Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

"Wii Would like to Be a Wizard"

I recently just got this game, and I've been playing nonstop. I've been around Hogwarts a hundred times over. So now I've come to write this to show you guys what this game is all about.

Story 7/10
I've read the books, and I know it by heart. Actually, one of the very reasons I got this game was to see how well it would follow the story. So, it started out in a park, with the Dementor attack, and Harry sving him. Then he goes to Hogwarts and assembles a student army to rise against this new teacher Umbridge, who is getting rid of all the teachers. Now, this is a good story, but I feel it didn't follow the plot enough from the book. There are some cool parts added specifically for the game, like the gargoyles. You have to find these gargoyles, so when you go to them, you realize they talk! In fact, they're actually quite funny, and one makes a reference to Goblet of Fire. All in all, the story checks out fine.

Graphics 8/10
I've bought and rented some of the big games out for the Wii so far, and I'd like to say, wow. The graphics for this game are truely remarkable, some of the best on the Wii so far. In fact, I'd like to say it surpasses Twilight Princess! If you play games with good gmaeplay and graphics, this game is must!

Music/Sound 8/10
This game continues to impress me! First of all, the music is great, it sounds superbly well done, plus, they brought in an Orchestra to do this! Next, comes the sound. They have a sound for EVERYTHING. And on top of that, they've even brought in some of the actors from the movie to do the voices, so you'll recognize Rupert Grint's voice, and Ralph Fiennes' voice, and many more! This game has some of the best music for a game ever!

The Castle 9.5/10
Now, I've added this category just because it's truely amazing. The game creators took all the movie's blueprints and created on mega-castle. The size has more than doubled since PoA. For a few locations, there is Myrtle's Bathroom, Prefect's Bathroom, Grimmauld Place, Department of Mysteries, the castle grounds, various classrooms, courtyards, bridges, Gryffindor Common Room, the Dungeons, should I name more. This is by far, the most massive Hogwarts yet.

Controls 7/10
This is why everyone's buying this game's version. The Wii controls. You get to use the Wii Remote as a wand! Is that awesome or what? But, some spells have flaws. For one thing, it's hard as heck to cast Incendio, and you have to cast it over and over again in one part. It can be physically tiring at times, but it's rewarding to beat the game.

Replay Value 9/10
There is a ton of stuff to do at Hogwarts, whether it's putting portraits on walls, putting a rubber duck in a bathtub, dueling people, or just exploring, this is where th game truely shines. Actually, I bet some of us will spend hours stacking furniture! This is truely a fun game with good replay value.

Final Score: 8.5

Whether you're a long time Harry Potter fan, or new to the series, you'll definately love this game, and you'll find yourself deeply immersed in the game.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 06/27/07