Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Electronic Games

Microsoft's favourite quote of late, 'Only on Xbox' is not exactly going to be of any use here, as Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets has been ported to all seven possible current platforms. With the exception of the two Game Boy versions and that of the ageing PSX, the game is pretty much identical across the board, appearing in the form of a third person 3D adventure. Anyone who has read the book or seen the film will be familiar with the plot, which involves the young trainee wizard returning to Hogwarts for a second year of alchemy and algebra. Ignoring Dobby the house-elf's grave warning that disaster will strike if he returns to the school, Harry soon finds himself entangled in a dark plot against his 'Mudblood' classmates, as students keep turning up petrified. Could Draco Malfoy be to blame, or is something even more malevolent at work? Enter the world of Harry Potter, a free-roaming 3D environment in which you get to explore all the familiar haunts, attend new classes, and learn second-year spells, as you embark on the quest to uncover the true identity of the 'Heir of Slytherin'. Along the way, you get the opportunity to chat with characters like Moaning Myrtle, shop in Diagon Alley, and explore the convoluted corridors of Hogwarts. This is, of course, the game of the film of the book about a wizard, and you're bound to expect a fair amount of spells and magic. Well you'd be right to expect this, because spell-casting plays a large part in the game. The emphasis here though is on getting them right - if you miscast a spell you end up with some humorous or possibly critical consequences. Just one thing - is there a spell I can cast to make my hands bigger so I can play the Xbox version comfortably? Younger hands, and no doubt it will be the younger generation who will take to this game, will probably prefer the new S-Controller from Microsoft.

Buy Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets for 4.99 GBP

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