Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two

If you don't 'get' Harry Potter by now, you probably never will. While the franchise is undeniably popular, it has its staunch detractors.

After five minutes' play on Gameloft's Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two it's easy to understand why J. K. Rowling's finest has the potential to baffle as many as it bewitches.

Old franchise, new ground

Much of this may be down to the fact that the mobile Harry Potter franchise has actually changed hands since the last game, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One, launched under the EA banner.

Where the previous game earned plaudits for its balanced take on the series, appealing as much to newcomers as it did to devoted fans, Gameloft's follow-up launches straight into the hocus-pocus, giving little explanation about what's going on.

Between its occasionally arduous cut-scenes Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two is a beautifully animated but ultimately derivative 2D action-platformer.

The license's cast of characters are naturally all on board – both Hermione and Ron follow Harry about as NPCs – and Harry can also access a library of spells to use against the game's typically ghoulish enemies, switching between the two equipped with a touch of the right soft-key.

But it's when and where he implements these moments of magic that saps away at the game's allure.

For the most part, play prompts you into action by flashing up the '5' key repeatedly until you obey.

This means you feel like little more than a spectator during large parts of levels. Even when left to your own devices, the game aims at enemies for you automatically, so keeping out of trouble and casting spells from a distance is the only skill involved.

Indeed, the best part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two is when combat takes a back seat and you're charged with carrying out a little exploration, seeking out switches and so forth to open up the path ahead.

Even at this point, the game rarely gets out of second gear.

It would be unfair to suggest Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two doesn't attempt to serve the film in question: in terms of atmosphere and art design, it benefits from what feels like a genuine insight into the franchise.

But when it comes to play itself – and the beguiling plot that rests heavy upon it - Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part Two is neither engaging enough to mop up those with a casual interest or active enough to serve those first in the queue at the flicks.