Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

The Dementors’ are coming…and this time Harry needs his friends.

In the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban’ videogame, releasing in conjunction with the next movie, Harry Potter’ and his friends Ron Weasley’ and Hermione Granger’ return to Hogwarts’ School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As teenagers back for their third year of study, they are engaged in the mystery surrounding Sirius Black’, who has recently escaped from the infamous wizard prison Azkaban.

For the first time, companion gameplay will allow gamers to play as Harry, Ron and Hermione, utilizing each character’s unique attributes and spells to solve team-based tasks and progress through the game. The three friends will need to combine their strengths and master a variety of fantastic new spells as they battle to overcome Harry’s most terrifying opponents yet: the Dementors, dreaded guards of Azkaban prison.

From the opening scene on the Hogwarts’ Express to the climactic closing finale on the shore of the great lake at Hogwarts, the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban videogame immerses the player in the fictional world of Harry Potter with captivating gameplay and stunning environments and graphics that beautifully bring to life the magical world familiar to anyone who has seen the films.

Players will encounter a host of new characters and creatures, engage in a variety of sub-quests, fly on a Hippogriff, explore previously unseen areas of Hogwarts with the mysterious Marauder’s Map and take on their friends in multiple Mini-Games, including Duelling Club and Owl Racing, as they take part in the most exciting and challenging Harry Potter videogame adventure yet.

FEATURES * Play as Harry, Ron and Hermione – Change between characters at any time to unlock the secrets of Hogwarts. * Face the Dementors – Can you overcome the dreaded Azkaban guards? * Fly Buckbeak’ – Fly the Hippogriff around the towers of Hogwarts and use his immense strength to help you in your adventure. * Unlock the Marauder’s Map – Explore more of Hogwarts than ever before. * Mini-Games – Including Dueling Club and Owl Racing. * All New Spells - Freeze creatures, control flame-breathing dragons and conjure a Patronus.

PlayStation 2 Additional Features: * Fantastic EyeToy’ After School Activities – Play with up to 4 players with 6 different games to choose from: * Players are sorted into Hogwarts houses and compete in all the Mini-Games before facing the final quick-fire round. * Chocolate Frogs: Clap your hands together to catch a Chocolate Frog and make a nice, chocolaty mess! * Seeker Practice: Now everyone can improve his or her Seeker skills by attempting to catch the ever-elusive Golden Snitch’ - just watch out for the Bludger! * Gobstons: Smash all the Gobstones you can, bursting them near other stones for more points. * Exploding Snap: A popular pursuit of Hogwarts pupils, Exploding Snap requires players to match their cards with the snap card to create explosions and increase their scores. Chaining correct guesses together produces even more explosions!

Source:

Electronic Arts UK website - PS2/Xbox/GC

Help Harry, Ron, and Hermione find the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Young teens Harry Potter and his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger return to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for their third year of study. In the darkest Harry Potter tale yet, they are plunged into the mystery surrounding Sirius Black, who has recently escaped from the infamous wizard prison Azkaban.

Features

• Play as Harry, Ron and Hermione - Change among characters at almost any time as you work with your friends to unlock the secrets of Hogwarts
• Face the Dementors, the dreaded Azkaban guards
• Connectivity - Connect to the Game Boy Advance to look after and race your own owl with the Owl Care Kit
• Fly Buckbeak the Hippogriff around the towers of Hogwarts and use his immense strength
• Unlock the Marauder's Map to help you explore more of Hogwarts than ever before
• Unlock three minigames: Dueling Club, Owl Racing and Hippogriff Flight Challenge
• All New Spells - Freeze fire-breathing enemies with Hermione's Glacius and conjure a Patronus

At the heart of the story is the enigmatic -- and fearsome -- Sirius Black. A convicted killer, Sirius has escaped from Azkaban prison and is headed straight for Hogwarts -- and Harry. However, the Dementors who guard Azkaban prison are pursuing Sirius. These wraithlike creatures have an overwhelming effect on Harry. Whenever a Dementor is near, Harry loses consciousness.

In addition to dealing with the Dementors and Sirius Black, Harry, Ron and Hermione have their own fires to put out at Hogwarts. Whether it's looking out for Malfoy or making it to class on time, the trio never lack for adventure.

All for One and One for All

The most welcome innovation this time around is three-companion gameplay, which nicely captures the sense of camaraderie that's so integral to the series. Most of the time you can freely switch control among Harry, Ron, and Hermione, utilizing each character's unique attributes and spells to solve team-based puzzles and progress through the game. The friends must stand on levers to make platforms rise or stairways appear. Sometimes, two will have to heft a big crate onto a lever. Longtime gamers may be reminded of the Super NES game The Lost Vikings in which you must manipulate three characters to solve puzzles and defeat enemies.

However, the assignment of individual skills in Azkaban feels arbitrary. Harry carries the map and can jump farther than the others, while Ron can find hidden passages and items and Hermione can master spells better than the boys. But on the third day, for no reason that's obvious, the developers decided to usher Hermione offstage and give Ron the Lumos Duo spell.

The game is divided into days. Starting in the Gryffindor dormitory, Harry, Hermione and Ron venture out to explore Hogwarts, attend classes, learn new skills and more. Of course, he's typically sidetracked by adventures.

In the game's very first scene -- aboard the Hogwarts Express, Professor Lupin comes to the friends' rescue when they're attacked by Dementors -- you'll receive the Folio Bruti, which displays info on magical creatures. Throughout the game, you'll have to collect the folio's missing pages.

You also collect Collector's Cards, which are organized into sets. You'll earn a special reward for each complete set. Early on, for example, one set boosts Hermoine's health. Collect Bertie Bott's Every-Flavor Beans to spend at Fred and George's Shop on the sixth floor.

A Handsomer Harry Potter

Graphically the game continues the progress from the two earlier Harry Potter console games, with more detailed models in the many cut-scenes and more spectacular particle effects. Hair -- always a big challenge -- is particularly convincing. Battling opponents also received an upgrade over previous Harry Potter games. Graphically, there's much more going on and more color is involved. When Harry casts Flipendo, for example, he can target on an opponent, then the blue streak of Flipendo sails across the room and explodes like fireworks on his opponent.

Each character can cast two spells assigned to the X and Y buttons. To cast a third spell, you would need to unequip one spell and equip a new one. Most of the time, however, you won't need more than two spells.

The tutorial is integrated nicely into the gameplay, but be warned that the difficulty level ramps up sharply on the third day, when Harry and Ron must save Neville from a ghoul. Because the map lacks detail, you'll do a lot of repetitive exploring in the first few days.

Purchase the Owl Care Kit from Fred and George's shop for 50 beans, then link to your Prisoner of Azkaban Game Pak to unlock your very own owl. Feed, groom, exercise, pet and teach your owl, then upload it to the GCN game to participate in owl races.

Bottom Line

The three-character gameplay is a terrific enhancement -- and just in time. With Sirius on the loose and headed to Hogwarts, Harry needs all the help he can get!

Source:

www.nintendo.com – Nintendo GameCube

For the first time gamers will play as friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger as well as Harry Potter, switching between characters and utilizing their key attributes and skills to resolve challenges and overcome enemies. The three friends will need to combine their strengths and master a variety of new spells as they face Harry's most terrifying opponents yet: the escaped convict Sirius Black and the Dementors, the sinister guards of Azkaban prison.

From the opening scene on the Hogwarts Express to the climatic finale on the shore of the great lake at Hogwarts, the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban videogame will immerse players in the magical world of Harry Potter. Players will unravel the mystery surrounding Sirius Black and his escape from the infamous wizard prison Azkaban. Gamers will encounter a host of new characters and creatures, engage in a variety of sub-quests, fly on a Hippogriff, reveal the secrets of the Marauder's Map, and take on their friends in multiple two-player challenges.

Source:

www.nintendo.com.au – GameCube

The third instalment of EA's game-of-the-film-of-the-book arrives this summer, with the boy wizard's latest outing enhanced by some EyeToy magic.

The phenomenally popular children's series is back in its third incarnation, as EA conjures up Harry Potter's adventures on PS2 just in time for a movie-game tie-in this summer. And as well as being charged with the same magical charm as the previous titles, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban now features EyeToy compatibility, so amateur alchemists and budding wizards alike can practice their incantations in front of the telly.

Following the film's plot closely, the videogame version of Harry's endeavours sees you returning for more wizardry and witchcraft at the hallowed halls of Hogwarts, with good pals Hermione and Ron in attendance. The story picks up with the spell-casting trio aboard the Hogwarts Express, with their journey rudely interrupted by Harry's arch-nemesis Draco Malfoy and his gang of malcontents spoiling for a fight. But it seems the young apprentice may have a far more formidable enemy to tackle this time...

Based on JK Rowling's book of the same name, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban sees the boy-wizard pursued by Sirius Black - an inmate of the notorious jail, suspected of murdering Harry's parents. And, in addition to this new foe, Harry must also face the sinister Dementors, Azkaban's ghoulish prison guards.

As ever, EA brings something new to the mix, with Harry's latest outing containing a range of EyeToy compatible minigames, suitable for up to four budding wand-wavers. Don the 'Sorting Hat' and get mobile for Chocolate Frogs, Exploding Snap, Seeker Practice and Zonko's Joke Shop - delightfully entertaining challenges that will be familiar to fans of the series.

Players can now assume the roles of student spell-casters Ron and Hermione too, and switch between the trio of friends depending on the situation you're in. So, for example, you can swap from Harry to Hermione if you need to cast a Freeze spell, or make use of Ron for his sixth sense abilities.

The whole thing is all wrapped up in eye-strokingly pleasing graphics which reflect the continuing maturity of the series, translating the magical quality of the books and films with style.

• Play as Harry, Hermione and Ron, and utilise the characters' unique abilities
• Plug in your EyeToy for a range of four player minigames: Chocolate Frogs, Exploding Snap, Seeker Practice and Zonko's Joke Shop
• Unravel the mystery surrounding Harry's parents and Sirius Black

Source:

uk.playstation.com

In the Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™video game, Harry Potter™ and his friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger return to Hogwarts™ School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

As teenagers back for their third year of study, they are engaged in the mystery surrounding Sirius Black, who has recently escaped from the infamous wizard prison Azkaban.

• Play as Harry, Ron, and Hermione: Change between characters at any time to unlock the secrets of Hogwarts.
• Face the Dementors: Can you overcome the dreaded Azkaban guards?
• Fly Buckbeak: Fly the Hippogriff around the towers of Hogwarts and use his immense strength to help you in your adventure.
• Unlock the Marauder's Map: Explore more of Hogwarts than ever before.
• Play two-player minigames: Including Flying Seahorse Fishing and Dueling Club.
• Cast all-new spells: Freeze creatures, control flame-breathing dragons, and conjure a Patronus.

Source:

www.xbox.com