If anyone needs help getting the first three Harry Potter games to run on Windows 10, I've made a video that explains why they don't work, how to get them to run, and other useful graphical fixes! ua-cam.com/video/mDL3IUeo_wo/v-deo.html
I could play Prisoner of Azkaban on Windows 11 off the disc. I only ran into a problem when the first imp was frozen, which I fixed by editing Default.ini to change to OpenGL rendering. Though I believe some textures were mistakenly displayed as black.
What's rather funny about some of the highlighted dialogue, including Harry's one-liner about trouble, or Harry and Hermione's exchange with Sirius upon releasing him, is that it is lifted verbatim from the book.
It's such a shame that those games are in a copyright Limbo. It'd be awesome if we see a re-release of all HP games with Wide-screen support and functioning on Win 10
@@onlynexg301 Essentially the main issue is the CD key check doesn't work as Windows stopped supporting the key checking software due to it being a security flaw. To play the games after you install them normally you need to find a cracked exe file that bypasses the key checking software. I've posted some links in the description of the first two games, and I think oldgamesdownload.com has downloads for the games with the no disc exe file for all three games too. For any other in-game bugs, pcgamingwiki has some tips on how to get past them (I had some with the third game, such as the first imp freezing, and then the game crashing a few times cause of the graphics engine or something).
I’m not gonna lie as a kid my parents basically outlawed Harry Potter or atleast on my moms side, but I did however get my first glimpse of the first two movies and games from my father when spending time with him (divorced parents obvi) I was amazed, unfortunately I didn’t spend much time with my father before his passing and never got to see the year 3 and on until literally 3 days ago I had just forgotten about the series and holy shot after rewatching I’ve been in awe at the sheer beauty of this franchise and I feel now like life has come full circle and I’m in love 🤷♀️😅😍
I was always baffled by a question while playing this game. Why does the school allowing its students (Fred and George) to run a black market on its grounds?
The other day I was actually thinking...what do Fred and George do with all those beans over the summer? Are they able to convert them into real money? 🤔
I don't think the school exactly approves of that black market, but it's just that Hogwarts has so many magically hidden rooms and passageways (that even the staff wasn't aware of), that Fred and George are able to take advantage them to run their market (having the Marauder's Map definitely helped). Remember how they had access to an entire dungeon filled with beans for their prank at the end of Harry Potter 1 PC?
8:53 "They control similarly to Buckbeak." Ya know, it's funny you mentioned that, 'cause if you use cheats to go through the wall at the start of Buckbeak's flying challenge, you'll actually find Hermione waving her wand while looking in your direction, which reveals that the developers just reskinned the dragon to look like Buckbeak and tweaked the hitboxes/controls to match the larger creature.
Yeah, I remember back when I was a kid, I would often mess around with debug modes and various other cheats to have more fun, since these games don't have much replay value. I learned a bit about game development through this, as it turns out that Buckbeak isn't the only example of recycled code/objects. If you spawn a Dementor in levels where you play as Hermione or Ron, they _are_ able to cast Expecto Patronum, although Harry's voice is still heard. This leads me to believe that both characters are just modified copies of Harry. (Sidenote, the Dementor seen at the end of the train is actually a separate entity in the code, hence why Ron can't cast at it, despite the aforementioned recycled Harry code.)
I feel exactly the same - i think they focused more on a major graphical upgrade (they went from using the Unreal Engine to using Unreal 2) and the game has a lot more spectacle but not enough content. The fun exploration of Hogwarts is devoided of hidden walls and chests that require a new spell to open, and I feel like allowing you to change characters at will would have a bigger impact on the game. For example, if you changed it so that only Harry can cast spongify, only Ron can cast Lumos and only Hermione can cast Alohomora, you would be able to come up with more interesting puzzles and secrets around the castle. Even still, this trilogy is awesome and I find myself replaying these games over and over again
I don't think it makes sense for basic spells such as Depulso, Lumos, Alohomora and Rictusempra to be restricted to one character. I think they could've brought back more spells from previous games such as Diffindo and Incendio and make those exclusive to Harry and Hermione, and make Spongify exclusive to Ron.
I'd go a little further and point that, other than the chests and reduced castle exploration, I also found the game lazy in comparison to the first two when it comes to the usual challenges... like for instance, did you realise how many Lapifors statues were in this game outside of the spell challenges and final tests? That's right, one. Two Draconifors statues, two Carpe Retractum purple balls... yeah. The library challenge is basically two rooms and a corridor. The Expecto Patronum is also incredibly short (at least the PS2 version was somewhat challenging). When you get to the Shriecking Shack (that part's cool), you're surprised that you're already that far in the story. lol I really like the game, not only it's nostalgic but it's fun too. I just hink it was a letdown. I'd rank it below Chamber, Stone and Order, over Goblet and Prince (never played Deathly Hallows)...
This game is so frustrating. I absolutely love the first two, especially the first. This game has better graphics and controls, but it doesn't get the magic right. In the first game, Hogwarts feels so enormous and moody. It's cheery but dark and gothic. And the spells just look and sound so magical. The controls aren't great, but that sorta makes it fun since it adds difficulty. The third game feels like it's trying to step up visually, but that makes the bad animation just stick out so much more. It's so much easier. Everything is so bright and bland. It doesn't have the warm cheeriness nor creepy darkness of the first two. And it's just anti-climactic. I'm not a fan of running around Hogwarts to find all the secrets. I much prefer the first two games where everything is hidden and you find new secrets every time you play the game. It makes it fun to replay those two. The third game just feels repetitive and easy.
I think, despite of not having the specific atmosphere that made the Chamber of Secrets so unique, this game had a potential to be the best in the series - the atmosphere (and omg music!!) is still great and a bit different from the previous two titles, and I really loved the ability to control Ron and Hermione. But by making it too easy at times and waaaaay too short the developers gave us just a very nice game, while they had a full potential to make a masterpiece. Such a pity!
I always loved this game so much. Completed many times. It is nostalgic. This game was so good that I didn't care if it was based on the movie and book. Same goes for second one. Although I wish we were running around movie Hogwarts. That's the part I loved the most in 5th and 6th game.
Bro thank you for this. I’m 25 now and remember playing this game out of nowhere and had to look it up to see if I could find a review like this. Really great dude thank you for the nostalgia. Great great video thanks man ! I miss my youth haha 😔
The sound design for the monsters - especially Dementors, Monster Book and skeletons - was also amazing. The noises they made scared the crap out of 10 year old me.
Not sure if you missed it, but once you complete the "final exams", head back to the castle without going to Dumbledore. There's a final Peeves boss encounter. I missed it the first time. During a replay, I went inside for no particular reason. There he was all armored up.
9:30 Dude, you're right! i never noticed that Great review! I like your style of editing, humor and especially commentary/criticism. Looking forward to what you come up with next. I personally also prefer the second game, it's a lot longer and much more emersive.
This game was so hard for me to complete as a kid. But as an adult it’s pretty simple now compared to a kid. I always loved hermoines spell challenge, it was so relaxing and cute. Flying buckbeack has always been the hardest part for me
I feel like I played this game just yesterday 😢 That one bit where Harry just falls through the ceiling to meet up with Hermione, and says "Hello" is clear as day in my mind haha!
sadly, the story is that they had to rush this game SO bad because of time restrictions... this could have been way better. thank god we have custom maps!
Great review. Agree re the missing magical elements, but that opening theme is a boss if ever there was one. Absolutely amazing piece of music. I'm looking forward to seeing what you say about The Goblet of Fire...!
Biggest complaint about this game? It's SO short. Like, with enough dedication (and focus lol) you could complete it in a few hours. The second game felt longer and more vast in that regard.
I was really disappointed with PoA as it could be 100% completed within a few hours. Compared to CoS which took multiple days/weeks & much more immersive. And yes the rest of the games were awful, aside from the newer Lego ones.
Also, fun fact: The Credits are from a .TXT file, so you can ACTUALLY edit the credits and include stuff that wasn't originally in them, like for example, you can input "Deez Nuts" and the credits will ACTUALLY show it lol
Compare to 4th game and deathly hallows part 1/2… this game is a masterpiece compare to those awful games.. this third instalment isn’t perfect whatsoever it’s a bit of a step back compare to the first two games but it still has that charm and that magic and that cheerful feeling if you play the PS2 it’s a different game compare to the PC one which I hope you can review one day! Overall this game is still pretty good not perfect not great but still pretty dam good and still has a huge nostalgia in my heart! Great review Phil!
There are a few things I don’t understand: 1. Why they changed flipendo to dupolso. 2. Why rictusempra has a new symbol and why they gave dupolso rictusempra's old one. 3. Why this game does not feature Skurge or Diffindo. 4. Why the symbols of Lumos and Spongify are reflected.
Yeeeeah!!! I've been waiting for this video. Spot on review, as always. I can't wait to see what else you'll review. :-) (Btw. Great job on the editing. You're getting better and better at it. :-D)
was I the only one who felt a bit cheated when realized you aint gonna have a fight with a werewolf? even as a kid I was like "eeeh how rushed and lazy! Dissapointed!!!!!" the third game was fun... but at times akward and wanting... all so compared to the second game it was way too short... without much new things to offer and when the game was over... I was like thats it?! and it doesnt feel like that good feeling "earning for more" it was more like "feeling unoforfeeled"
Great video! Love this game one of my favorites, but I couldn't agree more, the game feels rushed, buckbeak challenge was fun but the pixie/monster book not at all, the cards are my favorite in this one, also Harry, Ron, and Hermione using challenges spell mostly on challenges and final exams was such a waste... they could've created secret areas, puzzles In Hogwarts were you need to use these spells, like freezing some torches in Hogwarts with glacius to open a secret area etc etc. This game could have been a lot better and bigger (but knowing how EA tends to put tight deadlines for developers... it's probably what happened :/)
I think I have to disagree with you when you say this game is better than the Philosopher's Stone game. It might just be the nostalgia I have for that game but it is so beautifully done and feels much more magical than the Prisoner of Azkaban. Both are great games though. Love your reviews!
i think the lessons are more creative in this edition than the previous two but the plot related quests are so linear and lazy. if it had the same amount of secret areas that chamber of secrets had people would look on it more fondly. i remember there was a difficult one to unlock that involved standing on buttons quickly in the grounds but can't remember many more.
you've hit the nail on the head with this one 👏👏👏it's why the PS2/Xbox version of this game is (imo) so much more successful and immersive - you get to control which character you use at any one time (unlike the PC version where you can't choose), and the puzzles in the PS2/Xbox version are genuinely tricky in places and really require you to think of how to use each of Harry's, Ron's and Hermione's abilities in turn to solve them
I was surprised when you mentioned that you can't switch characters at will in this version when I remember on the console versions you could (and looking it up my memory was correct), I'm confused as to why that isn't the case on PC. But yeah while I didn't play the PC versions, the console versions of this as well as 1 and 2 have so much childhood nostalgia for me, I used to play all 3 all the time as a kid, loved em!
I agree. Without the ability to swap characters at any moment this mechanic feels rather pointless. Aside from the spells, the only difference between character skills is that Hermione can't jump very high, but can run backwards.
You left a very important thing out: one can not go back to collect all the cards after the final exams unless they have something "important" left like Buckbeak ride
While I still think this is a great little game, I feel like both in looks and music it is inferior to the first and second games. Look at the difference at 14:42-14:55. The first two games feel so much more atmospheric because of the way they did the lighting, and personally I also prefer the walking animations and character models (except for the facial movements) in the second game. And like you said, when it comes to the soundtrack this game mostly uses music from the second game.
This was the only Harry Potter game I owned (and still own) I always thought it was rather short in comparison to my friend having the PC version of Chamber of Secrets.
I am glad actually that I got the xbox version of this one. I tried the PC version waaaay down the line, and I agree with many things being said, but the console one was banger. In some senses, with the earlier 2 games, the PC version was different enough from the others to feel worth it on it's own, and had it's own strengths and weaknesses. Now, the PC version of the third game does have spells and such that are unique to itself, but regardless it somehow just felt like a downgraded version of the console edition this time around. I am still glad it exists though, especially for all those of you who grew up with this version and loved it. :)
Speaking more of the PS2 version, my first impressions of Prisoner of Azkaban after many years of not playing it have passed are not very good. The graphics look a lot more dated than the previous games due to this uncanny valley mixture of the book faithful look and steadily developing film aesthetics. Worst of all is the amount of hand holding and bad play control which is a big downgrade from the level of immediate fluidity found in The Chamber of Secrets PS2 game not to mention how much that game respects the player's intelligence of learning how to play through gameplay. I know some consider this the best Harry Potter game, but I can't get into it anymore.
I'm so happy someone made video about this game and the other harry potter games. crazy fun part of my childhood and it's awesome that others enjoyed it too
to be honest the console version was much more epic and i dont understand why they needed to dumb it down for the pc version they could have used the exact same thing
I never played this one. Still looks good though! Would be nice if they were remastered or remade and put on Steam. I haven't played Hogwarts Legacy yet so I don't know; perhaps that game is the spiritual successor to the kind of gameplay we enjoyed with the old titles.
15:02 No its not your nostalgia. The third game was rushed. Like many games of the time, publishers granted the same time window as previous releases but demanded better graphics and more intricate programming. Resulting in more work needing to be done in a time frame that wasn't realistic. A problem that honestly is repeated every 4 or 5 years. :(
I need to play the PS2 version of this at some point. Only ever played the PC version multiple times, but the PS2 version looks so much more enjoyable and packed with content
The second game was peak and if it was done nowadays much of it would be turned into paid content. But that aside if they took the duelling, quidditch, potions, large space and house point system and added that with the creature challenges, new spells, creatures and graphics then that's it best game of all time.
this game was different on the xbox, you could choose which of the 3 characters you wanted to play as.. and some of these levels i have no memory of at all
The very first game I actually went all the way for a 100% completion. I remember playing the living crap out of Prisoner of Azkaban on PC. Altough the ice sliding sections can just buger off. It's always frustrating to do Harry's challenges, especially if you are aiming for a 100% completion.
Great Video! I want to play Chamber of Secrets and this on my Laptop and was wondering if you could tell me the best way to find and play them on a modern gaming laptop?
To be honest, this one kind of sucks for me - all style and gimmicks (like you said, there's no point in multiple playable characters if the switching's automatic), but very little substance, the castle is barren, and the story's rushed AF. At least the console version addressed a few of these problems, like being able to manually change characters. It's a real shame, because this game looks awesome (relatively speaking), and if it wasn't so barren and had the depth and exploration of Chamber of Secrets, then it would be the best one, but as is it's a very sad third (Chamber of Secrets is my favourite, and Philospher's Stone gets second cause of the stealth sections and the free-flight Quidditch).
Its nice to see the comments as well as you point out that Prisoner isn’t as great as everyone makes it out to being. Both game wise and film wise. I loved Prisoner the book more than the previous two, but the problem is that this third game lacks identity. I feel the game is way too simplistic, the newer spells aren’t used into full affect as well, the secrets are much more lackluster as opposed to the ones you found in SS and COS and overall, Prisoner tried to do way too many things that it started to drop in quality. This game, much like its film counterpart, focused more on spectre which is what this entry got right but in terms of being a fun story/game… it didn’t feel as wonderful. Imo, Prisoner is like Sonic Heroes in the sense that visually its great and has wonderful aspects, but its bogged down into a lazy/ambitious mess and also lacks an identity. I’d probably play it over the first one, but no way does it hold a candle to COS
Essentially the main issue is the CD key check doesn't work as Windows stopped supporting the key checking software due to it being a security flaw. To play the games after you install them normally you need to find a cracked exe file that bypasses the key checking software. I've posted some links in the description of the first two games, and I think oldgamesdownload.com has downloads for the games with the no disc exe file for all three games too. For any other in-game bugs, pcgamingwiki has some tips on how to get past them (I had some with the third game, such as the first imp freezing, and then the game crashing a few times cause of the graphics engine or something).
@@TranscendentalAirwaves Ohhh, okay! That thing was cancelled many years ago. Shit, I thought you were talking about Hogwarts Legacy! Like.. I legit got spooked for a sec and went on Google. 😅
@@PhilOfGlimmer I just played the PS2 version for an hour or two. It's really good! I think it's actually quite a bit different from the pc version, as you can switch between the characters at will, which gives the puzzles some depth.
If anyone needs help getting the first three Harry Potter games to run on Windows 10, I've made a video that explains why they don't work, how to get them to run, and other useful graphical fixes! ua-cam.com/video/mDL3IUeo_wo/v-deo.html
Even 2005 RE4 ha$ better graphic$ 2004 Harry Potter Three Eggcellent Movie tho too Gemeh ua-cam.com/video/3aMlnsIwVh4/v-deo.html
I could play Prisoner of Azkaban on Windows 11 off the disc. I only ran into a problem when the first imp was frozen, which I fixed by editing Default.ini to change to OpenGL rendering. Though I believe some textures were mistakenly displayed as black.
What's rather funny about some of the highlighted dialogue, including Harry's one-liner about trouble, or Harry and Hermione's exchange with Sirius upon releasing him, is that it is lifted verbatim from the book.
And Hermione speaking about how the Patronus is very advanced magic (That's also in the movie)
It's such a shame that those games are in a copyright Limbo. It'd be awesome if we see a re-release of all HP games with Wide-screen support and functioning on Win 10
You're not a real gamer if you've never played this game
Facts
@@PhilOfGlimmer hey and also can you do a tutorial on how to run this game on windows 10 it's my childhood and I really wanna play it
@@onlynexg301 Essentially the main issue is the CD key check doesn't work as Windows stopped supporting the key checking software due to it being a security flaw. To play the games after you install them normally you need to find a cracked exe file that bypasses the key checking software. I've posted some links in the description of the first two games, and I think oldgamesdownload.com has downloads for the games with the no disc exe file for all three games too. For any other in-game bugs, pcgamingwiki has some tips on how to get past them (I had some with the third game, such as the first imp freezing, and then the game crashing a few times cause of the graphics engine or something).
I’m not gonna lie as a kid my parents basically outlawed Harry Potter or atleast on my moms side, but I did however get my first glimpse of the first two movies and games from my father when spending time with him (divorced parents obvi) I was amazed, unfortunately I didn’t spend much time with my father before his passing and never got to see the year 3 and on until literally 3 days ago I had just forgotten about the series and holy shot after rewatching I’ve been in awe at the sheer beauty of this franchise and I feel now like life has come full circle and I’m in love 🤷♀️😅😍
Shiiiit*
I was always baffled by a question while playing this game.
Why does the school allowing its students (Fred and George) to run a black market on its grounds?
The other day I was actually thinking...what do Fred and George do with all those beans over the summer? Are they able to convert them into real money?
🤔
I don't think the school exactly approves of that black market, but it's just that Hogwarts has so many magically hidden rooms and passageways (that even the staff wasn't aware of), that Fred and George are able to take advantage them to run their market (having the Marauder's Map definitely helped). Remember how they had access to an entire dungeon filled with beans for their prank at the end of Harry Potter 1 PC?
They used a hidden room, that's why. Remember what written in the book that Hogwarts got tons of hidden rooms and the twins are excel at finding them.
I mean they are kinda doing the same in the books and also experimenting on students lol
8:53 "They control similarly to Buckbeak."
Ya know, it's funny you mentioned that, 'cause if you use cheats to go through the wall at the start of Buckbeak's flying challenge, you'll actually find Hermione waving her wand while looking in your direction, which reveals that the developers just reskinned the dragon to look like Buckbeak and tweaked the hitboxes/controls to match the larger creature.
Omg that's actually amazing
Yeah, I remember back when I was a kid, I would often mess around with debug modes and various other cheats to have more fun, since these games don't have much replay value.
I learned a bit about game development through this, as it turns out that Buckbeak isn't the only example of recycled code/objects. If you spawn a Dementor in levels where you play as Hermione or Ron, they _are_ able to cast Expecto Patronum, although Harry's voice is still heard. This leads me to believe that both characters are just modified copies of Harry. (Sidenote, the Dementor seen at the end of the train is actually a separate entity in the code, hence why Ron can't cast at it, despite the aforementioned recycled Harry code.)
@@hatandhoodie_ Seems that KnowWonder was running out of time like with Philosopher's Stone and Chamber of Secrets…
I feel exactly the same - i think they focused more on a major graphical upgrade (they went from using the Unreal Engine to using Unreal 2) and the game has a lot more spectacle but not enough content. The fun exploration of Hogwarts is devoided of hidden walls and chests that require a new spell to open, and I feel like allowing you to change characters at will would have a bigger impact on the game. For example, if you changed it so that only Harry can cast spongify, only Ron can cast Lumos and only Hermione can cast Alohomora, you would be able to come up with more interesting puzzles and secrets around the castle. Even still, this trilogy is awesome and I find myself replaying these games over and over again
This mechanic of different characters have different speels is on GBA version, that is a turn based RPG with puzzles
Also, this game is also incredibly short. They could expand on the lore and characters of this game. There could be so much more if EA took a risk.
@@thesnesgeek All EA cared about was profit.
@@klaudiagrob That’s sad but true.
I don't think it makes sense for basic spells such as Depulso, Lumos, Alohomora and Rictusempra to be restricted to one character. I think they could've brought back more spells from previous games such as Diffindo and Incendio and make those exclusive to Harry and Hermione, and make Spongify exclusive to Ron.
I'd go a little further and point that, other than the chests and reduced castle exploration, I also found the game lazy in comparison to the first two when it comes to the usual challenges... like for instance, did you realise how many Lapifors statues were in this game outside of the spell challenges and final tests? That's right, one. Two Draconifors statues, two Carpe Retractum purple balls... yeah.
The library challenge is basically two rooms and a corridor. The Expecto Patronum is also incredibly short (at least the PS2 version was somewhat challenging). When you get to the Shriecking Shack (that part's cool), you're surprised that you're already that far in the story. lol
I really like the game, not only it's nostalgic but it's fun too. I just hink it was a letdown. I'd rank it below Chamber, Stone and Order, over Goblet and Prince (never played Deathly Hallows)...
This game is so frustrating.
I absolutely love the first two, especially the first. This game has better graphics and controls, but it doesn't get the magic right.
In the first game, Hogwarts feels so enormous and moody. It's cheery but dark and gothic. And the spells just look and sound so magical. The controls aren't great, but that sorta makes it fun since it adds difficulty.
The third game feels like it's trying to step up visually, but that makes the bad animation just stick out so much more. It's so much easier. Everything is so bright and bland. It doesn't have the warm cheeriness nor creepy darkness of the first two. And it's just anti-climactic.
I'm not a fan of running around Hogwarts to find all the secrets. I much prefer the first two games where everything is hidden and you find new secrets every time you play the game. It makes it fun to replay those two. The third game just feels repetitive and easy.
I played these games on ps2 and it was a whole different game lol
The harry potter of consoles was more like zelda, and the PC versions was platformer 3D collectathon
@Jisatsu Heck yes they were =)
Yeah I played the PS2 versions as well, these videos are blowing my mind. Time to play the first 3 on PC I guess lol.
Loved flying Buckbeak around the castle
I think, despite of not having the specific atmosphere that made the Chamber of Secrets so unique, this game had a potential to be the best in the series - the atmosphere (and omg music!!) is still great and a bit different from the previous two titles, and I really loved the ability to control Ron and Hermione.
But by making it too easy at times and waaaaay too short the developers gave us just a very nice game, while they had a full potential to make a masterpiece. Such a pity!
This game may not be perfect but the skeleton music was a BANGER
I always loved this game so much. Completed many times. It is nostalgic. This game was so good that I didn't care if it was based on the movie and book. Same goes for second one. Although I wish we were running around movie Hogwarts. That's the part I loved the most in 5th and 6th game.
Bro thank you for this. I’m 25 now and remember playing this game out of nowhere and had to look it up to see if I could find a review like this. Really great dude thank you for the nostalgia. Great great video thanks man ! I miss my youth haha 😔
The soundtrack from Jeremy Soule is top-notch as always, the gameplay feels a bit shallow, I agree.
Lowkey this is my favorite trilogy in gaming, it’s all too iconic and nostalgic for me
Dude this game has a crazy soundtrack
The sound design for the monsters - especially Dementors, Monster Book and skeletons - was also amazing. The noises they made scared the crap out of 10 year old me.
I loved that aspect of it so much. Before I used UA-cam I would just leave the menu on for hours
Not sure if you missed it, but once you complete the "final exams", head back to the castle without going to Dumbledore. There's a final Peeves boss encounter. I missed it the first time. During a replay, I went inside for no particular reason. There he was all armored up.
Ooooh that's cool, I can't remember if I did miss it or not actually
9:30 Dude, you're right! i never noticed that
Great review! I like your style of editing, humor and especially commentary/criticism. Looking forward to what you come up with next.
I personally also prefer the second game, it's a lot longer and much more emersive.
This game was so hard for me to complete as a kid. But as an adult it’s pretty simple now compared to a kid. I always loved hermoines spell challenge, it was so relaxing and cute. Flying buckbeack has always been the hardest part for me
I feel like I played this game just yesterday 😢 That one bit where Harry just falls through the ceiling to meet up with Hermione, and says "Hello" is clear as day in my mind haha!
sadly, the story is that they had to rush this game SO bad because of time restrictions... this could have been way better. thank god we have custom maps!
Great review. Agree re the missing magical elements, but that opening theme is a boss if ever there was one. Absolutely amazing piece of music. I'm looking forward to seeing what you say about The Goblet of Fire...!
This was the first game I ever 100% completed.
Maybe because is more easier to get 100% than the previous games
Haha same! And I think it's the only game I've ever 100% completed multiple times!
Biggest complaint about this game? It's SO short. Like, with enough dedication (and focus lol) you could complete it in a few hours. The second game felt longer and more vast in that regard.
I was really disappointed with PoA as it could be 100% completed within a few hours. Compared to CoS which took multiple days/weeks & much more immersive.
And yes the rest of the games were awful, aside from the newer Lego ones.
Man, I'm on a nostalgia trip with your videos! Thank you so much for all the fun facts and your knowledge about the game.
Is it just me or does Hermione's hair looks way too blond?
Also, fun fact: The Credits are from a .TXT file, so you can ACTUALLY edit the credits and include stuff that wasn't originally in them, like for example, you can input "Deez Nuts" and the credits will ACTUALLY show it lol
Omg that's amazing
Currently binging your HP PC game videos, and loving the editing and nostalgia feels your reviews give me, thank you 👏🏼
Compare to 4th game and deathly hallows part 1/2… this game is a masterpiece compare to those awful games.. this third instalment isn’t perfect whatsoever it’s a bit of a step back compare to the first two games but it still has that charm and that magic and that cheerful feeling if you play the PS2 it’s a different game compare to the PC one which I hope you can review one day! Overall this game is still pretty good not perfect not great but still pretty dam good and still has a huge nostalgia in my heart!
Great review Phil!
There are a few things I don’t understand:
1. Why they changed flipendo to dupolso.
2. Why rictusempra has a new symbol and why they gave dupolso rictusempra's old one.
3. Why this game does not feature Skurge or Diffindo.
4. Why the symbols of Lumos and Spongify are reflected.
Yeeeeah!!! I've been waiting for this video. Spot on review, as always. I can't wait to see what else you'll review. :-) (Btw. Great job on the editing. You're getting better and better at it. :-D)
was I the only one who felt a bit cheated when realized you aint gonna have a fight with a werewolf?
even as a kid I was like "eeeh how rushed and lazy! Dissapointed!!!!!"
the third game was fun... but at times akward and wanting... all so compared to the second game it was way too short... without much new things to offer
and when the game was over... I was like thats it?! and it doesnt feel like that good feeling "earning for more"
it was more like "feeling unoforfeeled"
I wasn’t a fan of this compared to pc 1 and 2. It felt the graphics made a step down, and it felt rushed. I think ps2 was better
I agree
Great video! Love this game one of my favorites, but I couldn't agree more, the game feels rushed, buckbeak challenge was fun but the pixie/monster book not at all, the cards are my favorite in this one, also Harry, Ron, and Hermione using challenges spell mostly on challenges and final exams was such a waste... they could've created secret areas, puzzles In Hogwarts were you need to use these spells, like freezing some torches in Hogwarts with glacius to open a secret area etc etc. This game could have been a lot better and bigger (but knowing how EA tends to put tight deadlines for developers... it's probably what happened :/)
8:15 …thats so impressively smooth. Transitioning from a human into a cat.
I was today years old when I found out the PC version is hella different from the console🥴
The bonus bean room in this game, as well as the previous one, makes me suspect that Hogwarts is owned by a certain sweet Manufacturer...
Imo the console version is way better than this game. You can manually switch your party around and the challenges have unique puzzles.
I think I have to disagree with you when you say this game is better than the Philosopher's Stone game. It might just be the nostalgia I have for that game but it is so beautifully done and feels much more magical than the Prisoner of Azkaban. Both are great games though. Love your reviews!
Chocolate frogs from hp1 and 3 they don’t move but snape and filtch and the gnomes and old creatures didn’t return I wish they were there in hp3
i think the lessons are more creative in this edition than the previous two but the plot related quests are so linear and lazy. if it had the same amount of secret areas that chamber of secrets had people would look on it more fondly. i remember there was a difficult one to unlock that involved standing on buttons quickly in the grounds but can't remember many more.
You didn't need to say the game feels a bit lazy after mentioning Jeremy Soule's soundtrack :'(
"How can I ever thank..." "GOOOOOO" hahaha. best part of the game imo
I missed out on this one unfortunately, but thankfully got the GC version and the excellent GBA RPG.
you've hit the nail on the head with this one 👏👏👏it's why the PS2/Xbox version of this game is (imo) so much more successful and immersive - you get to control which character you use at any one time (unlike the PC version where you can't choose), and the puzzles in the PS2/Xbox version are genuinely tricky in places and really require you to think of how to use each of Harry's, Ron's and Hermione's abilities in turn to solve them
I was surprised when you mentioned that you can't switch characters at will in this version when I remember on the console versions you could (and looking it up my memory was correct), I'm confused as to why that isn't the case on PC. But yeah while I didn't play the PC versions, the console versions of this as well as 1 and 2 have so much childhood nostalgia for me, I used to play all 3 all the time as a kid, loved em!
I wanna try the console version of 3 at some point to check out the character swapping
I agree. Without the ability to swap characters at any moment this mechanic feels rather pointless. Aside from the spells, the only difference between character skills is that Hermione can't jump very high, but can run backwards.
What if a fan would remake the third part, so it runs on win10 and with some quality of life improvements?
Please play all the HP games! I love your reviews of them!! 💕💕
God damn I miss this game
You left a very important thing out: one can not go back to collect all the cards after the final exams unless they have something "important" left like Buckbeak ride
Thanks for commenting that. Good to know where the point of no-return is.
I hate how peeves looks like in this one , I liked him better when he looked like the joker :(
While I still think this is a great little game, I feel like both in looks and music it is inferior to the first and second games. Look at the difference at 14:42-14:55. The first two games feel so much more atmospheric because of the way they did the lighting, and personally I also prefer the walking animations and character models (except for the facial movements) in the second game. And like you said, when it comes to the soundtrack this game mostly uses music from the second game.
This was the only Harry Potter game I owned (and still own) I always thought it was rather short in comparison to my friend having the PC version of Chamber of Secrets.
I still much prefer the PS2 version 😅
"how can I ever thank..."
"GOOOO"
:O
This game is good, there just isn't enough of it. They should have utilized the Lapifors rabbit a lot more (that was my favorite spell!).
I am glad actually that I got the xbox version of this one. I tried the PC version waaaay down the line, and I agree with many things being said, but the console one was banger.
In some senses, with the earlier 2 games, the PC version was different enough from the others to feel worth it on it's own, and had it's own strengths and weaknesses. Now, the PC version of the third game does have spells and such that are unique to itself, but regardless it somehow just felt like a downgraded version of the console edition this time around. I am still glad it exists though, especially for all those of you who grew up with this version and loved it. :)
Speaking more of the PS2 version, my first impressions of Prisoner of Azkaban after many years of not playing it have passed are not very good. The graphics look a lot more dated than the previous games due to this uncanny valley mixture of the book faithful look and steadily developing film aesthetics. Worst of all is the amount of hand holding and bad play control which is a big downgrade from the level of immediate fluidity found in The Chamber of Secrets PS2 game not to mention how much that game respects the player's intelligence of learning how to play through gameplay. I know some consider this the best Harry Potter game, but I can't get into it anymore.
Still unreleased on steam...
if they ever brought them to steam: instant buy.....
This one was the best before the terrible the 4 th one
I wish I could enjoy games now as much as i enjoyed playing this when it came out.
I feel this on a molecular level
I like how you both play the games and review them at the same time.
You are very fair as well.
The console version was overall superior, but I liked the Draconifors/Lapifors sections and the portrait secret rooms were really cool.
This was for me a scary video game as a child, particularly the Dementors. I was seven years old when I started playing it.
Trine would have been a better example for the character switching puzzles.
You're so right!
I'm so happy someone made video about this game and the other harry potter games. crazy fun part of my childhood and it's awesome that others enjoyed it too
I was so disappointed with this game. Still, it is better then goblet of fire.
That's basically how I feel lol
to be honest the console version was much more epic and i dont understand why they needed to dumb it down for the pc version they could have used the exact same thing
I never played this one. Still looks good though! Would be nice if they were remastered or remade and put on Steam. I haven't played Hogwarts Legacy yet so I don't know; perhaps that game is the spiritual successor to the kind of gameplay we enjoyed with the old titles.
15:02 No its not your nostalgia. The third game was rushed. Like many games of the time, publishers granted the same time window as previous releases but demanded better graphics and more intricate programming. Resulting in more work needing to be done in a time frame that wasn't realistic. A problem that honestly is repeated every 4 or 5 years. :(
I need to play the PS2 version of this at some point. Only ever played the PC version multiple times, but the PS2 version looks so much more enjoyable and packed with content
You can see this as the Know wonder trilogy, the next PC games changed developers
The second game was peak and if it was done nowadays much of it would be turned into paid content.
But that aside if they took the duelling, quidditch, potions, large space and house point system and added that with the creature challenges, new spells, creatures and graphics then that's it best game of all time.
I played this game so much as a kid and never played the second one. I always thought the third was better only because it looked better
And the 1 thing u forgot to mention they also brought back Spongify and the Spongify tiles
really wish they didn't take such a drastic change in gameplay moving on from poa, goblet was so bad
I only played the 3rd one on the GameCube and it was so different than this
I personally think like this - Even if this one isn't the greatest HP game out there, it actually has it's charm.
i was realllyyy into the ps2 version!!! it's amazing how different it is!
the last good game of the bunch... I loved 1 to 3 has a kid, and I was like wtf when starting to play the fourth one
i remember the game but have no fucking clue when or on what i played it
this game was different on the xbox, you could choose which of the 3 characters you wanted to play as.. and some of these levels i have no memory of at all
I wanna play the console version at some point, it looks good!
The very first game I actually went all the way for a 100% completion. I remember playing the living crap out of Prisoner of Azkaban on PC. Altough the ice sliding sections can just buger off. It's always frustrating to do Harry's challenges, especially if you are aiming for a 100% completion.
Great Video! I want to play Chamber of Secrets and this on my Laptop and was wondering if you could tell me the best way to find and play them on a modern gaming laptop?
You can download and play them here. I just played HP3 and am halfway through HP2 using these: oldgamesdownload.com/?s=harry+potter
Brought back a lot of fond memories from my childhood, nice video 😁
To be honest, this one kind of sucks for me - all style and gimmicks (like you said, there's no point in multiple playable characters if the switching's automatic), but very little substance, the castle is barren, and the story's rushed AF. At least the console version addressed a few of these problems, like being able to manually change characters.
It's a real shame, because this game looks awesome (relatively speaking), and if it wasn't so barren and had the depth and exploration of Chamber of Secrets, then it would be the best one, but as is it's a very sad third (Chamber of Secrets is my favourite, and Philospher's Stone gets second cause of the stealth sections and the free-flight Quidditch).
the ps2 version must be a lot different despite having the same cover art, because i dont remember ANY of this
Xbox and PlayStation 2 was way better as it was as you said this game should be, you get to choose and is in general a better version of the game
I'm excited to check it out in the future!
The opening feels like a scene from The Office or something.
Its nice to see the comments as well as you point out that Prisoner isn’t as great as everyone makes it out to being. Both game wise and film wise. I loved Prisoner the book more than the previous two, but the problem is that this third game lacks identity. I feel the game is way too simplistic, the newer spells aren’t used into full affect as well, the secrets are much more lackluster as opposed to the ones you found in SS and COS and overall, Prisoner tried to do way too many things that it started to drop in quality. This game, much like its film counterpart, focused more on spectre which is what this entry got right but in terms of being a fun story/game… it didn’t feel as wonderful. Imo, Prisoner is like Sonic Heroes in the sense that visually its great and has wonderful aspects, but its bogged down into a lazy/ambitious mess and also lacks an identity. I’d probably play it over the first one, but no way does it hold a candle to COS
This is the first Harry Potter game i played on pc i finished it so many times.
i play this game when i was 12 with new core 2 duo pc.
Yeah I like the playstation version of these games better you could move more freely
The ps2 version of this game is surprisingly different. Why?
Can you perhaps make a tutorial on how to make the first 3 hp games playable on windows 10? Or post a link to a video that you used?
Essentially the main issue is the CD key check doesn't work as Windows stopped supporting the key checking software due to it being a security flaw. To play the games after you install them normally you need to find a cracked exe file that bypasses the key checking software. I've posted some links in the description of the first two games, and I think oldgamesdownload.com has downloads for the games with the no disc exe file for all three games too. For any other in-game bugs, pcgamingwiki has some tips on how to get past them (I had some with the third game, such as the first imp freezing, and then the game crashing a few times cause of the graphics engine or something).
@@PhilOfGlimmer does oldgamedownload.com require you to have the discs?
These are way better than I would have ever guessed. Makes me genuinely annoyed they cancelled the new game.
Wait, what new game? 😶
@@markkoetsier6475 EA was going to make some MMO and decided to cancel it last second after advertising it a tonne on Facebook and stuff.
@@TranscendentalAirwaves Ohhh, okay! That thing was cancelled many years ago.
Shit, I thought you were talking about Hogwarts Legacy! Like.. I legit got spooked for a sec and went on Google. 😅
I distinctly remember being able to fly buckbeak in free roam, and expecto patronum being a buck that you could control. Is that not in this game?
Hmm I'm not sure, I didn't come across those thing 😱 maybe you're thinking of the console version, I'm not sure :o
@@PhilOfGlimmer oh, you're right! didn't realize there would be differences
@@PhilOfGlimmer I just played the PS2 version for an hour or two. It's really good! I think it's actually quite a bit different from the pc version, as you can switch between the characters at will, which gives the puzzles some depth.
Omg used to play this game so much as a kid.