Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

"Harry's new world"

We all remember Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone for Playstation, at least those who played it, right? Well, if you liked that one, putting aside the crappy stuff, then you're definitely in for a treat. I was disappointed with the first Harry Potter, mainly because it was very easy. I hesitated to buy this one, as I usually rent before buying, but I felt spontaneous that day, so I took a risk. I'm glad I took that risk, as it's a great game, and definitely worth buying if you are a fan of Harry Potter.

Gameplay: This is actually sometimes a challenge. There are puzzles and places that are actually difficult. The controls are simple enough, and there are fun ''sidequests'' to do when you are bored.

Graphics: The graphics are excellent, though not as good as they could be. Nevertheless, you cannot be disappointed with them.

Presentation: Pretty good, definitely easy to navigate. There is much more stuff added, which makes it much more enjoyable.

Story: Though it sometimes, ok, pretty much frequently, strays from the storyline, it still doesn't really take any effect on the game. Actually, it can sometimes be much more enjoyable with this new stuff.

Sound: This was pretty good because they added music from Harry Potter. If you like to hear the music, then you can turn it up from the menu. If you don't, you can turn it off.

Extra goodies: Although there isn't much, there is enough to have fun. You can collect Bertie Bots Every Flavor Beans and ''buy'' things with them. You can get a Nimbus 2000 and fly around Hogwarts, which is very fun, as Hogwarts is now huge, inside AND out. There are rings of color you come across while flying that will add a certain amount of Beans to your collection. There are now 101 Witches and Wizards cards that you can collect. You can also trade your cards with other Hogwarts students. There is now a thing called ''dueling'', which lets you duel with other students. The only bad thing about dueling is that you only do it twice in the game, but it's still fun, nonetheless. There is also the infamous ''Lost and Found'' board. This is found in the Gryffindor Common Room and allows you to search for lost items, that when found and returned to the board, will get you a Witches and Wizard card.

Here is the list of pros and cons: (+=pro -=con)
+Huge Hogwarts that you can explore freely(when you are done with your tasks)
+Huge quidditch field
+voice-overs that actually sound like the people
+good graphics
+gameplay that is actually challenging
+More spells
+sidequests
-very short
-sometimes TOO hard
-not much story

Gameplay: 9
Sound: 9
Graphics: 9
Story:8
Presentation:9
Lengthiness: 6
Overall: 9

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 11/26/02, Updated 11/26/02