Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire review

Spell casting is purely context-sensitive. Press one button for a hex, another for a charm, and the game will decide which spell to choose, based on the environment. That reduces the game to a routine action adventure, where you simply navigate one room after another, pressing the same button over and over to defeat monsters that never become frightening. There are items to collect, collector's cards to boost stats, and some very basic puzzles to conquer. But EA has plainly designed the game to offer only a basic challenge to the broadest possible audience.

During the tournament things pick up a bit - an underwater sequence is a standout and there's some good fun to be had outrunning a dragon on broomstick. But these are fleeting moments, and the game too quickly returns to daft arcade action. Even the option for two other players to jump in and control Harry's friends can't add enough spark.