Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

GameDaily

While control issues with the Wii Remote add more labor than needed at times, if you're looking to be a little more like Potter, you won't get any closer than this.

IGN

On Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, you obviously get prettier graphics and on Wii you have superior controls, in my opinion. Which is more important is ultimately up to you. This year's game delivers the most complete and immersive version of Hogwarts yet and if you love the universe that J.K. Rowling created, you will undoubtedly find great entertainment in exploring the immense school in all of its many intricacies.

Vandal Online

Ultimately, this is one of the best titles in the Harry Potter series, which is a must buy for the fans of the adventures of this special wizard.

MEGamers

The game across all systems is a solid effort, a little problems in each department manages to pull the game down however.

3DJuegos

Half-Blood Prince is fun but too short.

GameZone

This latest Harry Potter game is fun enough, but isn't that wonderful a gaming experience. It is pretty easy, and is probably best enjoyed by people who just want to relish the world of Hogworts.

Official Nintendo Magazine UK

It's fun while it lasts but at just four hours long, it's far, far too short. EA, you are a lazy bunch.

Nintendo Life

It’s just a shame that this feels more like a continuation rather than a fully-fledged enhancement.

Games Master UK

A decent recreation of the film's unfriendly plot. There's just not enough here to truly satisfy. [Aug 2009, p.80]

Cynamite

Half-hearted port that doesn't excel in any category.

Game Over Online

Targeted at the younger audience, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is a decent game overall, but it doesn’t live up to the potential and grandeur of the Harry Potter legacy.

Game Informer

Concocting potions and humiliating dark wizards is fun for a while, but once the novelty is gone, Hogwarts loses all of its magic.

GameFocus

I can say that I was happy to see a noticeable improvement over Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix. Still, the lack of variety and depth in terms of the activities offered by the game and the speed in which you could run through it (around 5 hours) makes Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince for the Wii a worth checking-out but not necessarily a must-own game.

Gamervision

The Half-Blood Prince isn’t worth buying at full price for any system; five hours is far too short, especially for a game this repetitive.

Gameplanet

Recommended only for serious Harry Potter fans, or seriously bored kids.

Multiplayer.it

Harry Potter and the Half Blooded Prince is what you might expect from an average tie-in, if not a little bit less: it's aimed only at harcore fans, and yet it could disappoint because of the shallowness of the plot and the poor cutscenes.

Telegraph

It's the overall lack of challenge and depth which proves to be the major sticking point.

VideoGamer

There's little to no challenge present throughout the entire game, the story only makes sense if you already know the plot and there's a lack of things to do outside of the three main gameplay mechanics. Buy if you're a mega fan, but avoid if you like your games with even a tiny amount of depth.

NintendoWorldReport

When it comes down to it, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is just a pretty looking sandbox game with three mini-games. These games are interesting, but gameplay variety is a second thought, and so is the story.

Cubed3

The Half-Blood Prince is certainly better than some of the abysmal movie tie-ins of recent years, but it's also far from being a must-buy title.

AceGamez

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is certainly prince-like in terms of its presentation but pretty half-arsed when to comes to the gameplay experience.

Play.tm

Sadly the lack of variety and repetitive nature of what's there does little more than throw the half hearted story telling and horrible voice acting into even sharper relief.

RealGamer

I’d like to see developers scrap these constant installments completely and remake a one off Harry Potter game. Maybe one that tells the whole story, obviously in a very watered down fashion. One good game is better than seven clones of the same mediocre game.

Worth Playing

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince for the Wii simply does not have enough magic in it to fly on its own.

Nintendo Power

The only irredeemable part of the game is its storytelling. [Aug 2009, p.89]

GameTrailers

Though we're happy EA revisited the sandbox structure, everything that made the previous outing a solid game has been sacrificed in exchange for simpler controls and gimped action in Half-Blood Prince.

NGamer UK

It's worse than the last game in almost every way. Except potions. Making potions rocks. [Sept 2009, p.64]

Gamestyle

Despite a decent opening it soon descends into mediocrity that so many licensed games fall into.

GamePro

In the end, the game isn't a horrible experience. It is kind of fun and features some decent gameplay, but is it worth $50? I don't think so.

IGN UK

Disorientating, disjointed, over-stretched and largely charmless.

1UP

The game should be called "Harry Potter and the Half-Assed Game." Even though Endless Day mode allows you to visit the Hogwarts grounds at your leisure after the primary game finishes, letting you round up the rest of the collectibles and deal with any unfinished dueling or Potions challenges, I felt as though EA delivered only half the game I had hoped for.

GameSpot

A forgettable experience, pushing players through the same three minigames over and over again, without ever capturing the thrill of being a wizard. The story lacks focus and is difficult to follow, giving players only the faintest motivation to continue on before it finally ends on an emotionless, anticlimactic note. The Half-Blood Prince squanders its impressive license; you're better off reading the book again.

GameSpy

Between the occasionally spotty controls, the linear quest, and the highly repetitive mini-games, only the most dedicated Potter fans need enroll this term. Oh, and it was very disappointing to find out that the final boss battle doesn't have you playing as Professor Snape. Very disappointing.

Teletext GameCentral

There's a real lack of magic in what is essentially Harry Potter And The Half-Hearted Mini-Game Collection.

Level7.nu

The sixth movie in the Harry Potter series was a great and entertaining experience - something that can't be said about it's videogame adaptation. The core premise of the game is built around three monotonous minigames that are repeated throughout the game. The one saving grace is that the adventuring and exploring are somewhat interesting and the musical score is great.