Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

 PlayStation 2
Metascore
56

Mixed or average reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 0 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 14
  3. Negative: 4 out of 14
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  1. PSM Magazine
    70
    It does feel a bit short, and some elements of the story are poorly told. But as simple, fundamental platform gaming, it's pleasant enough, and Harry's target lock is really very good. [Jan 2004, p.37]
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  2. GamePro
    70
    But the core still involves lots of non-skippable cinematic sequences, a fidgety camera (and finicky controls), overearnest voice acting, and tepid platform-style action (any game where the first true action sequence takes place in a room full of crates set up for jumping puzzles is trouble).
  3. GameZone
    64
    Two words keep this from being a great-playing game: menial tasks. The puzzles aren't clever, they're just silly, and oftentimes confusing because of the clunky controls and the sub-par camera.
  5. Worth Playing
    64
    Drastically inferior compared to the one-year old "Chamber of Secrets."
  6. Next Level Gaming
    64
    Music and sounds are solid, but Harry Potters voice is like a cheese grater on the brain.
  7. GameSpot
    61
    A weak follow-up to Chamber of Secrets that seems like an awkward fit for anyone who already owns last year's game.
  8. G4 TV
    60
    Harmlessly addictive, if not wholly derivative. But it's great for the kids, and offers a satisfying, officially licensed Harry Potter experience.
  9. GameSpy
    60
    When you're not being underwhelmed by Sorcerer's Stone, you'll be infuriated by it.
  10. GMR Magazine
    60
    Isn't a remake of the PS1 game of the same name, but rather a conceptually similar reimagining. [Jan 2004, p.68]
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  11. Game Informer
    50
    Unless you're six years old and a mad Potter fan (who didn't play this game on PSone), don't go anywhere near this one. [Jan 2004, p.134]
  12. IGN
    48
    The story is the most dated, the art assets re-used, and gameplay mechanics re-used, and all with a serious hit in graphic quality, a truth that really disappoints.
  13. Computer and Video Games
    40
    Running around Hogwarts is a curiously flat experience, and not helped by the chronically jerky frame rate.
  14. Game Revolution
    33
    Other than a couple isolated bits HP and the SS is a mess. And I didn’t play crap like this when I was a kid, at least not for long. I played Sonic. So there ya have it: Harry Potter is better than a Vomit flavored bean, but a little worse than Grass, and on a level with Booger.
  15. Official U.S. Playstation Magazine
    30
    But most unbelievable is the fact that there's almost nothing here I would classify as fun. [Jan 2004, p.118]
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Awards & Rankings

93
#93 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2003
37
#37 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2003

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 40 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 40
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 40
  3. Negative: 8 out of 40
  1. Steeldude
    Jul 9, 2015
    6
    Let's compare this to the PC version. It's a longer game, meaning that you'll get to experience many more moments from the movie. Overall,Let's compare this to the PC version. It's a longer game, meaning that you'll get to experience many more moments from the movie. Overall, this is a bigger game, there are more cards to collect, more spells to obtain, more quests to accomplish, more items to obtain and help you on your journey and more interactions with the characters from the universe,

    However, the areas are quite dull and because of that, the game feels boring. The Hogwarts Grounds are quite big, but for the most part, they're utterly empty making traversing through them a chore. The students have only like 7 different sentences that they repeat over and over again when you go talk to them. The school itself is nothing special either with most of the classes looking the same. Gone is the exploration element of the PC version, where you could explore each area and search for hidden pathways etc., here there are always set objects that you can use spells on, e. g. you can use Flipendo on glass jars and Alohomora only on doors with yellow metal locks, so there is no point in experimenting. The Spell challenges are definitely better than in the PC version, but unfortunately require you to repeat them in order to find everything because except for the final one, in each challenge some shields are hidden in unreachable areas that only become reachable by gaining more spells.

    Compared to the PC version:

    + Longer
    + More things to do
    + Better character interactions

    - Prefects halting your progress at night
    - Overall boring setting - empty school, school ground and student interactions, repeated classroom structures
    - Large focus on backtracking

    So, all in all, this is practically comparable to the PC version. The PC version had more exploration, but had limited areas, while this game has no exploration in large areas. Pick your poison, then.
    I still think this game is slightly better because it's longer and more events from the book are in the game. However, only the main quest is interesting, the side quests and such are boring as hell.    … Full Review »
  2. TheCornflex
    Jan 31, 2018
    6
    I am a big Harry Potter Fan and i had some fun with this game but there was not a lot to it. Today in 2018 I would not recommend to play itI am a big Harry Potter Fan and i had some fun with this game but there was not a lot to it. Today in 2018 I would not recommend to play it again. But a reboot would be pretty cool.… Full Review »
  3. Starfighters76
    Oct 7, 2011
    5
    ****
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