Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

 DS
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Image
Metascore
48

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
4.8

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 8 Ratings

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  • Summary: In Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Voldemort is tightening his grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds and Hogwarts is no longer the safe haven it once was. Harry suspects that dangers may even lie within the castle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the finalIn Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Voldemort is tightening his grip on both the Muggle and wizarding worlds and Hogwarts is no longer the safe haven it once was. Harry suspects that dangers may even lie within the castle, but Dumbledore is more intent upon preparing him for the final battle that he knows is fast approaching. Together they work to find the key to unlock Voldemort's defenses and, to this end, Dumbledore recruits his old friend and colleague, the well-connected and unsuspecting bon vivant Professor Horace Slughorn, whom he believes holds crucial information. Meanwhile, the students are under attack from a very different adversary as teenage hormones rage across the ramparts. Harry finds himself more and more drawn to Ginny, but so is Dean Thomas. And Lavender Brown has decided that Ron is the one for her, only she hadn't counted on Romilda Vane's chocolates! And then there's Hermione, simmering with jealously but determined not to show her feelings. As romance blossoms, one student remains aloof. He is determined to make his mark, albeit a dark one. Love is in the air, but tragedy lies ahead and Hogwarts may never be the same again. In the game, players return to Hogwarts to help Harry survive a fraught sixth year. They also have a chance to engage in exciting wizard duels, mix and brew magical ingredients in Potions class and take to the air to lead the Gryffindor Quidditch team to victory. Players may even get sidetracked by Ron's romantic entanglements as they journey towards a dramatic climax and discover the identity of the Half-Blood Prince. [Electronic Arts]… Expand
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 9
  3. Negative: 5 out of 9
  1. VideoGamer
    60
    It's monotonous and lacking the exciting moments of the book and film, but you do get to play as Harry and act like a wizard in Hogwarts.
  2. Official Nintendo Magazine UK
    60
    Technically great, but it should have focused more on the action than the mini-games. [Sept 2009, p.85]
    All this publication's reviews
  3. Nintendo Gamer
    58
    Progress is hampered by clunky controls that see Harry bumping around like a dog wearing one of those post-operation plastic collars. [Oct 2009, p.69]
    All this publication's reviews
  4. IGN
    43
    t's not that Harry Potter is broken, it's that EA has managed to take a world brimming with magic and turn it into the most tedious, mundane game possible.
  5. Nintendo Life
    40
    A bit of a let down and feels like a step backwards in terms of gameplay as the game itself is little more than one massive scavenger hunt with most of the storyline progressing through bland, boring cut-scenes.
  6. Cubed3
    40
    Even if you're a die-hard Potter fan who falls into the lower age category the game is clearly intended for, there's very little here to hold your interest for long.
  7. Thunderbolt
    20
    Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is a throwback to the bad old days of EA; a shameless and shameful cash-in that barely qualifies as a full game.

See all 9 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 2
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 2
  3. Negative: 2 out of 2
  1. Kandraa
    Oct 7, 2010
    4
    This game is simply just MEH. It's fun sometimes but most of the time it is just a big fetch job. It's mostly just you as Harry PotterThis game is simply just MEH. It's fun sometimes but most of the time it is just a big fetch job. It's mostly just you as Harry Potter running around trying to obtain items for your next task. The graphics of this game are good when not in motion but when Harry walks around they get blurry and hard to look at. Also the touch screen isn't all that good either.… Expand
  2. JanK
    Jul 14, 2009
    3
    Blegh. Boring. It's basically Harry being the fetchdog of everyone in the castle and a couple of minigames. The bad doesn't stop Blegh. Boring. It's basically Harry being the fetchdog of everyone in the castle and a couple of minigames. The bad doesn't stop there either. The controls are iffy at best and the loading times are such that you hesitate to check your inventory because it takes too long. The games is very short, but that isn't a bad thing in this case.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

80
#80 Most Discussed DS Game of 2009