Following some two years after EA's first Harry Potter game appeared on PC and consoles, The Philosopher's Stone is finally making an Xbox appearance. And contrary to popular belief, this current generation version isn't merely a direct port of the 2001 original. Here's what's new...
Though the Xbox rendition of Philosopher's Stone is noticeably similar to its older counterparts, there are several major differences in the Xbox outing that make for a bigger, better Harry Potter adventure. Where the first game featured a relatively limited rendition of Hogwarts school for the magically gifted, this all new update takes environments from the Chamber of Secrets offering for a much more convincing and expansive adventure. Rooms that were strangely locked in original are now available for exploration.
Another welcome improvement to the adventure is reduced loading times. Where the 2001 original struggled to keep gameplay flowing because of unwelcome loading screens, the 2003 edition has been designed so the game suffers only a minor pause between scenes. Finally, Warthog has also taken the time to improve the game's cut-scenes. FMV is now far more detailed, and it generally makes the Harry Potter experience that little bit more immersive.
The Philosopher's Stone's intuitive control method remains intact for the Xbox offering, and employs a style similar to Zelda 64 , whereby certain frequently used actions become automatic, such as climbing walls and jumping platforms.
The game offers a challenge to suit everyone. It's a magical experience, but you don't need us to tell you that.