EA has released some new information, screenshots and a making-of video (mysteriously titled, "Part 1") for their upcoming videogame adaptation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Of particular note is the knowledge that players are, "free to explore every inch of the castle and its grounds." I'm not entirely sure what that even means in the context of an ever-changing, practically living structure, but EA says you'll be able to explore all of it and you'll do so in an open-world capacity.
In addition to the expansion of the school grounds, there's been some mention of new motion-capture techniques being used to create the character models and animations for the title. I will say, they do look pretty impressive, although some of the characters (such as Snape) strike me as startingly ugly. By the same token, the likeness to Helena Bonham Carter is so spot on that I'm willing to forgive some of those other transgressions.
Check out the video below the fold and the screenshots in the gallery. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince releases next week, on June 30th for every currently supported game system on Earth.
Conrad Zimmerman is Destructoid's News Editor and home to the busiest mustache in the gaming press. An amateur historian and pop culture fanatic, Conrad possesses a nearly limitless wealth of videogame factoids and a passion for the power of games to teach, inspire and entertain. He enjoys reading, writing and turning things which should be fun into work.
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I remember I loved the first three HP games, but back then I was around ten years old, so it's acceptable. That said, once I hit the Goblet of Fire game, I was just... Ugh.
I hated it. I honestly don't know what they were going for, but that was an *awful* game. I never even finished it. But I do remember it being horribly disconnected and a complete mess to try and play. That was a few years ago though, might go back and see if I see it any differently now, although I doubt it.
The Order of the Phoenix got the exploration side of the game right, so if they can actually now fill the school with interesting things to do, I'm set. Also looks like Quidditch might be available to play again from the screens, so that's a massive +1 for me.
I'm curiously optimistic. Don't let me down now, EA.
Presumably, the gameplay footage in the video is from the Wii version (I say that because it's at a 4:3 aspect ratio instead of 16:9). If so, it's impressive for a Wii game. If not, it's pretty ugly for a PS3/360 game.
OotP wasn't bad, just... empty. Other than the main story there was absolutely nothing to do, and no real incentive to explore the castle. And considering how mysterious Hogwarts is, we shouldn't want anything but exploration. It's a shame that there don't seem to be too many RPG-elements in the game (could you imagine how great it would be to take on quests from other students?) though. EA should take a leaf out of Persona 4's book and let us build our own social standings at the school over the course of an in-game year.
Why don't they go back to the more interesting, colorful, stylized graphics of the Chamber of Secrets? Yes yes that's the Wii's current theme, but for serious.. this is creepy.
I don't know, but it seems like all this "open exploration" of the castle is going to lead to a lot of running back and forth and getting lost between missions. Still, for fans it should be a decent experience for a movie based game since they seem to be infusing a good mix of story and gameplay to keep it moving.
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Contest:
1:00 AM on 06.23.2009
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Where's the motion capture? All the animations look stiff.
@-PL-
I once heard someone say they were glad he was dead after they found out he was gay. That makes me sad...
nigga stole my post.
That makes me sad, that makes me pissed off actually
I hated it. I honestly don't know what they were going for, but that was an *awful* game. I never even finished it. But I do remember it being horribly disconnected and a complete mess to try and play. That was a few years ago though, might go back and see if I see it any differently now, although I doubt it.
I'm curiously optimistic. Don't let me down now, EA.
Why don't they go back to the more interesting, colorful, stylized graphics of the Chamber of Secrets? Yes yes that's the Wii's current theme, but for serious.. this is creepy.
Are you serious? Relax on the early Tarintino movies son...
I know exactly what you mean. It took my missus ages to make me read them and I'm so glad she persisted, I don't think I'll ever outgrow them!