Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cup

Richard takes his Nimbus 2000 for a spin

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I've finally come to terms with the fact that I won't be seeing the next exciting instalment of Harry Potter's adventures this Christmas. I will just have to console myself with that other, lesser, wizardry tale whose name temporarily escapes me. This is the season of giving though and if you are looking for something to satiate a Potter obsessed relative then I can report, with some surprise, that Quidditch Cup isn't actually that bad.

If you've seen the films or read the books you may know how Quidditch works. It's a bit like rugby, but with broomsticks, and quaffles and other copyrighted material. After allying yourself to one of the four houses at Hogwarts you'll be taught the basics of the game, namely passing, shooting and tackling. Then you will play your first real match. You will also win that first match, by something like 350 to 0. Then the game will introduce some special moves and the bludger attacks. You will play again. You will win again. You will earn entrance into the Quidditch world cup and compete against the finest of teams. You will play. You will win. This is a very easy game.

The developers have obviously been limited to the rules as laid out in the books. Unfortunately they appear to have been unable to combine the ideas in a way that lends the game much depth, or any depth to be exact. It's shame really because the ideas, on their own, are well executed. Swooping around the pitch, which happily you only need to control in 2 dimensions, is quite exciting. But there is no finesse to passing and shooting, simply hold the button down and release. Bludger attacks tend to put you at a disadvantage as it is quite hard to hit the opponent, compared with tackling which is ridiculously effective. In a multiplayer game the ball changed hands constantly. An obscure bonus system is also present. Most of the special moves, like dodging and bludger attacks, are gained from passing and combo moves. The system with which they are issued though seems completely arbitrary. You can also earn a special team move that consists of a short cut scene at the end of which you score. There is no way to counter the move, that's hardly sporting now is it?

You may have this tingling sensation at the back of your neck that's telling you that something is missing here. Namely the role that Mr Harry Potter himself has in the game, that of the seeker. The seeker has to catch the golden snitch, and doing so earns the team 150 points, likely winning the game. Well the position is present and it is the decider for most matches. I hasten to add that it is the only factor in winning a multiplayer match. During the match any passes, combos and goals you make cause your seeker's bar to increase. The larger the bar the more boosting power your seeker will have. Powering up the meter again seems to fall to a very arbitrary system. When the two bars meet this signals the end of that part of the match and off go the seekers. The seekers then chase the snitch, flying in its wake to charge up the boost, which they can use to catch up with that devilishly fast little ball. It looks stunning as you race all around the track at terrific speed but alas it lacks much depth. Just wait until you're on a relatively straight section and hit that boost button.

Quidditch Cup then is not that bad, but not that great either. Younger players will get a kick out of the speed and colourfulness of the visuals. Parents may be pleasantly surprised to hear a classical soundtrack consisting of Verdi's Requiem coming from a video game. Ultimately though the shallow game play means that this is one present that, unlike the puppy, is just for Christmas.

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By Richard Clifford