LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7

88%
Game Brain Score Based on 887 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 Game Cover
LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7 may not be the best LEGO game around, but it's one that all fans of both the super-successful brand names will want to try out.
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In LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7, players continue the magical journey of Harry Potter through the final three books and final four films. Explore new locations, faces, and spells as you relive iconic moments from the series. Rediscover the story in a light-hearted, humorous way with LEGO's signature puzzle-solving and adventure gameplay.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Android
  • Mobile Platform
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Play​station Vita
  • PSP
  • Tablet
  • Wii
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

88%
Audience ScoreBased on 887 reviews
story23 positive mentions
optimization16 negative mentions
  • The game is a fun and charming adaptation of the Harry Potter series, capturing the essence of the movies with LEGO humor.
  • Improved graphics and gameplay mechanics compared to the previous installment, making it a more enjoyable experience.
  • Great for co-op play, allowing friends and family to enjoy the game together.
  • The game suffers from significant performance issues, including frequent frame rate drops and lag, making it frustrating to play.
  • Control settings do not save between sessions, requiring players to reconfigure them each time the game is launched.
  • Some levels feel repetitive and lack the engaging puzzles found in previous LEGO games, leading to a less satisfying experience.
  • story133 mentions

    The story in "Lego Harry Potter: Years 5-7" closely follows the plot of the latter films and books, providing a humorous and engaging retelling of Harry's adventures. While the game captures the essence of the source material, some players feel that the darker themes of the later films do not translate well into the Lego format, leading to a mix of enjoyable moments and occasional confusion. Overall, the game offers a fun experience for fans, though it may require prior knowledge of the Harry Potter story to fully appreciate the narrative.

    • “The story is good and the game is more serious than its prequel, which is expected since the books and the movies 5-7 have in fact darker tones, but they also found creative ways to make things lighter due to the LEGO part of the game.”
    • “If you like the LEGO game formula, and you have a desire to have the Harry Potter story retold brick by brick, then this is the game for you.”
    • “The story, environments, and comic relief are all fantastic.”
    • “The developers seem to have done their best, but the tone and complexity of the later films doesn't translate well to the classic LEGO style of storytelling, making years 5-7 a bit of a bore to sit through story-wise.”
    • “Without the context of the films, the cutscenes and story are absolutely absurd; heck, even with the context, some of it makes no sense.”
    • “Most of the levels feel like busywork instead of actual levels that advance the story.”
  • gameplay84 mentions

    The gameplay in this installment has received mixed reviews, with many praising the improved mechanics, graphics, and the introduction of new spells and dueling elements that add variety. However, some players find the experience marred by repetitive mechanics, tedious animations, and a lack of engaging puzzles, leading to a sense of bloat rather than refinement. Overall, while the game offers fun moments and a nostalgic return to the Harry Potter universe, it struggles with pacing and depth compared to its predecessor.

    • “The spell mechanics were designed in such a way as to encourage you to think critically about positioning.”
    • “The gameplay remains largely the same, albeit with a few new spells and abilities to change up the puzzle solving, and the dueling mechanic provides some fun combat encounters.”
    • “This is a fun, richly detailed game that rewards curiosity and offers plenty of gameplay variety, making it well worth the effort for LEGO and Harry Potter fans alike.”
    • “The game is filled with tedium, such as long unskippable animations (both player action and mid-level events), and a stupid dueling mechanic that results in a priori incantatem button mash for many boss fights, some of which are actually multi-round duels.”
    • “The gameplay is an absolute chore.”
    • “They made lots of good quality of life changes from years 1-4 but they added so much bloat mechanics that are there just to be there that it’s genuinely not as fun as 1-4 was.”
  • graphics74 mentions

    The graphics in this game have received widespread praise for their significant improvements over previous installments, showcasing beautiful visuals that enhance the overall experience. While many players report smooth performance on mid to high-end PCs, some have encountered frame rate issues and bugs, particularly on lower-end systems. Overall, the game is considered visually stunning for a LEGO title, successfully capturing the darker tone of the source material.

    • “The game is outright gorgeous, and while 1-4 has perfectly fine graphics, this is definitely an improvement.”
    • “The graphics and sound effects are also top-notch and really add to the immersion.”
    • “This game by far has the best graphics for a LEGO game I've seen.”
    • “One advantage it does have over years 1-4 is a bit of a graphical upgrade, but the cost of this seems to be frequent frame rate issues, which for a game over a decade old is highly disappointing.”
    • “The cover picture is extremely misleading as the actual graphics of the game personally did not look like Lego.”
    • “It's sad to see, since the graphical improvements over the first game are great and everything about the dark and gritty wizard world is also nice.”
  • humor47 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating the classic Lego charm and funny cutscenes that bring a lighthearted touch to the Harry Potter narrative. However, some reviewers noted a significant drop in humor compared to previous installments, attributing this to the darker themes of the later books and films, which made it challenging to maintain the usual comedic tone. Overall, while there are plenty of laugh-out-loud moments, the humor may not resonate as strongly for everyone, especially those familiar with the source material's lighter moments.

    • “It is not just the attention to detail that makes these games great - it is the humor and charm that they bring to the table.”
    • “You will find yourself laughing out loud at the antics of the LEGO characters and their silly expressions.”
    • “The gameplay is really fun and really easy, the cutscenes are hilarious.”
    • “The relationship between Harry and Ginny, and Ron and Hermione feels so artificial and forced that it's not funny.”
    • “The jokes in the game fall flat and often feel out of place, making it hard to enjoy the humor.”
    • “I expected clever wit, but instead, the humor is repetitive and lacks originality.”
  • optimization29 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has been widely criticized, with many users reporting significant performance issues, including frame rate drops and lag, even on modern hardware. While some improvements have been noted compared to the previous installment, the consensus is that the game suffers from poor optimization, making it difficult to enjoy fully. Many players express frustration over the game's performance, indicating it is among the worst optimized in its genre.

    • “Pretty solid optimization and no crashing (the one exception being Diagon Alley caused some noticeable lag).”
    • “It seems like it could be a great game, but the incredibly poor optimizations ruin it.”
    • “Fun, but poorly optimized.”
    • “However, there is something you need to know: this game suffers from horrible performance issues, especially on modern hardware. There could be a few bugs as well.”
    • “The game is as badly optimized as Ark: Survival Evolved. It lags terribly; I have a GTX 1070 OC and a Ryzen 5 3600 OC with 16GB of DDR4 RAM and only get 27 FPS on minimum settings. This game came out in 2012, and I get better frame rates on Borderlands 3 on maximum settings.”
    • “Terrible performance—hands down the worst of any LEGO game to date.”
  • stability27 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability has improved compared to its predecessor, with many users noting it is less buggy than "Harry Potter Years 1-4." However, players still report encountering various glitches, particularly during cutscenes and specific levels, leading to softlocks and frame rate drops. While some enjoy a smoother experience, others find the game remains a "buggy mess," especially on PC.

    • “Very good, no lag problems. I am on a laptop and it runs great on the best graphics.”
    • “It's a little weird too, because the first one (released in 2008) runs great on new high-end graphics cards.”
    • “It's still a good game, but I encountered many glitches that resulted in softlocks.”
    • “The game is buggy when trying to complete it normally, so you're softlocked once you reach the bell bike level. Apparently, this can be fixed by turning your graphics settings down, but I tried this for 30 minutes and still softlocked as it doesn't register when you press the button to ring the bell, even on the lowest settings.”
    • “However, it suffers from even worse technical glitches than its predecessor.”
  • grinding18 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly when aiming for 100% completion. While some enjoy the challenge, many feel that the excessive grinding, especially in freeplay and character unlocking, detracts from the overall experience, making it feel more like a chore than fun. The game is described as having moments of enjoyment, but the pacing and repetitive battles ultimately weaken its appeal.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “A majority of the 200 characters are cosmetic, tedious to select, tedious to buy, and sometimes even tedious to unlock.”
    • “It unfortunately is a lot more grinding and drags out towards the end to prevent players from accessing certain abilities.”
    • “Compared to the last game, this one is so much more tedious; 100% is such a struggle it feels more like a chore than any other LEGO game.”
  • music17 mentions

    The music in the game is largely praised for its emotional depth and connection to the Harry Potter films, with familiar soundtracks enhancing the gaming experience. However, some players noted that the limited and repetitive nature of the soundtrack can become tiresome over time. Overall, the sound design effectively complements the game's mood, making it a significant aspect of the gameplay.

    • “There are few new spells, graphics are improved and the soundtrack still kicks ass and makes you experience all spectrum of emotions.”
    • “What I enjoyed the most about the game is that the films’ soundtracks are placed at the same scenes as they were in the films, which allows for a deeper connection to the events happening.”
    • “As always, the sound design and musical accompaniment feel perfectly suited to the mood of the game and really make finding those collectibles satisfying.”
    • “The very limited soundtrack doesn't take long to bug you with its looping, and music is recycled throughout the game.”
    • “The very limited soundtrack doesn't take long to bug you with its looping, and music is recycled throughout the game.”
    • “Order of the Phoenix is a sunny, safe environment with racy, peaceful, and happy music.”
  • atmosphere5 mentions

    The atmosphere in the LEGO Harry Potter games is noted for its coolness and charm, typical of LEGO titles. However, the transition to a more serious and darker tone in the later installments struggles to balance the whimsical nature of the LEGO world with the adult themes present in the source material, leading to a dissonance that some players find challenging.

    • “The second LEGO Harry Potter game sets players in a much darker atmosphere of the last books and movies.”
    • “Cool atmosphere, and come on, LEGO games are always great!”
    • “From book to book, from film to film, the atmosphere of the wizarding world is getting more serious and dangerous.”
    • “And here lies the main problem of Harry Potter: Years 5-7 – it is hard to keep the balance between serious adult events and the childlike atmosphere of magic.”
    • “The second LEGO Harry Potter game sets players in a much darker atmosphere compared to the last books and movies.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    Overall, the game is noted for its high replayability, primarily due to its collectible elements and engaging story. However, some users feel that the lack of a two-player mode diminishes its replay value compared to other titles, such as Lego Star Wars. Despite minor flaws, the game offers a satisfying experience that encourages players to revisit it.

    • “There is a high replay value.”
    • “This gives it a lot less replayability than, say, Lego Star Wars.”
    • “While the game's story moves along with effortless charm, it's the collectible element that adds both variety and replay value.”
    • “Despite the occasional slipup, the game successfully builds on the original story to offer a simple yet satisfying experience that has depth and replay value.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development is praised for its thoughtful design and integration of elements from the source material, enhancing the experience for fans of the books.

    • “I love the character designs; as a book reader, I really appreciate the effort of providing us with small bits and pieces from the books.”
    • “The character development is incredibly rich, allowing players to form deep connections with each character's journey.”
    • “Each character feels unique and evolves in meaningful ways, making the story feel more immersive and engaging.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and rushed, leaving little room for meaningful growth.”
    • “I was disappointed by how one-dimensional the characters are; they lack depth and complexity.”
    • “The choices I made didn't seem to impact the characters' development, making the experience feel hollow.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

76% average critic score

Buy LEGO Harry Potter: Years 5-7

Play time

86hMedian play time
72hAverage play time
11hMain story
25hCompletionist
10-120hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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