Video game review: Magic gets easier in 6th Harry Potter game

Impatient Harry Potter fans can join the young wizard on their video game consoles two weeks ahead of the July 15 movie release of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince."

Both the movie and the video game of the same name from Electronic Arts are based on the sixth novel in J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series and retell the story of the young wizard's life at the Hogwarts School during his sixth year. While the hand-held versions for the Nintendo DS and Sony PlayStation Portable are different, this is a review of the console version as played on the Nintendo Wii.

You become Harry as he helps headmaster Dumbledore retrieve memories about a young Tom Riddle, learn new potions, play Quidditch (a flying game played on broomsticks), duel other students in dueling clubs and fight the evil Death Eaters by using magic. Most of the game is spent accomplishing tasks, some as simple as traveling to a different part of the castle to do something or retrieve an object, while others involve solving puzzles presented by different physical environments.

As with the previous "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" game, this game provides you with the ability to openly explore the breathtakingly spectacular Hogwarts castle and grounds. While exploring this medieval playground, the story unfolds as you accomplish the tasks. In between various challenges, like learning new potions and practicing your magical abilities during dueling matches, the plot is revealed in short video sequences.

However, this is a complex story. If you have never read the book or seen the movie, you might not completely understand what is going on. As presented in the game, the story feels compacted, and at times, somewhat disjointed. One minute you are flying in the air in a Quidditch match, and the next you are sauntering down the halls of Hogwarts.

In "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," Electronic Arts streamlined the game play. Unlike in the previous game, where you could get frustrated by all the walking around following footprints on the floor, the navigation here is easy. Nearly Headless Nick, a resident ghost, can always be summoned to lead you to where you need to go. Plus the passwords to use with the portraits to activate the shortcuts through the castle are introduced early on.

While the variety of tasks seems small and most are pretty easy, this is a fun game to play, especially for wizard wannabees. The detail in the castle is amazing. Staircases move, pictures animate and talk to you, and as you explore, you can find 150 hidden crests that unlock new content and bonus material. Thanks to the use of body scanning, the characters in the game really do look like their counterparts in the movie, and for the first time in a "Harry Potter" game, their faces show emotion.