You can stop waiting for your invitation to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry to come by owl. Starting this fall, all you need is an Xbox 360 and Harry Potter for Kinect to brush up on your Quidditch skills and pass your N.E.W.T. exams with flying colors!
Warner Bros has just announced the debut of this new game, exclusively for Kinect, that allows you to walk the halls of Hogwarts, cast spells, fly a broomstick, battle trolls, and interact with the heroes of the classic, nay, EPIC, book and movie series (though, obviously, the look of the characters is taken directly from the actors in the films). It looks like it could be lots of fun. Rather than using controller to select spells, you’ll be able to use your own voice to cast them in real time (though I wonder what would happen if you tried to use one of the forbidden curses during school hours). Kinect will even scan your face into the game to create your own character avatar as you take part in a variety of mini-games and battle He Who Must Not Be Named toward the end. However, I’m unable to see if this game covers the entire 7 year history of the Harry Potter franchise or just one school year. I guess we’ll have to find out when it hits shelves this fall.
Check out the in-game screenshots below, followed by official press release.
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THE WIZARDING WORLD TO LIFE LIKE NEVER BEFORE WITH
HARRY POTTER FOR KINECT
Coming this Fall, You are Invited to Attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry through this Exclusive Game on Kinect
Burbank, CA May 25, 2012 Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and Eurocom will cast a spell among Harry Potter fans of all ages this fall with the Harry Potter for Kinect videogame exclusively on Kinect for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft.
Based on all eight Harry Potter films, Harry Potter for Kinect allows players to join Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger as they embark on an unforgettable journey through Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and beyond. With Kinect’s scanning technology, for the first time ever in a Harry Potter game, players will be able to scan in their own face to create a unique witch or wizard to journey through the adventures of the film.
In addition, Kinect’s hands-free and voice recognition capabilities allow gamers to cast spells using physical maneuvers and by calling out spell names, offering an extraordinary, immersive Harry Potter experience.
“Harry Potter for Kinect will engage Harry Potter fans old and new by bringing them into the wizarding world as truly active participants,” said Samantha Ryan, Senior Vice President, Production and Development, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “Kids and parents will enjoy recreating their favorite Harry Potter adventures, from flying a broomstick in a Quidditch match, to battling pixies and duelling other wizards. ”
Harry Potter for Kinect gives players the opportunity to experience some of the films’ most memorable moments, both as the relevant characters or as their own avatars, including visiting Ollivanders, choosing a house at Hogwarts, and confronting He Who Must Not Be Named in a climactic final battle. Players who master their lessons can also take on their opponents in competitive mini-games, or join forces with family and friends in co-op gameplay.