 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
- Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi, Windows
- Price: $49.99
- Genre: Third-person shooter
Common Sense Media says
Dull shooter fails to capture the magic of Rowling's story.
Parents say
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is a third-person shooter game that substitutes wands and magic for guns and bullets. There is no blood or gore, and very few characters truly die, but players will nonetheless defeat and make disappear hundreds of enemies while casting spells in much the same way shooters see players dispatching foes with guns. Parents should also note that, as a promotional tie-in with the new film of the same name, this games feeds into the cycle of merchandising surrounding J.K. Rowling’s wildly popular franchise.
What's it about?
The obligatory interactive spin-off of the final film in one of the biggest movie franchises in history, HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2 is a magic-themed third-person shooter that closely follows the story of the final film. Players get to control several of the series’ most popular protagonists -- including Harry, Hermione, Ron, Professor McGonagall, Neville Longbottom, and even Seamus Finnigan -- as they work through familiar events that range from a trek through Hogsmeade to the final showdown with arch-villain Voldemort. Our protagonists’ repertoire of magic quickly grows throughout the game to include a variety of recognizable offensive spells including the weak but speedy "stupefy" and the much more powerful (but slower to charge) explosive spell "confringo." Story missions can also be played outside of the campaign in the form of challenge levels, which see players attempting to complete objectives as quickly as possible.
Is it any good?
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 loses some of the broad appeal enjoyed by other installments in the series by focusing almost solely on frenetic action and fast-paced shooting. Earlier entries had players solving puzzles and working through platform-style challenges, but this game is simply about shooting spells at enemies, taking cover when necessary, and slowly advancing toward objectives. The magic of J.K. Rowling’s franchise is lost.
And while the controls feel fine and everything looks okay -- dynamic lighting effects allow individual sparks from spells like "expulso" to each act as a source of illumination as they twirl down dark, murky caverns -- there's just not a lot here. The campaign can easily be completed in a day, and the only reason to replay the game is to find any collectibles you may have missed the first time through. Even die-hard Harry Potter fans are likely to be disappointed by this one. Gamers would do better to wait for the upcoming Lego Harry Potter sequel.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about violence in games. Do you view this game the same way you would a typical third-person shooter? How does it differ from other shooters, and do these differences significantly change the tone of the game?
Families can also discuss the depiction of love in games. Do you feel the same kind of emotions while watching romantic scenes in games that you do when viewing romantic moments in films? How do game romances feel different than those seen in other forms of media, and why are they different?
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Kid, 10 years old
July 17, 2011
AGE
what do i think?
i dont know?
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AGE
Reviewing the movie (13/7-11)
I watched the movie at the world premiere (not possible to comment on it yet on this page) and here's what I have to say:
3D is well worth your money, effects are excellent and actors are doing a good job. The movie looks very good throughout its entirety and Alan Rickman is convincing.
A very, very good movie and the best in the series for sure. Some cursing "bloody" "b*tch" (an epithet well worthy of that person, who died in an awesometastic way). IMPERIO: GO SEE IT!!!
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AGE
THREE HOURS!
THREE HOURS LONG. You can complete this game in three hours. This is not some $10 bargain bin game. This is a $50 release. Way overpriced. What's the gameplay like? It's like every other game in the past 4 years, a gritty FPS. This is less like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and more like Harry Potter: Call of Duty. Replace wands with guns and you have a FPS. Under no circumstances should you get this. It won't satisfy Harry Potter fans, it won't satisfy COD fans, it won't satisfy RPG fans, it is a game without a target audience. Go see the movie 5 times if you want a better (And longer) experience.
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Kid, 12 years old
August 6, 2011
AGE
Epic
epic intense and extremely addicting
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AGE
Doesn't Capture the Book/Film.
This is wizard Call of Duty!
Bad, just bad.
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AGE
YUP
AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!BEST GAME IVE EVER PLAYED!VILONCE POO BUY THIS GAME NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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| Topics: | magic and fantasy |
| Platforms: | Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi, Windows |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Third-person shooter |
| Developer: | EA |
| Release date: | July 12, 2011 |
| Price: | $49.99 |
| ESRB rating: | T for Fantasy Violence |
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