Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

 DS
Metascore
48

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 9
  3. Negative: 5 out of 9
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  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]
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  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]
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  5. Worth Playing
    55
    When you get down to it, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is absolutely boring to play on the DS. It's a constant series of fetch quests that's rarely broken up by the wand duels, potion-making and Quidditch matches.
  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.
  9. Gamestyle
    30
    With a tight release schedule, developing a game based on a movie will inevitably involve a degree of compromise, but creating a game that feels unfinished and distinctly rushed isn't acceptable.
  10. 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.

Awards & Rankings

80
#80 Most Discussed DS Game of 2009

User Reviews

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User Score
4.8

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 8 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 8
  3. Negative: 5 out of 8
  1. 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.… Full Review »
  2. 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.… Full Review »
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