SnitchSeeker.com - Half-Blood Prince video game Wii preview

IGN has a new preview article on the Half-Blood Prince video game for the Nintendo Wii. We learn how the story is told, how Quidditch is played, how to brew potions, how to duel and how to explore.

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I've adventured through about three hours of the game so far and am mostly impressed with EA's presentation, despite some small frustrations. The storyline, which seems to mirror that of the movie, is told through pre-game cut-scenes in addition to in-game cinematics and dialogs between characters.

In my time with the game, Harry has been challenged to prove himself as the Quidditch team captain. In this year's game, Quidditch has thankfully returned, but it probably doesn't play as you think it might. Rather than direct control over the famous seeker, you point at the screen with the Wii remote and guide Harry through a series of stars placed around the field. I suppose the developer decided upon this control method because it is easier for anybody to pick up and play and truth be told, it works very well, enabling a very fast sense of speed and therefore intense Quidditch matches. You can still bump opponents out of your way by guiding Harry into them with the on-screen reticule, which works well.

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As always, Harry, Ron and Hermione remain at odds with the Slytherins and in particular Draco Malfoy, who has gone missing off the Marauder's Map on several occasions and seems to be up to something especially seedy. As Potter explores the huge school, he will sometimes find himself hijacked by Slytherin bullies, who want nothing more than to duel against him with their wands. More serious encounters take place throughout the game, starting at Ron's house and continuing alongside Dumbledore.

In these situations, you control Harry with the nunchuk's analog stick, press the A button for a quick sidestep, and cast spells by making gestural motions with your Wii remote. The system works pretty well, in my experience, although Potter is a little slow on his feet. Cross the Wii remote and nunchuk to cast a protective shield and motion forward with the Wii remote (and nunchuk) to shoot forth damaging magic. Later duels are adequately difficult and you will find yourself using protective magic just as often as you go on the offensive. However, early encounters are so easy that as soon as you knock an opponent down, you can pounce and they'll be finished for good.

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And then there's the exploration element, which is daunting because the school is absolutely gigantic. Thankfully, you can press the minus button at any time and Nearly Headless Nick will appear to guide you to your next destination, which makes navigation so much easier. Nick will even chat with you along the way and there's some well-written banter. There are also lots of shortcuts by way of paintings on walls, but if you'd prefer to see the sights, you can hold down Z-trigger and Harry will sprint. The camera provides a fish-eye view as he runs at full speed and moving him left or right becomes more difficult.

It kind of reminds me of running in Gears of War, which is a comparison I never thought I'd make. One thing that really stands out about Half-Blood is the construction and presentation of Hogwarts. It just seems to be much more connected and polished than it has in previous games, and for Potter fans like myself, that's a great treat because we've all wanted to explore the school at one time or another. The one drawback to this streaming world is that the framerate is never quite good -- it always appears to be running a little slower than I would like and there are even times it chugs noticeably.