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Still fun, but weak in comparison

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 11 / 12
Date: December 16, 2004
Author: Amazon User

The first two HP games were so much fun, they were what actually got me into the series. My kids were playing the games, casting "Flipendo" and "Rictusempra", and I would be calling back "Nintendo" and "Rick December" just to tease them; but they were having SO much fun with the games that I got caught up in them -- and then I had to read the books, and yada yada yada.

So now that I'm hooked on the series, out comes the HP:PA game, and I'm disappointed. The game-story is very weak, and not very well connected to the book-story. Sirius Black is practically non-existant in the game; an afterthought if anything. The Dementors are spooky, but not exactly overwhelming, and not nearly tough enough to defeat -- I did it in two tries, and I'm generally lousy at these things (it took me 20 or 30 tries to beat the serpent in the Chamber of Secrets). As much as Harry had to work to learn the Expecto Patronum charm in the book, the learning / practicing / difficulty of performing it in the game should have been much more difficult.

The game promised being able to play as Harry, Ron, and Hermione -- which is true, you do -- but there's no *choice* in the matter -- the game switches you from one to the next when IT wants you to. There's no option to go through the various challenges as each of the characters, only the one the game selects for that challenge. The rabbit and flying dragon charms that Hermione does are ridiculous. Where did they come from? The Glacius freezing charm is pretty silly too, but at least the sliding tracks are fun.

I was looking forward to flying Buckbeak -- which is neat in the game -- but the going to rescue Sirius is WAY oversimplified. The pixie swarm and the attacking book of monsters are fun, but they seem forced into the game instead of being a natural part of the action. I can accept that the Quidditch playing has moved to the World Cup game, but it is still a loss to the book-game series. Fred & George's shop is okay, but it needs to have some of their pranks there -- Harry should be able to buy those snapper things to torture random students, something like that.

Overall, the game is fun, but it seems more like *any other game* than a Harry Potter game. It's too simple, too short, and too small. I am hoping and expecting MUCH better for the Goblet of Fire game, whenever that comes out.

Disappointing

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 20 / 29
Date: June 10, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban represents money-grubbing at its finest; EA games, based on this offering, realizes all too well that an HP game will sell well, regardless of content. With this mentality, we receive a rather disappointing game. The play is fairly solid, but there is no passion. I suspect I am not alone in wanting to really explore the world of Hogwarts and Hogsmeade, but while this is the best-looking Potter game, there is no opportunity to do so. You cannot look inside desks or investigate the greenhouse, as you could in the previous two. While material for the game boasts that the gamer will be able to visit Hogsmeade, it ends up little more than a cutscene, and there is no wandering around Zonko's or the Three Broomsticks. Part of what made the Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the first XBOX game, so much fun was the (admittedly) brief opportunity to see Diagon Alley. The various challenges of the game are entertaining, but as one reviewer pointed out, far too much focus is placed on them. Merely exploring Hogwarts grows tiresome, as there is always an itinerary; worse yet, you are followed by Hermione and Ron, constantly kvetching about needing to go to class. You'd figure one of the days could be on a weekend. As a plus, you have the opportunity to play as any of the three characters for a sizable portion of the game. Flying Buckbeak, though initially awkward, is a selling point, though it's at the expense of playing Quidditch or even flying the broomstick at all. The mini-games are rather pathetic also, and there's nary a gnome to be tossed. All in all, this last effort is outstripped by both previous Potter games, which is a shame. Maybe eventually, a game will come along that truly captures the essence of Harry Potter. This isn't it.

Very good, but SHORT

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 9 / 9
Date: May 29, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This game was very enjoyable. But just like the first guy said, if you haven't read the book, you are left completly in the dark about sirius and peter, pretty much the whole story line. It makes you feel as it was made in a week. if it didnt have the lupin, dementors, or sirius, you wouldnt know it was prizinor of azkaban. No divination class, one short quidditch cut scene, but if you like harry potter, you should at least try it out. It took about a day to finish and beat the game. The last card is so obvious its not even funny. Enjoy the game!

Azkaban PC is Great Fun

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 11 / 13
Date: June 09, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I bought the PC version of Azkaban about 1 week before the movie came out. I had already read the books and played the other 2 Harry Potter games for PC. I just got the HP Prisoner of Azkaban yesterday for PS2 and am thrilled that [once again] EA Games has made it totally different from the PC version. I'm enjoying the PC version and have completed most of the game, but Dumbledore and McGonagal will remind you to check which tasks in this game you have not completed and you must go back and complete them in order to finish the game completely. So, I'm moving along through the game and enjoying the PS2 version as well. This PC version is bit easier than the PS2 and great for my 4 year old to be able to play and enjoy). I love that with each version of these games, you get different play and spells and adventures in the PC vs Playstation 2 Versions. There are 3 versions (each very different) for the Sorcerer's Stone (PC, Playstation, and Playstation 2 are all different spells and adventures).

Regretfully, the Azkaban PC version is missing a few things from the book Trelawney, Hogsmeade, a fully functional mauraders map, and Quidditch (which didn't break my heart since they have Buckbeak the Hippogriff to fly). I'm happy with it for me and for my 4 year old son's purposes and there are so many little nooks and cranny's to find things in, you can play longer and over and over.

I'm not finished with this PC version yet (Dumbledore and McGonagal keep telling me to check my tasks), but I wanted to let you all know that so far it is moving right along, with some of the most spectacular graphics for both PC and PS2 and you play as either Ron, Hermione, and Harry (these kids are really cute and have the best facial expressions). Switching between the characters is seemless, swift and easy on the eyes. You have to keep track of what each character's special talents are so that you can achieve your goals in the game, utilizing the right character's abilities. Sometimes the 3 kids will get separated and you have to play as just one, but that's very entertaining too. If you get to wandering around too much (exploring) and get sidetracked from your current "mission", one of the kids will remind you what you need to do to get back on track.

I Highly recommend this game, my little boy didn't want to go to bed the first night we had it and we were fighting over the controls - these games have taught him so much about figuring things out, he uses great vocabulary beyond his years including learning a bit of Latin that's in the names of the spells in this game, etc., and the all important hand-eye coordination is improving in him every day. He loves Harry Potter and has played all the PC games, PS2 Games, listened to the books on tape as well as me reading them to him. What a great Franchise with Loads of entertainment. Just awesome and just in time for the Azkaban Movie which is AMAZING as well.

PS: The Gameboy Advance Harry Potter games are different also, so more adventure in those as well.

Prisoner of Azkaban, Prison of good games.

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: July 11, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Hmmmm...it's a tough one. If you're a Harry Potter fan(which I am) then you'd get a kick out of this game. But it needs some improvment.
Okay, looking at the "features" on the back of the box, I can go through each one:
-Play as Harry, Ron and Hermione:
That was one of the best parts of the game! First you're Harry, then switch to Ron to use the Carpe Retractrum spell, and Harry is the only one who can do the Glacius spell, so it's very interesting to be switching around constantly. But it would be better if you could switch characters on your own, whenever you wanted. Still, it's a huge improvment over the last two games.
-Face the Dementors:
It's a kid's game, so the Dementors are easy to beat. If they made those parts trickier, it might be interesting. Expecto Patronum is pretty easy to get a hold of too, and the Dementors make horrible sounds when you kill them. DON'T play these parts with High Volume.
-Fly Buckbeak:
Flying Buckbeak is pretty cool! You just press the right mouse button to make his wings flap, and instead of the rather tedious Broomstick Lesson in the first game, here you're flying over rivers and trees You fly through hoops just like in that Broomstick Lesson, and you can earn a wizard card if you complete it! Very fun, and though there's no Quiditch, (just a cut scene)I thought it was a huge improvement.
-All-New Spells:
The new spells are great! There are four new spells in the game(besides Expecto Patronum):
*Carpe Retractrum(Ron's Spell) This spell is awesome! I loved lassoing Ron over endless pits, and it looks awesome!
*Lapifors(one of two of Hermione's spells) This one can turn Rabbit statues into real live rabbits! You get to play the game from the Rabbit's perspective and switch back to Hermione whenever the Rabbit has done it's work. They're pretty cute, hoping around and eating lettue.
*Dracinfors(Hermione's other spell) Here you turn Dragon Statues into real dragons. It works just like the Lapifors, only the Dragon can fly and breathe fire. That onw was cool,
*Glacius(Harry's spell) My favorite spell! With this you can frezze Salamanders(giant flame breathing lizards) and frezze water fountains into solid ice slides! I really got a kick out of sliding down those! Wicked!

-Best-Ever Graphics:
That would be a matter of opinion. Your computer's opinion to be exact. You need high graphics for your computer, and when you don't(which is us) the graphics suck. In our case "best-ever graphics" is "worst-ever graphics".

Overview:
It's a kid's game, so it's easy to beat and there's not much for it. Secret areas can be found, but not a lot goes for this game. We recently got an Xbox, so if you need to play this game, try the video game version.
Don't forget what I said about the graphics!

An excellent and innovative transition of the books

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: September 22, 2004
Author: Amazon User

The game is fun. Pure and simple. The bunny is amusing and the flying dragon takes concentration and work. The ICE SLIDE is outstanding and, again, takes patience. If the game was too easy,people would complain....if it's too hard...people will complain. Bottom line is - you can't please them all. But the way they made the characters switch was a good, solidly easy play. I'm looking forward to the next one. Great job, guys & girls.

This game is great, despite its lack of length

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 10
Date: May 30, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This was, I must say, agreat game! From the beginning on the Hogwarts Express/Tutorial level you move on t oHogwarts as you weave through the plot of the book. With a whole new inventory of spells, Harry and his friends can do many things. The game was however, too short. I finished it in just 2 days where I expected at least a week. EA really screwed up, they didn't have a practical use of the Marauder's Map, no Firebolt, no Hogsmede, no Quidditch! They really excluded half the book! Where was Crookshanks! Aside from that, they finally go trid of those awful tests before you learn the spells, I hated those. Great game, if you like Harry Potter, I suggest you get the game, if not, get it anyway!

Best-ever graphics!

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 8 / 10
Date: June 05, 2004
Author: Amazon User

In this game,the graphics are spectacular;it was a big improvement from the previous games.The graphics were so good that I was scared half out of my wits when I played against the terrifying dementors.The game is just so magical and beautiful,it leaves you gasping in awe.
The gameplay was great too,it was much more fun to be able to play as Ron and Hermoine.In the game,they go through spell challenges,rescue Buckbeak and Sirius Black,sit for their final examinations and discover the hidden secrets of Hogwarts.I don't think it is a bad thing to leave out Qudditch;it is actually quite refreshing for a change.The game was quite easy but flying Buckbeak was quite a challenge.
However,the whole game was just too short.The producers left out so many things from the book!Ok,in the game you get to rescue Buckbeak,face the dementors and that's about it.If you didn't read the book,you would be left in a daze because there were so many loopholes.Other than that,it was just taking spell challanges and completing your third year at Hogwarts.The game just seem completely rushed and it left me wanting for more gameplay.It took me only about 2 days to complete the game.
In all,the graphics were good,the gameplay was awesome but the whole game was completely wasted because it was just too short.However,i am anticipating the next game and I pray that the gameplay won't be as short as this one.........

Fantastic!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 8 / 10
Date: July 12, 2004
Author: Amazon User

This third installment is excellent. First, you can use all three characters - Harry, Ron, and Hermione. But I think EA could make it a bit better by letting you change characters whenever you want to, like in PS2. One of my classmates has the PS2 version, and switching between characters yourself could be cooler.

The spells are brilliant (no kidding). Carpe Retractum lets Ron fly everywhere (I'm exaggerating), and Draconifors and Lapifors allows Hermione to transfigure these statues into live animals, Glacius provides Harry a chance to deal with fire-dwelling salamanders and slide everywhere. And Expecto Patronum is quite cool, except that you don't have many chances to use it.

Hippogriff-flying may prove a bit of a challenge in the beginning, but once you get the hang of it, it's pretty simple. Still, I think EA should have let the players fly Buckbeak up to the tower to rescue Sirius themselves, instead of turning it into a cutscene.

No Quidditch (only a cutscene). I don't think that's bad. Quidditch is really frustrating anyway. I hate wasting time trying to catch the Snitch. In the previous two games, the Snitch is so prominent (it glows golden and leaves a trail of golden sparks and colour rings behind), it makes you feel it's a pain, chasing everywhere. But perhaps EA could put it as a mini-game, which would satisfy some people.

Graphics are supposed to be excellent, but then your computer's software and hardware has to be tip-top, so in most cases, the graphics might not be so good. However, it is tolerable.

The plot doesn't follow JK Rowling's book very precisely. Basically it's similar, but I hope EA could follow the plot more.

Some reviews here comment that the game is too short. If that is called too short, I suggest they play the first one again. It's about as long. All right, this one might be shorter than the second one, but it's good too. They say they can finish it in one day. How many hours do they play per day. If they play an hour and half each day, they would take five days to finish it. It's better for the eyes anyway.

I would definitely recommend you to buy it. It's a fantastic game!

Prisoner of Azkaban. My favorite book, but not favorite game

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 8 / 10
Date: July 14, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Prisoner of Azkaban is the newest game in the Harry Potter series, and most likely, the worst.
The graphics of the game are horrible, unless you have a very good video card. They come out slightly blurry.
The spell challenges are very, very short, much like the ones in the first game, the Sorcerer's Stone.
Harry is now accompanied by his friends, who follow him. Everywhere. I couldn't take two steps without running into Ron or Hermione.
Pros:
You get to be a dragon and rabbit in Hermione's challenge.
Instead of the four, normal challenges, you get six. There are three spell challenges, and then three finals.
In Harry's challenge, you get to freeze things. And the ice slide is FUN.
More things to trade, instead of bertie botts beans.

Cons:
Bad graphics.
Ron and Hermione are almost ALWAYS around.
They got rid of Flipendo, which I really liked.
It didn't follow the story line to well.
There was not one trip to Hogsmeade.
The school, in my opinion, was to big. I didn't like the scenery, either. I liked the first two games, much better.

It's a good game to get, in my opinion, but be prepared to be disappointed.

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