Off the Shelf Media

Welcome back, my fellow Potterheads. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets is my favorite Harry Potter movie and my favorite Harry Potter game. I played it repeatedly as a kid so this review is filled with nostalgia. Take that bias for what it is, but this game rocks. It’s a much better sequel to the PlayStation 1 version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone but it was released before the PlayStation 2 version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. I’ll be referencing the PS2 version throughout this review so don’t get confused. 

Gameplay: 2

The gameplay for this game is similar to its counterpart. You play as Harry during his second year at Hogwarts. You go to class to learn new spells, collect lost goods to earn more house points, play Quidditch, collect Witches and Wizard cards for background history and lore,  collect jelly beans to buy items and upgrades, and there are plenty of puzzles and mysteries to unlock. For a more detailed review of the gameplay, check out my review for the other game here. 

The main changes here are the targeting and camera work are more manageable for a player. The lock-on system is easier to maneuver and Harry doesn’t go YUCK every time he picks up a Bertie Botts Every Flavor bean. 

This game introduces the dueling system, which can be frustrating but is still fun. It acts as an excuse to add mini-bosses to certain areas (dueling Crabb Goyle and Malfoy for example) which add depth and pad the runtime. It’s also part of the story so I’m glad they put it in here.

The flow of gameplay can be interrupted by loading screens, but I don’t knock the game for that. It came out in 2002 and the scope and size of the maps were a lot to take on at once. I can wait 10 seconds for the game to load the entire Hogwarts grounds. It’s not the end of the world. 

Story: 1

Harry is excited to go back to school after a long summer with the Dursleys. What he didn’t expect was a visit from a house-elf named Dobby warning him of danger at school. That danger turns out to be the Chamber of Secrets. A myth from one of the founding members of Hogwarts, Salazar Slytherin. Legend has it that the chamber is home to a monster that only the heir of Slytherin can control. Harry and his friends soon find themselves deep in the mystery of who opened the chamber and what is petrifying fellow students. 

Let’s just say that EA didn’t waste the license to the rights. The story is true to the book and movie but they make few changes here and there. For example, they don’t include Minster of Magic Cornelious Fudge in the game. All the major story beats are there. Harry does chores at the Burrow, gets lost in Knocktern Alley, crashes into the Whomping Willow, learns how to duel, crafts the polyjuice potion, meets Aragog, and enters the chamber itself. 

The game does a nice job of organizing these beats and weaving them into a fluid narrative fit for a video game. You have missions during the day, which consist of going to class, playing Quidditch, and sneak missions at night including the polyjuice potion and going into the forbidden forest. 

Unfortunately, it’s not an original story so it’s hard to give it a perfect score. Call me principled, but I think it’s cheating to get a perfect score off someone else’s story. 

Atmosphere: 2

It legitimately feels like Hogwarts. The developers nail the look and feel of the movies. The animation is clean and the spell sound effects add to the realism. The opening scene sets the vibe with an action-packed cutscene. I have no idea why Harry, Ron, and Hermione are going over a bridge over lava but it shows off the graphics engine, the character models, the music, and the scenarios players can see themselves in the game. 

You legitimately feel like a Hogwarts student looking for supplies when you walk down Diagon Alley and enter its shops. 

The dungeons of the castle seem like a terrible place to live and it almost makes you feel sorry for Slytherins. 

The Forbidden Forrest is a maze with plenty of twists and turns to keep you distracted from your mission. As someone who likes to explore every nook and cranny, I’m all here for it. 

The character models are solid. You can tell you’re looking at Ron, Hermoine, or Hagrid. The voice acting is off, but that’s to be expected with video game adaptations. The cutscenes are also well-animated. Flying the car to Hogwarts and crashing into the tree is one of the most memorable scenes in the game. 

Overall, the game is solid and technically sound from top to bottom. 

Value: 2

I’ve played this game front-to-back multiple times. I’ve collected every single Witch and Wizard card. I’ve bought every single upgrade from the Weasley’s shop. I can tell you where most of the bulletin board items are. Yeah, I got my money’s worth out of this game. 

It’s 2024 and it’s a game I’d play again today. 

Duration: 2

Top to bottom, you can complete this game in 10-12 hours. I’d say that’s on par with a lot of games from this time. It’s also based on a movie so they have a head start on length. EA squeezes every minute out of that 10-12 hours, though. They could have added more filler, made up sidequests, or tried to be a better writer than JK Rowling, but they didn’t.

They chose quality over quantity and they packed a lot into 10 hours of gameplay. I can’t say the same for most modern EA games. 

Total Score: 9/10

The nostalgia got me when I played this one again for this review. The game hits all the right feels for me. In another world, I’d give it a perfect 10, but original stories go a long way. This is a game based on a beloved franchise and it does this entry justice. 

Next up is my Prisoner of Azkaban review. I wasn’t a fan as a kid but playing it back as an adult surprised me. Let’s see how it does! I’ll see ya there, but until then, y’all take care.