Lego, Harry Potter and X Box ...a Winning Combination!

Following on from years 1-4 comes the next instalment of the Lego Harry Potter gaming experience.  Based on the final 3 books, players get to enjoy Harry's heroic adventures in the wizardry and Muggle worlds!  Available on all platforms, the game builds up to the ultimate battle between Harry and Voldermort.  With new challenges, over 200 characters to unlock, more magic and levels that include exploring Grimmauld Place, the Ministry of Magic and Godric's Hollow, this is the ultimate game for Harry Potter fans!  We were sent the XBox 360 version to try out.

My kids love Harry Potter, Lego and the XBox...so we were onto a winner from the outset!  They hadn't played the first game but it didn't matter.  From the first introductory film clip, they were mesmerised.  The storyline is very true to the films which delighted them as they played.

The levels are big and impressive looking with lots to explore and discover.  Your character can interact with the environment which is really pleasing and fun! The graphics are colourful and smooth and it looks great with massive attention to detail.  With collectibles, things to unlock and puzzles to solve, this is a game that will last for ages.  You can play as different characters, switching between them with a press of a button.  This allows you to complete different tasks.

Harry uses his wand to cast spells to solve problems with satisfying results.  It is magic!!  More spells are unlocked as play progresses.  There is some potion making and broomstick flying too.  This game captures all the fun of being a wizard!

The game is recommended for ages 7+ as it contains scenes of 'violence' and 'fear'.  The storyline does have some very dark elements but the gameplay is not at all scary and is handled lightly and with humour.  The death eaters are really quite sweet!  It is made to be fun and to appeal to younger children and adults alike, and there are lots of laughs along the way.  There is of course an element of battling involved as 'he who can't be named' inevitably meets Harry in their showdown!  But it isn't a violent game...after all, they are Lego characters!

Kizzy aged 9 found the levels challenging, but in a good way that adds to the longevity of the game.  Things need to be done in a certain order so that the gameplay progresses, but there are a lot of clues to point you in the right direction.  The satisfaction of completing each step was met with whoops of joy and cries of "I did it!!"!   She also loved exploring the landscape and making the characters do silly things like whizzing down a slide, flying through the London Eye or swimming in a pond!  She was thoroughly entertained by this visual treat.

Lego Harry Potter Years 5-7 is available on all formats with prices starting from £17.99.  The XBox game currently costs £35.71 on Amazon.  It can be played by 1 or 2 players with a drop in/out co-op mode. We are extremely impressed with this game which appeals to Kizzy, her 15 year old sister and their 42 year old dad!  It's nice to have a game that the whole family can enjoy together and assist each other in working out puzzles.  This is definitely another great game in the Lego video game range!  A perfect present for playing over Christmas!