I have to be straight with you all and declare I do not like Harry Potter. Gasp in horror if you must, but it is a franchise I couldn’t connect with, and it was not through a lack of trying either. I spent many years watching the movies but was unable to finish them in one sitting, let alone attempt to watch them back-to-back. So, when Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions, developed by Unbroken Studios, and published by Warner Bros. Games crossed my desk, I was incapable of holding back my audible sigh.

First and foremost, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions has no story; it is a sports game. Any connection to the movies and books is completely held up by well-known characters, the wizarding world, and the sport of Quidditch, so backstory and lore do not matter. It’s all about Quidditch.

You begin with the tutorial at the Weasley home by creating your first Chaser character, where you can choose a preset character or choose from various options for face, hairstyles and colour, outfits and more, and once finished, you begin a tutorial that will take you through each position – the Chaser, the Seeker, the Keeper, and the Beater, but as you start each tutorial phase, you will, once again, go through the character creation process. By the end of the tutorial, you will have a selection of three Chasers, and only one Seeker, Keeper, and Beater, but don’t be too concerned about the character creation – you can change everything at the end of the tutorial at the main menu hub.

The tutorial is thorough, taking the time to explain and teach each position in detail, and the controls are uncomplicated, making it quick and easy to grasp the fundamentals before progressing to your first challenge; The Weasley Garden Cup. Upon completion, you will enter the game proper and be transported to the main menu hub.

On the main menu hub, you can customise your team, upgrade your brooms, assign skill points, review challenges, career, and seasonal progression, visit the marketplace, and begin Quidditch matches. Everything can be earned by playing Quidditch and all currencies are awarded through gameplay in one way or another. Since there are no online transactions, this makes progression rewarding, allowing you to enjoy the whimsical fun of Quidditch.

There are different modes of play and levels of difficulty, and whether playing solo, with friends, or player versus player, you can easily find your level of enjoyment. An unfortunate side of this is that Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions requires an online connection.

This will be heartbreaking for Harry Potter fans as without an offline mode, or if and when the servers are shut, down this game will no longer be available. Furthermore, Warner Bros. Games requires an active account so you can play. I know it isn’t a big deal for some, but having another useless account that will only spam me with emails is annoying.

Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions is graphically pleasing, and Unbroken Studios have used a very close to realistic aesthetic while retaining an amount of cartoonish charm, perfectly complimenting the whimsical fun. The animations are fluid, the user interface is clean, and the particle effects aren’t overpowering, all while set before the environmental backdrops of Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. Having new never-before-seen environments of the wizarding world is quite a treat and I am sure Harry Potter fans will be just as delighted.

The music is reminiscent of the movies, with the occasional flair giving it that whimsical spirit found everywhere else throughout the experience. Sound effects are spot on with my expectations, and I certainly couldn’t pick any potential flaws, fans of Harry Potter may find some faults. Voice acting is great, though I must admit that when I first heard the commentary, I was concerned it would quickly become grating. Fortunately, it doesn’t. It easily sells the excitement witnessed in the books and films, and it does a great job of keeping you aware of what’s happening.

Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions surprised me with its easy gameplay, enjoyable progression, and pleasing visuals and audio. What started with a sigh, soon became a delightful “ahh.” Harry Potter fans will be ecstatic with what Unbroken Studios and Warner Bros. Games have delivered, and for gamers like me, who have no invested interest in the wizarding world, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions deserves a chance. It’s a magical world of fun, and it might just change your mind about the franchise.

Written by: Ashley Barnett-Cosgrove