Harry Potter games have been very popular with children and parents alike. Aside from the highly anticipated final book 7 (to be released: July 21, 2007), the 5th Movie and Game are scheduled for release around the same time in July.
Parents and kids who read or listened to the Audio CD of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix will know that the 5th book spends a good amount of time inside the Hogwarts castle. Previous installments had players follow a storyline with optional side quests and left little room to explore. In retrospect, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets provided the most freedom to roam around the castle and grounds, while the most recent Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire offered the least.
Luckily things are about to change…
Publisher and Developer ElectronicArts UK, started working with the movie team to construct a 3D virtual Hogwarts by getting blue prints of the movie sets, going to the exterior locations with tape measurers and high-end digital cameras, and reviewing how these locations have been translated into the movies. The finished game will feature an open world and level with no loading interruptions allowing players more freedom then ever before. To assure high detail and authenticity in all characters, EA went on to scan all faces of the cast. The game will be available on all platforms and gaming consoles starting from the old Gameboy Advanced all the way to the advanced PlayStation 3. Personally, we are looking forward to swinging our Nintendo Wii–mote at the TV. Seriously - what better input device for a magic wand then the motion-sensing Wii-mote… But let’s not get ahead of ourselves, it’s to early to say if EA got the motion sensing right or not.
To help Parents decide if the game is appropriate for their children, KidConfidence will post Screenshots and Gameplay footage before it is available in retail.