Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 2

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 2 is the final episode of the games that have faithfully mirrored the release of the movies based on the book series about the boy wizard.

The movie of the same title follows the antics of Harry and his friends in a final stand against Voldemort. Harry and the Order of the Phoenix return to Hogwarts to continue Dumbledore's mission of finding and destroying Voldemort's horcruxes in order to return him to a mortal state. While Harry is at Hogwarts, Voldemort and his army (which includes werewolves, giants and a host of other nasty creatures) arrive to take over the school. This culminates in 'The Battle for Hogwarts', seeing much-loved characters die and Mrs Weasley and Bellatrix Lestrange duel to the death in an intensely exciting face-off.

Unlike the other games in the series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows 2 is more of a third person shooter rather than a narrative game to be played through along a storyline. The player plays initially as Harry, defeating Death Eaters and working through an array of enemy attacks until the Battle for Hogwarts is completed. Then the player can become Hermione, battling the evil werewolf Fenrir Greyback.

The Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 1 game was universally panned as being dreadful, and this game has, for most, been noted as an improvement. However, for many critics this was damning the game with faint praise indeed, as it does not have much merit to it beyond that statement.

The graphics are acceptable but nothing great, and players are torn between enjoying the movie-like segues between the scenes, and decrying their intrusion into what should be mindless shooter action.

Once again, it is the popularity of the books, movies and other (much) earlier games that will draw Harry Potter fans to this game. There is little for the outright gamer, and those who are not out and proud Potterheads will probably loathe the game even more!