POSTED 1/11/12


HARRY POTTER FOR KINECT

Warner Interactive
Xbox 360/Kinect

Are you a super know-it-all-and-then-some Harry Potter geektastic uber-fan? No? Then POOF! “Quicksmarticus Nickoffo!”, as there’s nothing for you to see here.

...

...

...

...

...

What?! Oh yeah, we can’t nickoffo, we’re supposed to be writing this. Hmmmmm...

Yep, we’re not super know-it-all-and-then-some Harry Potter geektastic uber-fans. Don’t get us wrong, we relish a spot of Potter pool paddlin’ as much as the next person, but the intricate ins-and-outs of storydom as conjured both by Ms Initially Rowling and those who sent her tomes moviewards tend to whoosh over our heads like a quidditch snitchy thingy.

Basically, Harry Potter for Kinect sees 27 bits of the seven flicks plucked from their filmic bosom and presented as minigames, interspersed between elaborate cutscenes. From mixing potions with the deliciously snippety Professor Snape and stabbing ogres in dunnies, to bringing down baddies who can and shall not be named, we’re not talking hardcore gaming. But there’s nothing wrong with that.

Kinect isn’t hardcore. It’s for simpler, gesture-based gameplay with an eye to familial appeal. Some people just can’t accept that. It’s fair, however, to accept when what it’s trying to do just doesn’t work. Myriad gestures here such as waggling wands, punching quidditch opponents out (seriously!) and jumping and ducking work well, but things like grabbing don’t, while aiming accurately at big bads in the distance is a total crapshoot – and crap shoot.

What HP4K excels at is fan service. Any young Potterphile who gets their hands on – erm, off - this will be gleefully shouting spells and contorting about like a speed-addled Iggy Pop in no time. Older fans not so much, while those whose knowledge of young Harold starts and ends with “Oh, that wiz kid in specs?” will have NFI what’s happening – and be ingesting spoileriffic overload should they ever embrace their inner geek.

CLICK THIS!



CLICK THIS!