Product Description

In Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter fans can experience the magic and peril of Harry's third year at Hogwarts. For the first time gamers will play as friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger as well as Harry Potter, switching between characters and utilizing their key attributes and skills to resolve challenges and overcome enemies. The three friends will need to combine their strengths and master a variety of new spells as they face Harry's most terrifying opponents yet: the escaped convict Sirius Black and the sinister guards of Azkaban prison, the Dementors.

From the opening scene on the Hogwarts Express to the climactic finale on the shore of the great lake at Hogwarts, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban will immerse players in the magical world of Harry Potter. Players will unravel the mystery surrounding Sirius Black and his escape from the infamous wizard prison Azkaban. Gamers will encounter a host of new characters and creatures, engage in a variety of sub-quests, fly on a Hippogriff, reveal the secrets of the Marauder's Map and take on their friends in multiple two-player challenges.

HARRY POTTER and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. Harry Potter Publishing Rights © JKR. (s04)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6319 in Computer & Video Games
• Brand: Electronic Arts
• Released on: 2004-11-19
• Rating: To Be Announced
• Platform: PlayStation2

Amazon.co.uk Review
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

Customer Reviews

Harry potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban - Good or Bad?
I received this game for christmas 4 days ago, and I've already completed it. The gameplay is too short really, and could have been better with a couple of comprehensable side games (i.e. like the gnome throwing in the HP2 PS2 game). The graphics are spectacular, especially in the cut scenes. The lip-sync is spot on, and at some points it was hard to tell whether Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson were voicing them themselves.
Instead of just having cut scenes play through the end Whomping Willow - Shreiking Shack parts was dissapointing. A nice long battle with an enraged super-natural tree would have rounded off the bank holiday weekend nicely.
There also should have been time spent with free time to explore the castle without the 3 main characters moaning they're tired all of the time. This only occurs at the end, and then there's people all over the place getting in your way.
Also, no visit to Hogsmeade (Into the actual village) which was a pity because I really wanted to see how EA games interpreted the preety village shown in the film
Overall, not a bad effort. HP2 was a little more expansive, but HP3 exells the prliminary episodes in graphics, sound and surroundings. There really is nothing like seeing poisonous Doxys from the back of an airbourne Hippogriff.
Maybe a rent before buy title though, if you play games with the motive to complete them as fast as possible.

Extraordinary Game!!!
First of all, don't listen to the review by L.ransom below. Its not true at all.

This is the best harry potter game I've played ever (ON ANY CONSOLE!!) It is better than the pc version, and the goblet of fire game, which was incredibly boring.

Good things:
-AMAZING GRAPHICS (Just fly buckbeak and you'll see),
-Great controls and wand control (unlike the pc version, you can press R1 and lock on to a target),
-Unlike the PC version, there is a large puzzle element, because you have to choose the character and spell that is right for the situation!
-The characters speak a lot, even when roaming the grounds; I think this adds a bit of realism
- You can explore hogwarts and the grounds completely freely. The environments are so realistic and vast that its possible to get lost if u wander too far.
-The missons are really original and fun. In some, you are told exactly what to do, and in some more challenging ones, you have to explore a lot to find out.
-Lots and lots of minigames and eyetoy games, which are fun and cannot be found on the PC version of this game.
-I have also noticed that the PC version has extremely lame lip synching, whereas this ps2 game has great lip synching and good voice acting in general.


Bad things:
It might be helpful to note that APPARENTLY this game has some bugs. However, I played on it for hours and gameplay was smooth as hell!


Summary: If you are into RPG Harry Potter games with good narrative and puzzles, buy this game!!! Its the best one so far! (To anyone who is anticipating OOTP :-P)

Great Game, you have to buy this!!!!
Well what a game, this was bought for me a few weeks ago and i have really enjoyed playing this game, i must admit this is alot better than the goblet of fire as you can explore hogwarts freely, this is very similar to the chambers of secrets and philosophers stone, i would say this is better then the film and more like the book, as you really get to see hogwarts and its just amazing how you can explore and find the hidden passages and its very dark, i am now playing goblet of fire and i rate that 2 stars as EA have changed it completly which im not happy with as why no exploring!!!!!