 | 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 Half-Blood Prince
- Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, Windows, Mac, PSP
- Price: $29-$50
- Genre: Action/Adventure
Common Sense Media says
Dark themes handled with a light touch in this 6th game.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this visually-exciting action adventure game is based on the movie and book of the same name. While the themes in J.K. Rowling's sixth book in the Harry Potter series are darker and more mature than those in the earlier books, this video game does not focus that much on those themes. While kids will fight the Death Eaters at the end of the game, those fights don't seem that frightening because they have been practicing dueling with other kids at Hogwarts throughout the game. Kids will see Harry being kissed. And while the video cutscenes at the end of the game show a main character being hit with a magic spell that causes him to go over the edge of the Astronomy Tower, it happens quickly and then the story moves on.
What's it about?
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE is the sixth Harry Potter game produced by Electronic Arts. This time around, Electronic Arts provides kids with the ability to openly explore a beautifully rendered Hogwarts castle and grounds. The retelling of the story of J.K. Rowling's sixth Harry Potter book is shown through video cutscenes that are triggered by the accomplishment of various tasks. As Harry, you will attend class, help others, practice making potions, go to Quidditch practice and play in matches, and practice dueling. The game culminates with your fighting some Death Eaters. Throughout your castle explorations, you will find Crests to collect which unlock new and bonus content, including the ability to duel with a friend.
Is it any good?
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a good game for kids and casual gamers who are fans of Harry Potter. Because it is an easy game and relatively short (about 8-10 hours in the story mode), it is not a good fit for video game enthusiasts. Because the story is compacted, it might not make sense to those who have not read the source book or seen the movie on which it is based. It is not as deep as previous games; in this one you will basically be brewing potions, dueling using magic, and flying during Quidditch.
What the game does well is provide realistic animations of all of the actors from the movie – you can even see emotion on the characters' faces. And many of the actors have lent their voice talents to the game including Rupert Grint as Ron and Bonnie Wright as Ginny. The wizard dueling is easier than in earlier games because the controls are more responsive (especially on the Wii) and you can now move Harry while he is casting magic spells. Likewise, the navigation is easier because you always have an option of calling up Nearly Headless Nick (a ghost) to lead you through the castle. We also found that flying on a broomstick had improved from previous games.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about why all things Harry Potter are so popular?
How can game creators suck you into the game? Is it by presenting an emotionally charged story line? Or do they hook you by presenting fun activities to do. What happened here?
Is this game different from the book? From the movie? In what way?
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Kid, 11 years old
February 5, 2011
AGE
Kind of Lame
It's kinda easy to beat. I think it's kinda lame. I'm not a big fan of the game. It's a little violent but not really.
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AGE
ok game
i got this game for my b day and it was not the best game ever but it was pritty good. kids under 8 wont really understand the game and plus the game is inaproprete for there age. but if your child is 9 this is a good game for them to play with some iffy content. if your child is older than that then this game is ON for them.
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Kid, 11 years old
September 26, 2010
AGE
the wizard game
i love it but its just to easy.andwhen you fly a broom it pretty much does it for you. the things i love is you get to fight almost everyone that are inthe movie mainly.one more thing i love that you get to practice fighting.
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Kid, 9 years old
June 7, 2011
AGE
9+
Violence: Many battles against the death eaters and sometimes their tense. The dueling club has some spells that can knock you out. Language: A few uses of bloody hell.
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AGE
its a good game if you are trying to get them all
I liked this game there was some stuff in it that could have been twecked i like the dolling the only thing i didn't like about this game was the story stops just like the movie dose
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Kid, 10 years old
March 24, 2011
AGE
best
this game is good.PLAY IT.ON XBOX360
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AGE
Great Game
Dark themes handled with a light touch in this 6th game.
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AGE
Anyone can play it
I love this game but i wished it was longer once you beat the game all you can do is make spells and potions very fun but to short
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| Topics: | magic and fantasy |
| Platforms: | Nintendo Wii, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Nintendo DS, PlayStation 2, Windows, Mac, PSP |
| Available online? | Not available online |
| Genre: | Action/Adventure |
| Developer: | Electronic Arts |
| Release date: | June 30, 2009 |
| Price: | $29-$50 |
| ESRB rating: | E10+ for Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes |
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