LEGO Harry Potter Collection
- October 30, 2018
- Double 11
- 28h median play time
The LEGO Harry Potter Collection combines LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 and LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 into one remastered game for PlayStation 4. This magical adventure features spell-casting, potion-making, puzzle-solving, and dueling, with enhanced graphics and two DLC packs. Fans of J.K. Rowling's Wizarding World will enjoy this game as a perfect gift or addition to their collection.
Reviews
- The remastered graphics and improved lighting enhance the visual experience, making the game feel more polished than the originals.
- The addition of Steam achievements provides a new layer of engagement for players, especially for completionists.
- The collection runs more smoothly than the original versions, with fewer crashes and better performance on modern systems.
- The collection is criticized for being a cash grab, offering minimal improvements over the original games and lacking significant new content.
- Many players have reported persistent bugs and crashes, including game-breaking issues that hinder progress.
- The games are locked at 60 FPS, which is seen as a limitation, especially for players with modern hardware that could support higher frame rates.
- graphics68 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics in the remastered collection of the LEGO Harry Potter games show only minimal improvements, primarily in textures and lighting, with some areas remaining dark and buggy. While some players appreciate the enhanced visuals and smoother performance, many feel that the upgrades are not significant enough to justify the full price, especially for those familiar with the original versions. Overall, the remaster is seen as a slight polish rather than a substantial graphical overhaul.
“I appreciated the remastered graphics.”
“Graphics are polished and the game runs perfectly smooth flawlessly.”
“This game not only fixes this but also gives it a well needed graphics update.”
“The fact that WB charges full price for this when the two games by themselves come out incredibly cheaper, the graphics in terms of textures and lighting are slightly prettier in comparison but also weaken in other places (the 5-7 red brick room has all the red bricks in complete shadow) and despite the games being fourteen (years 1-4) and almost thirteen (years 5-7) years old, the bugs in the original versions have gone unfixed for this collection.”
“Returned it in 15 minutes after realizing the graphics looked essentially the same as when I played this game on my Switch.”
“The supposed graphics improvement is not or at most barely noticeable.”
- stability24 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, including audio glitches, random crashes, and gameplay issues such as falling through trapdoors and unresponsive controls. While some older bugs have been addressed, new ones have emerged, leading many players to prefer the original versions over this release. Overall, the game is described as fun but plagued by significant stability issues that detract from the experience.
“Year 5-7 are half-assed and very buggy.”
“They fixed some of the bugs that plagued the older games, but they also introduced new ones. The ones I experienced were random jitters in the audio, random crashes/freezes, and the world not acting as intended, including falling through locked trapdoors and sliding up slanted walls meant to be unclimbable.”
“With crashes, corrupted save files, glitches, softlocks, the works.”
- optimization16 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
Overall, the optimization of the game has seen notable improvements compared to the original releases, with many users reporting enhanced stability and reduced stuttering issues. While some players experienced minimal performance changes on PC, the general consensus is that the game runs better and is more stable, making it a worthwhile purchase for newcomers, especially those interested in achievements. However, players who already own the original may find little incentive to upgrade unless they are dedicated fans.
“But performance has definitely been improved; on the old game, I used to have quite a lot of stutter and FPS issues.”
“I feel like the game in general is much better optimized than the original releases.”
“Bug fixes and optimizations: various bugs from the original releases have been addressed, leading to a more stable experience.”
“Terrible stuttering issue.”
“PC is very minimal to changes in performance.”
“But if you don't have performance issues with the second game, or are not a big LEGO game or Harry Potter fan, stick to the original release; it will do you just fine.”
- gameplay14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the Harry Potter LEGO collection has been criticized for lacking innovation and failing to enhance the original titles, leading some to view it as a "copy paste cash grab." While there are quality of life improvements such as streamlined menus and faster loading times, players express disappointment over the absence of new gameplay mechanics and the limited character selection. Additionally, technical issues like crashes during gameplay detract from the overall experience, especially for a re-released title.
“Quality of life features: streamlined menus, faster loading times, and improved character-switching mechanics.”
“I concede that I would have liked the Harry Potter collection to follow the more visually polished formula of 'Legos in a realistic world' like the Skywalker collection does; I would have enjoyed some more gameplay loops outside of what was available in the original game.”
“This franchise has the scope, nostalgia, and capability similar to Star Wars to provide a new unique game that takes advantage of the progress the team at TT have made in creating LEGO games with a diversity of mechanics, character selection, voice lines, and available world.”
“And after a few more hours of gameplay... I experienced one crash while playing the last chapter in free play. I'd like to say it's acceptable, but I just don't think so. A game that was re-released should have such issues fixed.”
“Another issue for Harry Potter is that it doesn't add any gameplay to the original games, giving a valid argument to being perceived as a 'copy-paste cash grab.'”
“The other and the most annoying thing for me is that they didn't even care to change the game mechanics to be better.”
- story10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is noted for its longer and more involved sections, although exploration has been reduced. While the Harry Potter collection is praised for its faithful recreation of the source material, the Skywalker collection introduces new content through episodes 7, 8, and 9, despite mixed opinions on the recent trilogy. However, some DLCs focus solely on character packs, lacking additional story content.
“On the other hand, the Skywalker collection adds episodes 7, 8, and 9, bringing new story to the series (even if most dislike the most recent trilogy).”
“The story sections are longer and more involved.”
“The story sections are longer, more involved, but the exploration is cut in half.”
“This DLC only includes character packs, with no story content.”
“When it comes to having a 'home' area for your story, I believe the Harry Potter collection came out on top in terms of faithful recreation.”
- monetization8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game has been widely criticized as a "cash grab," with players feeling that it offers little value or innovation compared to the original titles. Despite discounts making the price more appealing, many reviewers believe the lack of meaningful improvements and gameplay additions reflects a lack of effort from the developers.
“I got a loyalty discount from $60 down to $25 in my currency and thought that was a decent deal, but having played it, I’ve got to agree with others - there was no love here by the devs, it’s just a cash grab.”
“Another issue for Harry Potter is that it doesn't add any gameplay to the original games, giving a valid argument to being perceived as a 'copy-paste cash grab'.”
“This game seems to me to be nothing more than a thinly veiled cash grab and produces next to no improvements versus the original.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the humor in the game to be enjoyable and integral to the overall experience, enhancing the immersive atmosphere reminiscent of the Harry Potter universe. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke nostalgia and foster bonding moments, particularly through shared laughter during gameplay. However, some note that technical issues, such as the game's launcher, detract from the overall enjoyment.
“The atmosphere is excellent and puts you into the world of Harry Potter, a fun and funny game.”
“These games defined my childhood, brought love and joy to me as I spent countless hours with my dad playing, laughing, and bonding with him over them as I grew up.”
- music4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game has been praised for its excellent integration of iconic scores from the films, featuring compositions by renowned composers like John Williams and Alexandre Desplat. Players appreciate that the game utilizes the original soundtracks rather than creating a separate one, enhancing the overall experience. However, some users noted that the launcher music can be excessively loud, evoking nostalgic memories of game piracy.
“Great LEGO game, heaps better than the other two games. I like that they didn't make a separate soundtrack; they just took the music straight from the movies and added it to the game. Excellent music from John Williams, Patrick Doyle, Nicholas Hooper, and Alexandre Desplat.”
“The 'launcher' brings back memories of pirating games and their launchers with extremely loud music.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for immersing players in the Harry Potter universe, creating a fun and engaging experience. However, some users have noted that the game's launcher requires improvements.
“The atmosphere is excellent and immerses you in the world of Harry Potter, making it a fun and enjoyable game.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect tedious, particularly due to the repetitive need to scroll through and accept terms of service jargon each time they launch the game. This added step contributes to a frustrating experience that detracts from overall enjoyment.