Another work of wizardry

It's easy to see why. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire arrives to coincide with the movie's release and just in time for granny's annual trip to the video games shop.

Thankfully, to date the Potter games have been generally well done of their type. Not exactly genre redefining but they usually manage to steer clear of the movie tie-in pitfalls that have bedevilled many other games.

In this latest adventure, Harry is mysteriously selected as the fourth competitor in the dangerous Triwizard Tournament.

A true test of a wizard's skills, each competitor is expected to confront a fire-breathing dragon, rescue friends from the icy depths of the Black Lake, and navigate through a seemingly impenetrable maze.

New for 2005 is a greater emphasis on playing as all the major characters - Harry, Ron and Hermione - with likenesses modelled on their cinematic counterparts.

While staying faithful to the template that has served it so well in previous games, Electronic Arts has introduced a couple of welcome revisions. These include a revamped spell casting system that meshes neatly with the PlayStation's dual shock controller. Now you can feel the spells as your joypad reacts to every movement of the wand.

There's also a power-ups system disguised as a role playing game-esque Collector's and Creature Cards system that adds some interesting enhancements.

And PS2 owners who can't enjoy the thrill of online play will simply love the co-operative mode that allows them to play through the adventure in conjunction with a mate (or two!). It's more than just a "you go first.." mode as well. Your characters have to work together if they are to complete the game.

There are still some issues with the camera, which sometimes leaves you guessing, but as you'd expect, the graphics look nicer and the main characters are accurately modelled so the cinematic experience is complete.

Fans of the books and the movies will need no recommendation from me to buy this game. Other would-be wizards should take a look as well.

LEGO DROME RACERS, Format: PC CD ROM. Publisher: Focus Multimedia. Price: £10. Family friendly? Yes: LEGO may be kids' stuff but adults just can't resist "having a go for old times' sake", either.

It's exactly the same with Drome Racers. You may buy it for your kids, especially at the pocket money friendly price, but I guarantee you'll soon be elbowing junior aside to have a try yourself.

It's an arcade racer that, in the best Lego traditions, encourages players to soup up their rides in the most outrageous ways possible. Victories earn you points that can purchase upgrades or finance a new vehicle outright. As the game progresses, so the tracks become more tricky and you'll need to make good use of the power-ups available.

In common with all arcade racers, I'd recommend a good game pad - or a steering wheel - for maximum control and enjoyment.

Friends can challenge one another by opting for a split screen race. There's also a quick race option for gamers who haven't the patience to wade through a career and just want to jump straight in.

Fun to play, colourful and good-looking, Drome Racers is the perfect low cost PC game for young and old alike.

WARHAMMER: WINTER ASSAULT, Format: PC. Price: £25. Family friendly? 16+: THIS is a long awaited expansion pack to Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War, one of the most popular real-time strategy games over the past 12 months.

The big scoop is a new playable race - called The Imperial Guard - with which to do battle. All the other foes have been upgraded with new units to make this expansion disc feel more like a brand new game than a mere add-on. The single player campaigns are well designed and interesting but the redesigned multiplayer options are where the real fun is to be had.

Twenty five pounds may sound like a lot for an upgrade when many full-scale games cost just a few pounds more, but strategy fans will find lots of added value here.

Published: 02/12/2005