Harry Potter has been a media icon for the last several years. Everyone knows about this character, beloved by millions of fans. Either you are a fan yourself or you are trying to sit out the media uproar. There is little middle ground between these extremes. It's no surprise that Harry has starred in a series of movies and video games. The latest of these, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, is a valiant attempt to release a game-based-on-a-movie by Electronic Arts’ United Kingdom. While this game has several entertaining features and decent gameplay it is not as awe inspiring as other recent titles. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire can be fun to play, but it doesn’t quite have that spark of magic fans will expect.

The game starts out roughly following the plot of the movie. Some elements have been changed, obviously. It is more than a little difficult to make a video game if you are going to slavishly follow the script for the movie. Still, the game deviates quite a bit from the original material. Players have to face a series of challenges that will unlock more locations that they can explore. In these areas you will take control of the three main heroes - Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. Each has their own special talents that can be expanded through a series of “cards” players can purchase between missions. Harry is very good at surviving danger, for example. Ron has a talent for jinxing people and Hermione can wield some impressive magic.

Once you get into the game you will begin running into its high points and its low points. The game itself can be quite a bit of fun and has several innovative features. Players can join in for side-by-side cooperative play with two controllers. The card system also allows players to customize their abilities before each level. By defeating an enemy using two or more characters together you can unlock special cards which increase your effectiveness against those enemies. This can allow you to stock up on Salamander cards when you know you will be facing the fiery beasts and increase your damage. As you unlock more areas to explore you will increase the number and variety of cards you can equip.

Playing Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire can also be a slightly frustrating experience while you are learning the controls. Casting spells are triggered from a single button. Depending on what you are facing your character will intelligently decide which is the best spell to use. The intelligent design is a nice touch, deciding to conjure a gout of water to douse flames, or using a levitation charm to move boulders out of your way. Unfortunately it can often be difficult to exactly determine which way your character is facing. Once you begin casting a spell it will hold your attention for a heartbeat ... just long enough to get seriously hurt if you are facing a boulder next to an enemy instead of the enemy. With a little skill this problem can be overcome, but it remains a source of frustration throughout the game.

The graphics for Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire are decent, but lack the real sparkle that a polished game on the PlayStation 2 can boast. Some of the effects, like the lighting and fire effects, are very well done. The characters themselves, though, are shown in small scale. Up close they are very detailed, but when you are rushing through a mission the game displays the world through a 3/4-overhead view from a fair distance. Friends and enemies alike are blurred by simple distance. The lack of detail also makes it difficult to control your spells at times, which can be a little frustrating.

The sounds are also a mixed bag. The voices are well done, from the spells the children wield to the gravelly instructions from Professor Moody. The background music, growls and shouts enemies give, and the sound effects from interactive parts of the background are also a little bland. There’s not much detail in the creature sounds, which makes them come across as indistinct chatter. With all the background objects that players can interact with, from boulders that can be levitated, moved, and used to flatten unwary enemies I expected more variety. There are only a few sound effects any item can trigger. They rapidly lose their variety as you play through a few levels.

Overall Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a mixed bag in a lot of ways. The lack of clarity in the graphics and the sounds for little things can be a problem for some gamers, but if you are a fan of the series you will still enjoy the game. The controls can be a little difficult to use but they can be managed with a little practice. The multiplayer/cooperative gameplay is fun but only a single player can play as Harry during the Triwizard Challenges. It also requires some skill to combine your spells to trigger special effects and unlock specialty cards. While some might be put off by the decision to leave the movie’s established plotline behind, the game is still a lot of fun to play. Areas that the movie doesn’t touch, like the Forbidden Forest or the rooftops of the castle receive loving attention from the developers. All in all Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a game for the fans. If you enjoy the series you will enjoy the game. If you are not a fan you might want to preview this title before picking it up.

Gameplay: 7.0
The game has some fun aspects, but the controls can be difficult to use. Monsters tend to attack in a swarm, and if you are facing the wrong direction you might find your character casting spells at objects in the background instead of your enemies.

Graphics: 7.0
The PlayStation 2 is capable of some impressive graphics. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire doesn’t have anything that really blew me away. The graphics ran smoothly and easily, but left me wishing for something a little more magical.

Sound: 7.0
The voices used in the video game are well done, but the rest of the sounds are a little bland. Spells, background music, and the cries of monsters players will face are all adequately done, but nothing remarkable.

Difficulty: Medium
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a fairly straightforward game. It is easy to learn the controls, but there is a lot to discover. Players will have to learn to combine their spells if they want to advance, which takes a careful touch.

Concept: 7.0
The developers have taken the world of Harry Potter and made a good game. They broke away from the plotline of the movie, but the game itself is entertaining. Gameplay in the Goblet of Fire might be fairly standard, but the cooperative play and customizable characters are nice features.

Multiplayer: 7.5
Being able to play with friends is a nice addition to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. There’s nothing like having a friend to watch your back when monsters ambush the heroes. And, of course, there’s also joy in being able to share your triumphs.

Overall: 7.1
The game has a number of small flaws. The game’s good points, multiplayer action and customizable characters, don’t quite ease the sense of missing something. With the movies and the books behind this title I expected something extraordinary. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire is a good game, but it is more "muggle" than magic.