Full Review

11 December 2005 - With the fourth film in the series of books at the cinema, kids everywhere are bound to want to get interactive with the story. But will the game of the movie be as spell binding as the film? We cast a spell and find out.

The game follows the three main characters of the film; Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger as they run around the levels trying to find Triwizard shields.

Along the way, you can play as any one of the three main characters, although unlike the previous outing you won't be able to swap at any point in the mission.

That's not too much of a concern as you there doesn't seem to be much difference between the three of them, and any puppy love sub-plot found in the film won't affect you here.

Each character can cast spells and the game automatically decides which is best for the current task or challenge ahead. The spells range from a levitating one to one that is capable of putting out fires.

The film guides you through a series of levels and puzzles before reaching a dramatic climactic showdown with Lord Voldemort himself.

Along the way, you can collect Bertie Bott's Every-Flavour Beans, which you can get when dropped by defeated creatures, or by casting spells or jinxing as the game calls it random parts of the scenery. The beans serve as currency, which you can use to buy cards to power up each character such as increase spell power or extra health.

Graphically, The Goblet of Fire is good with the likeness of the three characters captured well, and this is bolstered by good voice acting. Older gamers will get annoyed by the constant repetition of spell words throughout the game, but then you can't have everything.

VERDICT
Overall Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is very squarely aimed at the younger Potter audience rather than the more adult gamer and understandably so.

With that in mind the game does a good job, the graphics colourful and the puzzles not too taxing as to cause frustration.

For us where the game succeeds is the ability to have three of you playing at once in co-operative mode all working together to beat monsters and other magical creatures.

It won't beat the films, but it's a good way of carrying on the adventure after you've come home from the cinema.