Spellbound- Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 Review

As the fourth franchise to be given the brick-building treatment (following Star Wars, Indiana Jones, and Batman), gamers could be forgiven if they approached Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 with indifference. Each new Lego iteration has relied on the familiar formula, tasking players to smash objects, collect studs, and building structures, without much deviation. Factor in a handful of reissues for the Lucasarts properties, and the law of diminishing returns should surely be taking effect by now.

While the latest offering from developer Traveller’s Tales doesn’t radically change convention, there are enough tweaks in Harry Potter to dismiss most critics. Players are still encouraged to assail every environmental object is hopes that a stream of studs erupts forth, and using Wingardium Leviosa to assemble objects suddenly makes sense at the Hogwarts school. Yet, the amount of interaction with objects has been escalated, with nearly every object pushing players toward level goals or delivering a comical animation. Later, your magical repertoire is extended  with spells and items which allow players to take control of Ron’s pet rat Scabbers, subdue wild flora, or even grant Harry invisibility. As such, the title implores gamers to return to completed levels and use new abilities to reach previously inaccessible areas. 

Wisely, Lego Harry Potter forgoes the constant emphasis on combat that propelled previous Lego titles along, substituting a more puzzle-based focus.  Completionists will be grateful that stud-spilling precipices have been reduced in rate, while the frequency of irksome AI opponents has also been diminished. Additionally, the intelligence of your sidekicks has also been augmented- typically, assistants take charge, instead of requiring solitary players to switch characters.  For those who prefer the action of zapping an antagonist, the sporadic elimination of a Dementor or boss battle prohibits the proceeding from becoming too brainy. To maintain players’ attention, the title distributes rewards at continuous intervals; you’ll be hard-pressed to find a period where you’re not unlocking an additional character, or rewarded with a copious amounts of currency for solving a mini-puzzle.

Skillfully, all that stud, golden block, and Hogwart crest-collecting has a purpose. The game’s Leaky Cauldron and Diagon Alley areas allow players to spend their studs on a variety of spells, costumes and unlockables, even giving gamers the power to construct their own environments with a rudimentary level  editor. Sadly, budding builders aren’t able to share their creations online- if fact, Harry Potter is an completely local affair, lacking the ability to have a friend join in via Xbox Live. Since Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga offered this option, the absence of an online co-op mode is puzzling.

Visually, Harry Potter‘s mix of convincing backdrops and caricatured brick-based personas admirably interprets the aesthetics conceived by both J. K. Rowling and the directors of the film series. Except for the infrequent screen tearing that continues to plague the Lego series, the game’s delivery is fluid, with no signs of slowdown. As is customary with the franchise, dialog is delivered via word-less grunts and exclamations, which can get a bit tiresome during some of the longer cinematics. On the upside, the cut-scenes are witty enough to wring a smile out of those unfamiliar with Harry’s world.

Lego Harry Potter: Years 1-4 doesn’t present the awe-inspiring flashes of amazement which other games highlight. Instead, the title settles for a steady flow of gratifying puzzles, ubiquitous interactivity, and a myriad of incentives to maintain a player’s interest. Remarkably, the blueprint is as compelling as it was five years ago- I found myself eagerly using new abilities and characters to strip each level of its concealed treasures. Perhaps, the young wizard’s greatest trick was converting an apathetic interloper of the franchise into a inquisitive admirer.