Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a computer and video game that is based on the fifth instalment of the popular Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling and the film adaptation, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PSP, Nintendo DS, Wii, Game Boy Advance and Mac OS X. It was released on 25 June in the U.S., 28 June in Australia and 29 June in the UK and Europe for PlayStation 3, PSP, PlayStation 2, Windows and the 3rd of July for most other platforms.

The theme of the game is to explore Hogwarts and follow the story from the book and movie. EA encouraged fan participation in the development of this game, and worked with a fan council. However, unlike prior games like the action-oriented Goblet of Fire, this time the adventure is in the style of a sandbox game. Similar to the Grand Theft Auto series and Bully, in that Hogwarts is fully explorable most of the time, and there are "discovery points" that provide rewards to the player, which can be activated by completing side missions. Furthermore, there are battles between groups of students, as shown in the game trailer.

Plot

Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger return to Hogwarts and discover that much of the Wizard community is in denial about Harry's encounter with Lord Voldemort. To make matter worse, the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher refuses to teach them any defensive magic and is slowly taking over Hogwarts. Therefore, Harry, Ron, and Hermione create Dumbledore's Army to teach the defence they will need, with Voldemort on the move.

Features

The game presents the player with a large part of the Harry Potter universe, combining the movie blueprints, J. K. Rowling's drawings and books' descriptions to recreate known places, including the Ministry of Magic, Grimmauld Place and Little Whinging.

The game's sandbox style provides the player with a more open environment, as the player is able to move around most parts of Hogwarts freely.

As well as the main missions, and as part of the new sandbox style of playing, players can explore Hogwarts and interact with objects, using magical spells to earn Discovery points.

You can duel Slytherins in the Entrance Courtyard, Paved Courtyard, and specific floor corridors. You can also duel throughout the story. Most of them you play as Harry. Nevertheless, near the end, you will play as Sirius Black and Dumbledore in different duels.

Earning Discovery points increases the power of the owned spells, and earns player bonuses, such as behind-the-scenes videos and trophies, which can be viewed in the Room of Rewards. Items in the room such as trophies can also be unlocked by taking part in the various mini games, such as Exploding Snap, Wizard chess and Gobstones.

Their respective actors and actresses voice twenty-two of the characters.

There are various missions to complete which follow the storyline of the film, such as the recruiting Dumbledore's Army members, or creating havoc when Umbridge is made Headmistress.

Occlumency is also introduced as a feature of the game.

Twelve various Portraits located around the castle can also be used as secret shortcuts to other parts of the castle. However, the completion of a task specific to each Portrait is most likely required. After a task is completed, you will be free to use the secret passage as many times as you want.

In the PSP version, we see one of the extra features is being able to play as a Dark Wizard. On the back of the box it says you can be 'Crabbe Goyle, Draco, Malfoy, Bellatrix, and Voldemort. However, nobody has yet to find out how to unlock Voldemort.

Missing features

EA said they could not include everything, in particular:

• The taking of OWL examinations directly; although player will earn OWL grades by lessons - top marks will unlock new rewards.
  

• Quidditch and Flying, apart from the section of the game with Fred and George.
  

• Changing characters to Ron and Hermione, but Fred and George Weasley, Albus Dumbledore, and Sirius Black are playable as the game progresses. In the Nintendo DS version, Lupin is also in a duel during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries.
  

• A few areas are inaccessible, especially with there not being an option to debug; The Whomping Willow is on the Marauder's Map but cannot be located, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw Common Rooms are nonexistent, Slytherin Common Room stops abruptly at the bottom of a staircase, Divination class, Gryffindor Girls' Dormitory, the Quidditch Pitch, and Stadium are inaccessible and Hagrid's Hut cannot be entered; Dumbledore's office is shown in several cut-scenes, but not present; there are also several locked doors on the Grand Staircase leading to unknown parts of the castle.
  

• You cannot get in the Chamber of Secrets, but you can get to the entrance.
  

• Snape's "most regrettable" memory was not featured in this; Snape instead gets angry with Harry for defeating him in Occlumency.

Spells used in the game

While in most platforms the spells are performed by only using the directional and game pad buttons, the PlayStation 3 and Wii also make use of the special features of the SIXAXIS and the Wii Remote, respectively. The DS and GBA have players either using the Stylus or buttons, depending on the system. The PSP version also includes exclusive spells.

Non-combat spells

Reparo, a repairing spell.
Wingardium Leviosa, used to lift objects.
Depulso, used to push away objects.
Accio, used to summon objects.
Reducto, used to destroy objects. (Not available in the Nintendo DS version.)
Incendio, used to burn objects.

Combat/duelling spells

Expelliarmus, used to disarm an opponent. (It deals great damage but if your opponent is kneeling, use this spell to finish off your opponent.) (Available at times in the Nintendo DS version, but when it shows up in the duels, you have to use it.)

Stupefy, a slow, powerful stunning spell.

Protego, used to deflect spells coming.

Rictusempra, another stunning spell that is faster than Stupefy but weaker (in the books, Rictusempra is a tickling spell).

Petrificus Totalus, paralyses the opponent. This spell proves to be a strong spell because if opponent is alone and is hit by this spell, the duel is automatically over. The same thing could happen to you. (Though it only deals great damage against Voldemort) (Not available in the Nintendo DS version.)

Levicorpus, used to hang the opponent upside-down. In the game, the spell can be used verbally. However, in the books, this spell did not appear until Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince and is only nonverbal. (This is yet another spell that only damages Voldemort) (Not available in the Nintendo DS version.)

Expecto Patronum is used in the beginning against the Dementors, and again in a Dumbledore's Army (D.A.) meeting, but it is never used again.

Casting spells

The casting of spells is taught by various other characters to Harry, who practices them first, then is able to use them. In the PC version of the game, different movements of the mouse while pressing either the left or right mouse button allows Harry to cast spells. In the Nintendo DS version, the stylus is used to cast the spell. In the Wii version the Wii remote is used as a wand.

Spell strength

During the game, you will earn "Discovery Points" and "Discovery Levels" by discovering various secrets in the game - when you collect a certain number of Discovery Points, your spells will become more powerful (ranging from level 1 to 13). As you rise in Discovery Levels, the following traits are going to affect your spells:

Strength - Reparo repairs objects faster, Accio/Depulso summons/pushes objects at a greater range, combat spells do more damage etc.

Range - Combat spells will fade out and fall to the ground at lower levels, increasing the level increases their range - eventually leading to infinite range.

Behaviour - Stupefy, Rictusempra and Petrificus Totalus gain more spells cast in one casting; some start moving from a straight line to a random track to improve chances of hitting the opponent.

Dumbledore and Voldemort (playable in a mission) have a special level, which is not achievable by Harry. Stupefy and Rictusempra cast two more individual spells than Harry, Petrificus Totalus moves in a pattern like Rictusempra, Levicorpus waddles around, while Expelliarmus achieves a very large amount of damage.

In the Nintendo DS version, the spell strength only has three options: Uno, Duo, Tria.