Darker and more action-driven end to the Harry Potter video-game series

Jun 1, 2010 21:21 GMT  ·  By

The next Harry Potter game has been unveiled by Electronic Arts. Following the story of the Deathly Hallows novel, the title will be split in two parts, probably to synchronize with the release of the two movies that are based on the book. It is developed by EA Bright Light Studio for the PlayStation 3, the Xbox 360, the Nintendo Wii, the PC and the Nintendo DS, and the release window for the first part is the autumn of this year.

The developer is promising that this game will be more adjusted to the High-Definition gamer generation, boasting a darker tale and a more action-packed gameplay. Gone are the puzzles from the usual Harry Potter offerings, as wizardly combat will be the focus of this title. The screenshots that have been released by EA indicate that this is a cover-based third person shooter, akin to the very popular Gears of War series, only less violent to accommodate a family-friendly rating.

The Vice President of the studio, Jonathan Bunney, said that, “We believe we are creating a Harry Potter game that the HD console gaming generation will appreciate and enjoy. We have built new technology specifically to allow us to prove that magic is a truly potent force and, in this game, players will need to use all their skills if they want to survive.” This is in line with the books, as Harry's story does become bleaker and he is forced to prove himself in battle as a wizard in the last chapter of the series.

Like in the novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows sees the young wizard engaged in a desperate quest to recover and destroy Voldemort's Horcruxes, small artifacts that keep the evil mage invincible. No longer a part of Hogwarts and with no Dumbledore to help him, Harry has to face and survive many dangerous situations during the course of the narrative, sometimes even without Ron and Hermione's help.