry Potter, though you now get both a PSP and a Nintendo DS version to console you (which also happens to be a Harry Potter first for both systems)).

In the review they speak of three areas of the game, all from the book slash movie. And it is in these three areas that my concerns about this game is grown and nurtured into fully developed dislikes about said game.
In the first area you start gameplay in the aftermath of the Quiddith World Cup finals, as the wizard campsite, where everyone is tailgating post World Cup action, comes under assault from renegade “Death Eaters” (those wacky college fraternity attired followers of the soon to be formerly “deceased” dude Lord Voldemort). These so-called “Death Eaters”, who don’t actually eat nor critique the flavor of “death”, are most hellbent on raising heck for no good reason (until the mark chases them away), and that‘s where you start the action as this level kicks in (from what I read about it).
Once again using the ability to use and change between playing as Harry, Ron and Hermione (ala the last game) you set out into the woods to find the Portkey… obviously you’re bailing on the whole scene and not taking a swing at the Death Eaters from what I can see of this level. It is during this search for the Portkey that, along the way, you come face to face with the “wonders” of nature, as well as the many dangers that tries to snuff you out like a outed politician’s career. You’ll be faced with fighting enemies as the strangely named “Dugbogs” (don‘t ask, I have no idea what that means) and the aforementioned “Death Eaters” (of whom one is Draco’s dad whom you had words with at the end of the second game).
This is your basic “Getting To Know You” level, where you get used to the control layout and functions, as well as the basics of individual slash “COMBO” spellcasting, which will all be vital skills needed to progress along the “story” of the game.

Yeah. You see it too, don’t you. Sadly this means EA’s Goblet of Fire game will not be bringing back the depth of gameplay lost since Chamber of Secrets. It’s sad, really, but in order for EA to (and there‘s no kind way of saying it so I‘ll just out with it) (bleep) out a more “pick-me-up and play-me-now” “kid friendly” game for “all ages” (which EA has been doing a lot of lately it seems), they’ve thrown out the depth of Chamber of Secrets (again) and embraced the quick satisfaction of Prisoner of Azkaban‘s gameplay… only as you‘ll soon see this is WORSE than Prisoner of Azkaban, which just sucks and blows! Apparently EA has sold the gamers short by providing a quick flash in the pan game over a deep thought provoker, which is most sad, especially since I fear that before this review is over I’m going to start embracing some of the gameplay mechanics of Prisoner of Azkaban… ouch.

You won’t even need to play this game to figure (probably rightly at that) that you can expect a base commitment of probably 6-8 hours of solid gameplay to put this to bed, since it doesn’t sound all that deep.
And I have to strongly disagree with comments made by the writer

of the article I reference when said writer compared previous Harry Potter games as “watered down Zelda clones”, especially when it comes to Chamber of Secrets. At least Chamber of Secrets gave you some meat to bite down on, and chew on as you played, unlike the next game Prisoner of Azkaban which was way too easy to beat and had no substance to it’s gameplay whatsoever. Goblet of Fire seems the same, and in fact it seems to be even worse to boot. So sure, even if Chamber of Secrets was a “watered down Zelda clone” as the writer suggest then at least it was a GOOD clone that took awhile to play, unlike Prisoner of Azkaban which was over before it began, or the present Goblet of Fire which also seems destined to become instantly forgettable before we even play it.

And it can only get worse from here on out, ‘cause you might as well get ready to throw away all thoughts of using your brain with this game, ‘cause you won’t be needing it! The last elements of actual useful thought required to manage a Harry Potter game, including the interesting puzzles of Chamber of Secrets and a few puzzles from Prisoner of Azkaban, seem to have been thrown away for the most part in exchange for shameless combat levels which should insult you more than entertain you. Gimme a break, dammit!
Then again if you look at then, then look at The Chronicles of Narnia : The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, you see this weird tactic in full swing. Now I know playing a ridiculously complex game is not a cherished thing in gaming, but dumbing the game down to this low level is not smart either!
Now if this is supposed reassure me, and show me the “progress” of the Harry Potter series in coming games, then by golly give me the old days again! You know what? Sure it wasn’t the prettiest Harry Potter in terms of graphics and all, but at least I had more fun back with Chamber of Secrets than I seem to be having with this latest batch of Potter games. Honestly, do we really want to be given yet another mindless hack and slash button masher gameplay to chew on over something where actual thought and strategy is required to defeat the game? No, we don’t need more mindless gameplay! We need quality solid games worth playing, otherwise if they (EA) can’t be bothered to roll out a good game then we (the consumer) should not be bothered to pull out our wallets to purchase said game.
This kind of makes me miss the days of the PSOne Harry Potter games, where the game was actually put out to challenge you, and EA didn’t shoot low (as in shoot for your groin low) to hit “paydirt” with lowered expectation gameplay. Heck, this game is beginning to make Prisoner of Azkaban seem intelligent and fun over what this is promising, and it’s not promising much, so how terrilbe is that anyway!
Even with the promise of multiplayer gameplay the game still could have stood some intelligent action and depth, and while the person who drafted the original article I‘m basing this first look at seems to not mind missing out on I most certainly did miss those. Of course that‘s not to say the original writer of the article I‘m referring to is incapable of deep thought, though I don‘t see the joy and wonders of beat-em-up spellthrashing gameplay level after level like the person who I keep referring to. Yeah, if it’s X-Men Legend or Champions of Norrath I don’t mind button mashers… but at least those games are FUN!!

Of course if this is going to be based on Goblet of Fire then you can’t co-op forever. Like the actual book slash movie of the same name you’ll need to go solo sometimes, which is (of course) keeping in line with the material this game is based on (of course). That brings us to the second part of the game mentioned, the first TriWizard Challenge, the dragons and the golden egg.
In this level you must cast the Accio Charm to summon up your Firebolt, so you can take to the air against a particularly nasty dragon (in order to steal a golden egg which is used in the second challenge).
Now this shouldn’t be too hard. The dragon is tied down tight and… and it chases you… through the Forbidden Forest…. As you dodge trees and structures ala the Endor forest level from Super Return of the JedI…are you serious?!? Yeah. Apparently deep thought goes right out the window for a mock Speeder Bike through Endor level that has Harry dodging trees (“Watch out

for that tree!”) and playing keep away from a very pissed off dragon. Oh, and while you (as Harry) are playing keep away with the trees and pissed off dragon you’ll also need to fly through rings… wow, it’s Superman 64 meets Super Return of the JedI!
Oh joy and bliss! Will the fun never end?!?

Oh, it gets better… much much better… and by that I mean the game (bleeps) on you more. As if the game hasn’t already (bleep)ed on you enough as is. Remember the other fun of previous Harry Potter games, the full roaming capability? Kiss the amount of full-out freedom you had in previous Harry Potter games “goodbye”, ‘cause the people at EA thinks sticking you in a linear path that demands you go where they want you to go is just so much more fun!! And, according to the article writer, the “action screams along at a more realistic pace”… are you kidding me? Yeah, right, heaven forbid I wanted freedom of movement and action ‘cause that‘s just soooo boring! If I wanted reality I’d be playing Call of Duty 2 : Big Red One or the newest Brothers in Arms game, that’s not what I came to the Harry Potter franchise to be straddled with… go figure!! By the way, do you think this can become any (bleep)ier than it is already? I don’t know, but I bet EA is going to try their hardest to make this final level even more (bleep)ier!!

In the last level talked about in the article, we are witness to the second task of the TriWizard Tournament, the “Under the Sea” level. In this level, Harry has to take his newly stolen… uh… I mean “borrowed” Gillyweed, and dives down into the Black Lake where he faces the local waterbreathers in an attempt to save Ron from -- something. Yeah. And wouldn’t you know it, Hermione AND Cho Chang is also in the same lake in the same predictiment! Damn!
In this level you do the ever so unpopular swimming level, where you wander pass shimmering plant life, “penetrated lighting effects” and so forth… well at least your swimming, and not walking on the bottom of the lake ala Champions of Norrath’s underwater level. Harry can swim faster by holding down a button, while he can cast various spells underwater at the same time, all the while working to save Ron and Gabrielle Delacour (the “hostage” for the third school) from the bottom ot the lake. Along the way he’ll need to… ahh… “dispatch” any Grindylows or Merfolk that happen to wander into his way… zap zap.
Now, if the article is to be believed, EA harps about how the gang over at Warner Brothers was “especially impressed with the developer’s (EA) videogame recreation of the scene as it closely mimics that of the movie”. Oh, yeah? Well considering the people at WB don’t seem to concerned that most of the things that made the past games good were spade/neutered out of this game? Ahh… I wouldn’t be so hyped about their opinion if I were you… yeah.

Despite the original article author’s assertations that the game is “definitely shaping up to be better than we first expected”, I have to say the exact opposite is true of “Goblet of Fire”. Throwing away just about everything that made Chamber of Secrets and (oh dear god I’m about to praise it) Prisoner of Azkaban, the game seems to suck even more than the last game, and how bad must Goblet of Fire be for me to actually think of Prisoner of Azkaban in a good way! Even with the promise of many levels, like the Quidditch World Cup Campsite, the Forbidden Forest, the Defense Against Dark Arts class, the three TriWizard Challenges, a bit of Herbology learning (and probably Potions since you had to endure it in the last three games), various “Moody Challenges” and a brawl with Lord Voldemort, the game still seems so lousy.
Practically no puzzles, no freeroaming freedom, no challenge, no fun, nothing.
If the person who wrote the article I referred to is happy with what they saw then they’ve learned to live with less, but for the rest of us this is going to be one instantly forgettable game. Though I do guess the highlight will be seeing how Harry Potter translates to the Nintendo DS slash PSP for their first go on these new handhelds. Anyway prepare to forget when I put out my full review in the coming weeks… just because I’m going to put my gold where my Gringotts is and tell you the truth about Potters & Voldemorts.
So take that, EA, and we’ll see if this truly is a Potter to remember… or forget… in the coming weeks.