Sadly,Harry Potter: Quidditch Championsis another multiplayer game in a sea of releases that will likely be washed out by the storm of Call of Duty and current free-to-play options like Fortnite and Apex Legends. While the current lack of microtransactions is nice, the game is too repetitive and unlikely to keep an audience for a long time. This game of Quidditch might be fun every once in a while, but it doesn’t hold enough magic to keep you hooked, fellow wizards.
Becoming the Seeker is the Best Part of Quidditch Champions
Despite the game lacking depth, it does leave an amazing first impression. In the team, you play four different roles. The Beater uses a bludger and a bat to savagely hit rival players to stun them or completely knock them out. There are two Chasers, who get the Quaffle and score goals, shooting at the hoops on either side of the field. Then the keeper is the goalie, catching the Quaffle and bashing opponents away with a swipe of their broom. It’s satisfying to hit a bludger back at the beater with a swipe of the broom. Lastly, there’s the Seeker, the squad member that catches the Golden Snitch. Rather than 150 points in the books and the movie, the Snitch in this game scores you 30 points instead, making the game less reliant on the Seeker, which is a good addition.
Each person has their own independent role, which is cool, but actually performing the tasks is one-note. Unlike the PS2 entryQuidditch World Cup, you can’t stylishly volley the quaffle and it’s more simulation-based than arcade-like.Quidditch Championsis more like the annualFC/FIFAreleases, whileQuidditch World Cupfeels likeFIFA Street. Passing is often one-note and shooting is generic. There aren’t any trick shots, unless you can unlock the One Shot ability, which has the Chaser swiping the broom like the keeper and hitting the Quaffle into the goal. This is hard to perform, though.
You have fun for the first few games as you figure out how to play as each squad member, but repetition settles in quick, and the games feel overly long. The most fun you can have while playingQuidditch Championsis arguably the Seeker. You’re frantically chasing the small ball as it glides across the stage in a wild fashion. You’re following gold rings in the air to gain energy for flying faster. What makes this even better is that the game controls well and lets you drift around corners like an intense racing game, and you can knock your opponents out by bumping into them. This is where the Beater comes in. They can send bludgers towards the Seekers, making the process of catching the Snitch harder. You have to dodge at just the right moment, leading to some nail-biter moments as you race the opposing Seeker to the snitch.
Unfortunately, repetition often sets the course for mostQuidditch Championsmatches, but if the developers add more types of shots and passes, it could make the action more interesting. There are no team special moves like the PS2 game either. It would also help if the commentators didn’t say the same line over and over again. The funny thing is that two commentators from different arenas said the same corny joke about the Golden Snitch having wings instead of feet.
Exploring New Locales in the Harry Potter Universe
One of the coolest aspects ofQuidditch Championsis the locales you’re able to explore. Throughout the game, you’ll see the Triwizard schools Beauxbatons and Durmstrang featured as you compete against them representing Hogwarts (or play as these schools yourself). They’re a highlight as you see the stunning French Alps in the background with fancy architecture in Beauxbatons and a dark Northern Europe landscape within Durmstrang. They’re fascinating to look at, and the commentators change, which is a nice touch. Hidden within the Exhibition mode, you can also check out the American school Ilvermorny, surrounded by a stunning fall wilderness.
A disappointing aspect ofQuidditch Champions,however, is when you get to the Quidditch World Cup. You’re stuck on one map for the entirety of this tournament in the single-player mode, and it’s dull to look at. If we could explore arenas inspired by the countries that take part, that would have been far more engaging.Quidditch World Cupis a better game in this aspect.
The Unlockables Add Some Needed Flair
While the gameplay lacks some spice, the unlockables may keep some players coming back for more. Currently, there’s no currency system in which you have to spend real money; it’s all unlocked in-game. The Market sells you the cute Mascot hats the students wear in the films with in-game coins and you can get some fun emotes like the Ragdoll Cat Patronus that says hi to your player after being cast. You can also unlock characters like Hermoine (who doesn’t like riding a broom but no matter) and the Weasley Twins.
Unfortunately, some beloved characters like Draco Malfoy, Cho Chang and Cedric Diggory are stuck behind The Vault. You need to get a lot of Winged Keys to unlock them, and they’re gained by completing Challenges and leveling up your season (which is offered for free). It is neat to get Sebastian Sallow and other rewards for free, however, if you connectHogwarts LegacyandQuidditch Championsto your WB account. It makes no sense he’s alive during this time frame, but we’ll accept it.
Review: Hogwarts Legacy
Hogwarts Legacy isn’t perfect, but it’s successful in capturing the magic of the franchise and setting a solid foundation for any future games.
There are costumes and accessories to unlock too, but they seem few and far between at the moment. Rita Skeeter’s glasses as a season unlock, however, is a fun touch. IfQuidditch Championshas a chance of keeping its player base, WB Games should continue to create these entertaining emotes, costumes and other rewards. New arenas inspired by different countries around the world or beloved locales like Hogsmeade would also be a great addition.
Each person has their own independent role, which is cool, but actually performing the tasks is one-note. Unlike the PS2 entryQuidditch World Cup, you can’t stylishly volley the quaffle, and it’s more simulation-based than arcade-like.
Something that’s well done is the character creator screen. While it’s not as in-depth as something likeBaldur’s Gate 3,you get a lot of hairstyles and a few faces to choose from. It’s also great to see a gender option for the commentators to say they/them, he/him, or she/her.
A Poor Online Experience
Unfortunately, the online experience isn’t the best. Becoming the seeker can be shaky as you need precise inputs to follow the Golden Snitch properly. In a 20-30 minute span, there were some connection issues as players flew into the walls of the arena and some were invisible. Once you get a good game, however, it’s clear sailing for the most part.
Closing Comments:
Overall,QuidditchChampions gets tedious quickly, but in short bursts, it can be fun. The different roles one can take are well done, especially with the seeker, but the lack of skill shots or moves does hamper the enjoyment. Getting new unlockables might be the lifeblood of the game as they feature fun references to the movies for the fans. Hopefully, that will be enough to keep the game forward with a solid player base, despite its repetitive nature.
Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions
Version Reviewed: PlayStation 5
Take to the sky as one of the classic positions – Chaser, Seeker, Keeper, or Beater – each with their own unique play style. Soar into legendary Quidditch arenas, as well as maps that showcase never-before-seen areas of the wizarding world in Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions.
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