Just as the third film is regarded as the best of the series so far, this latest video game version of Harry Potter's adventures is a clear step above its (still well regarded) forebears. Based upon both the book and film of
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, the game sticks close to the look and feel of the movie wherever it can, while filling in details from the book to ensure a longer playing time.
The main difference between this game and the last, apart from the vastly improved graphics, is that you now get to play as Ron and Hermione as well as Harry. What's more, throughout most of the game you can switch between any of the three whenever you like, as the other two follow you around and help out with magic spells should you get into a fight.
Each character has their own special abilities with Harry being a good all-rounder, Hermione being better at spells and Ron having the ability to detect hidden objects. You must decide which skill is most needed at any one time, adding a welcome strategic element to the game.
A special bonus for the PlayStation 2 version of the game is a bunch of EyeToy mini-games. Although these have no connection to the main game they're still a lot of fun with one having you try to squish chocolate frogs and another catching the Snitch in a game of Quidditch. Together with the new graphics, which are far less cartoony than before and look close to the proper actors from the film, this is definitely the best Harry Potter game yet and is good enough to appeal even to those who don't usually like the little wizard. --David Jenkins