Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
by Electronic Arts
List Price:
Our Price: $2.77
You Save: $17.22 (86%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $1.99 (click here)
Category: Video Games
See more product details and other editions
Product Summary
Brand: Electronic ArtsFormat: CD-ROM
Release Date: 2004-05-25
Platform: Windows 98, Windows Me, Windows XP
Model: HARRYPOTPRISAZ
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Product features:
- Play as Harry, Ron and Hermione, switching from one player to the next
- Face opponents such as Sirius Black and the Dementors
- Unravel the mystery behind the wizard prison
- Exciting sub quests
- For 1 or 2 players
Video Game Reviews of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
Customer Review: A fun game for those who don't like things too hard
Summary: 3 Stars
I haven't played the earlier Potter games so I come to this game fresh. I also come to it as someone more interested in adventure/puzzle solving rather than action aspects of games.
I found this game fun, although most parts of it are pretty easy even for someone not highly skilled in action games. Many have commented that it is short; I'd agree. It's good not to be stuck for interminable amounts of time at a particular part of a challenge and to be able to proceed, but the ease of completion of some of the levels means that with not many challenges to do, things can finish quickly.
While there is a plot to the story that pushes you through various main and side challenges in sequence, you can also walk around Hogwarts Castle exploring for hidden areas. You need to complete both the main challenges, side challenges, and find a number of hidden collector's cards to 'beat' the game, so you can't ignore exploring in Hogwarts.
At the beginning of the game you are given more freedom as to what to do. There are three tuition challenges teaching you how to use three spells, completed by each of the three main characters (Harry, Hermoine and Ron). After each challenge you can go back and try completing them again, or stroll around the Hogwarts grounds, including completing three 'side challenges' (flying the Hippogriff, fighting pixies, and fighting the Monster Book of Monsters). I enjoyed the fact that you could chop and change between these challenges.
However, after the third spell tuition challenge you are pushed forward through the rest of the game in a very controlled way. You go through challenge after challenge with no opportunity to get back to Hogwarts and take a break, or set aside a particular challenge for a while and go and do something else. I found this frustrating. Fortunately, once the main plot of the game finishes you are given the opportunity to wander Hogwarts at your leisure to finish off any of the side challenges you haven't completed yet, collect any remaining collector's cards and discover secret areas.
The game could have had more puzzle elements. What you have to do is usually fairly straightforward, particularly as the game selects the appropriate spell for you whenever you seek to cast it. Much of the 'puzzle' element of the game is searching and casting spells on virutally everything just in case it hides something. Countless cauldrons, trunks and suits of armour disgorge endless loads of beans, pumpkins and cauldron cakes, which became repetitive after a while.
Whilst the game alternates between the three characters, they are all pretty much the same. However, some variation is added with the new Lapifors and Draconifors spells which permit Hermoine to transform statues into rabbits and flying dragons. You then play as the charmed rabbit/dragon, which gives gameplay a new aspect.
For me, the hardest aspect of the game was flying. I found the flying creatures (dragon and hippogriff) the most difficult to control. I haven't quite finished the game as I still need to finish the Hippogriff challenge and am stuck on level 3 - maybe I'm doing something wrong! I also found it difficult to fly the dragon with precision, which makes collecting mid-air goodies hard and meant that completing the last stage of Hermoine's final exam particularly difficult. Maybe it's just me but in my game, the dragon could sometimes 'catch' on part of the scenery and get stuck even though apparently in the right position, which on closely timed challenges slowed me down too much.
The final spell exams are one of the more enjoyable aspects of the game as they contain plenty of action, although Harry's Glacius exam seemed far easier than those given to Ron and Hermoine. I had some difficulty in Ron's exam because the first time I played it, two separate moving items were not in proper synchronisation which made it impossible to move from one area to another. It was only by restarting the challenge that I could change the synchronisation.
Some people will be disappointed that Quidditch, which is an important part of all the Potter books, features only briefly as a cutscene in this game, but given that there are three other Potter games which feature Quidditch playing it's probably unnecessary. You still get the fun of flying around with the Hippogriff and dragon.
In summary, a good fun game that is not too difficult and keeps moving at a fair pace. However, because of the ease of play more content would have been good, as would the ability to take breaks more often in the later stages of the game to explore Hogwarts. Controlling the flying creatures is probably the most difficult aspect to the game.
Description of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
The Dementors are coming... and this time Harry needs his friends.Product InformationAfter a dreadful summer with the Dursleys Harry Potter can't wait to start his third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Events take a strange turn however when Harry discovers that Sirius Black the man believed to have betrayed Harry's parents and thus responsible for their murders has escaped from the wizard prison Azkaban. Black appears to be seeking revenge on Harry for thwarting "You-Know-Who" while the Dementors Azkaban prison guards sent to Hogwarts to protect the school and recapture Black affect Harry in a disturbing way. With the help of Ron and Hermione Harry is intent on unraveling the mystery surrounding Sirius Black and his escape from Azkaban.Product FeaturesDespite Harry's proven skill as a wizard this adventure is his most difficult yet and requires all the help Ron and Hermione can provide.Each companion learns unique spells which will be required to carry out specific tasks and puzzles.Some tasks such as multiple spell targets require action by more than one companion at a time.Your companions will assist if required.When control changes to a different companion character that character's icon will move to the top of the Active Characters indicator.To explore Hogwarts properly you must overcome many considerable obstacles.Hogwart School of Witchcraft and Wizardry is a magical place with many hidden areas switches and pitfalls for the unwary student. If you want to find everything you must search diligently.Throughout your adventure you must complete Spell Challenges in order to learn new spells and proceed through your third year at Hogwarts.Windows RequirementsWindows 98 Me 2000 XP600 MHz Intel Pentium III processor comparable256 MB of RAM850 MB free Hard Drive space plus space for saved games (additional space required for Windows swap file and DirectX 9 installatAction Games
Computer and Video Games
Bestsellers in Action Games
F/ A-18E Super Hornet GoldInterplay; Interplay Productions; Release date: 2001-03-20; Windows 98; Video Games
Best price: $4.95
Price in other shops:
GUNMAN CHRONICLESSierra Games; SIERRA; Windows 95; Video Games
Best price: $1.74
Diablo 2 Gift SetBlizzard Entertainment; Blizzard Entertainment; Release date: 2000-11-08; Windows 98; Video Games
Best price: $179.94
Hot Chix'N Gear StixGlobal Star Software; Global Star Software; Windows NT; Video Games
Best price: $6.99
Price in other shops:
Rogue Spear Mission Pack: Urban OperationsRed Storm Entertainment; Red Storm Entertainment; Release date: 2000-04-10; Windows 98; Video Games
Best price: $7.49
Price in other shops:
Deer Hunter 3Atari; Atari; Windows 98; Video Games
Best price: $33.99
Oddworld: Abe's ExoddusAtari; Atari; Windows 98; Video Games
Best price: $44.79
Star Wars Math: Jabba's Game GalaxyLucas Learning; Star Wars; Windows 98; Software
Best price: $39.97
Type to Learn New Keys for KidsScholastic; Scholastic; Video Games
Best price: $3.85
Ice Cream TruckSunburtst; Sunburst; Windows 98; Video Games
Best price: $9.78
Similar Video and PC Games
Harry Potter Interactive DVD Game - Hogwarts ChallengeWarner Brothers; Release date: 2007-12-11; Published: 2007-12-01; DVD
Best price: $0.30
Price in other shops:
Harry Potter and the Philosopher"s StoneElectronic Arts; Warner Bros.; Windows 98; Software
Best price: $0.96
Price in other shops:
Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2Electronic Arts; Electronic Arts; Release date: 2011-07-12; Windows Vista; Video Games
Best price: $4.84
Price in other shops:
Harry Potter and the Order of the PhoenixElectronic Arts; Electronic Arts; Release date: 2007-06-25; Windows Vista; Video Games
Best price: $39.95
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1Electronic Arts; Electronic Arts; Release date: 2010-11-16; Windows Vista; Video Games
Best price: $4.12
Price in other shops:
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's StoneElectronic Arts; Electronic Arts; Release date: 2001-11-16; Windows 98; Video Games
Best price: $9.98
Price in other shops:
Harry Potter and the Half Blood PrinceElectronic Arts; Electronic Arts; Release date: 2009-06-30; Windows Vista; Video Games
Best price: $14.25
Price in other shops:
Harry Potter and the Goblet of FireElectronic Arts; Electronic Arts; Release date: 2005-11-08; Windows XP; Video Games
Best price: $3.52
Price in other shops:
Harry Potter and the Chamber of SecretsElectronic Arts; Electronic Arts; Release date: 2002-11-14; Windows 98; Video Games
Best price: $3.95
Price in other shops:
Harry Potter CollectionElectronic Arts; EA Games; Video Games
Best price: $11.95
Price in other shops: