Welcome all, feels like awhile since I wrote but actually it has only been a week. I have been been busy so it makes it seem longer. Anyway, onto something different this week where I review a mobile game.
Quick background, I have been a Potter Nerd since the first book so I had to immediately download this game. So what did I think of this advertised ‘make-my-own’ character adventure?
The game looks good for mobile, it seems to run on a Sims engine, all the animations and the graphics really bring the Sims to mind. The spells themselves even animate the same way as they did in the Sims games.
So the graphics pass the test, now onto gameplay. This is quite a light aspect of the game, where you can talk to specific people, take part in lessons, duels and events. Talking involves matching the responses to convince your friends to do things. Here you get bonus’ for your stats which comprise of Courage, Empathy and Knowledge. These can add extra points to the conversation progress bar. Another aspect of your stats is the conversations which can lead you to extra pieces or different conclusions to regular conversations. If you have neglected your stats then you can find yourself ‘locked out’.
The lessons in the game show the best point and the worst for this game. The good is that spells are cast using a pattern you can follow on screen. General lessons teach you nothing but they raise your stats. Real lessons give you skills that you use for duels and events. The bad is the well documented energy systems, the stark reminder of the money hungry machine behind the magical world of this game. I find I have to plan my days of when to play the game just so the energy refills coincide with me being able to play it and is a definite major minor on this game. I can honestly say I’d rather have paid a one off fee and just played through this game. (Seriously, this energy system has imprinted the image of my character being choked to death in my mind forever and I will never sleep again).
Dueling is fun when you win, which generally you will. It uses a rock-paper-scissor system and then whoever wins gets to attack with a spell or potion (grenade). Casting the spells is fun as it makes me feel like I’m swishing and flicking my wand. Unfortunately the dueling seems scripted and random, it takes no real skill to find out what your opponent is going to do. I would have rather had subtle clues to look out for to know what they were going to do, since the graphics are good enough to implement that.
The story is above average but since I’m admittedly in the my second year I comment to much on it yet. Mainly it’s a Cursed Vault, my missing brother and teachers who aren’t overly concerned about students dying. The characters are hit and miss so far, with Rowan (Bestie), Ben (the Longbottom predecessor) and Penny (the gossip with hidden depths) being a hit. My rival on the other hand, a miss. She just turns up demanding to be called the best then hating you for no reason, though she has a hidden motive with the cursed vaults to uncover.
Hints to be your own chosen one:
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- There is a few ways to get more energy by tapping in random places. They are:
- Portrait next to stair in east tower.
- Tapping peeves (ew) in the east tower.
- Portrait next to Prefects bathroom west tower.
- House Elf in Dungeons
- Torch to the right of geat hall lower floor west
- Middle suite of armour right of geat hall lower floor west
- Stick next to whomping willow castle grounds.
- Pile of books next to Library lower floor east
- There is a few ways to get more energy by tapping in random places. They are:
- You can get out of lessons halfway through, top up your energy for a small boost.
- Take time to grind your stats up. Worth overestimating how much you need for extra events.
- Save your gems for animals, they provide extra energy which is absolutely essential.