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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is my favorite videogame yet based on the ridiculously popular franchise. It is by far the most immersive journey to Hogwarts to date thanks to the realization of a truly enormous, often-beautiful world that is wholly connected without any load times and also thanks to new Wii remote controls that effectively enable you to use Nintendo’s controllers as Harry’s wand. The adventure itself is filled with characters and locations Potter fans will know and it features both original missions and objectives and cut-scenes that cinematically mirror those from the movie. Frankly, there is a lot to do and see and if you’re at all interested in this series, you will undoubtedly be entertained for many, many hours to come.

There is, though, unfortunately, a “but.” For all of its accomplishments, The Order of the Phoenix has faults, too. Controlling Harry through the world feels sluggish, the framerate is sluggish, and the game is loaded with fetch quests that may turn some people off. Also, it is heavier on exploration and puzzling than it is pure action, so if you’re expecting a constant stream of opponents to duel with, think again.

For me, this is one of those games whose faults are ultimately lesser than its strengths. I actually do sometimes become frustrated with the camera or the fact that my Marauder’s Map footprints clumsily lead Harry, Ron and Hermione to some locations, but I find myself having a lot of fun with the complete package anyway. As a fan of the franchise, the school that EA has created is intoxicating, and you will want to explore its every nook and cranny, a feat that would surely take Dumbledore himself a considerable amount of time. I’ve rated The Order of the Phoenix 7.8 on Wii because it is a good game with some issues, but I suspect die-hard fans will be able to look past the inadequacies and embrace the accomplishments. If you like Harry Potter at all, give it a try.

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