During Eurogamer 2012, I took a few minutes to sit down and check out Wonderbook: Book of Spells, the augmented reality title set in J.K. Rowling’s universe of witchcraft and wizardry. It was set up in a nice, cozy booth with carpeted floors to sit on, mimicking the environment many will play in with their families.
This was my first experience with PlayStation Move, and it seemed like an ideal title to start with. Book of Spells gives you the opportunity to jump into the world of Harry Potter (although 200 years before the young wizard entered the scene), and learn to cast spells like a pro. The Move controller becomes your wand as you flip through the pages of the book learning the incantations contained within.
It was clear from the time I spent with it, as well as from discussion with the Sony representative, that this is definitely a kids title. This will be obvious to many, but Potter fans may be hoping that there’s enough substance to keep adult gamers occupied. Unfortunately, this is less of a game and more of an interactive experience, with the book coming to life in front of you and a minimal amount of story holding it together.
The real draw is the augmented reality aspect, and Book of Spells pulls this off really well. The book is beautifully displayed on screen and can be moved around in real time. Not once did the camera lose sight of it or need time to catch up, and this was also true of the wand I held. The PlayStation Move controller never showed on screen, and although everything was a little slowed down, it really gave the impression of holding a wand above a magical, 3-dimensional book.
The short demo I played started with the teaching of a basic spell (Wingardium Leviosa - the levitation charm) which was done by tracing a pattern into the air. No incantation was uttered, although I was told these would feature in the final game. Once activated, I could lift items and throw them around. There will be more of a point to the spells once the game releases, but it was still fun to mess around and see the results on-screen.
This was the only spell that needed to be learned in the demo; the rest were simply activated. I threw some fire around, engorged a pumpkin, and duelled with a gang of wizards. The engorgement charm was quite impressive, as the pumpkin appeared from the book and could be manipulated in real time. I was also told that the final game will have challenges that involve opening and closing the book, and exams to pass at the end of each chapter.
Although visually impressive, it’s not a title that will appeal to childless Harry Potter fans. However, kids will love it, as it gives a real impression of stepping into the universe and taking part in the history of Hogwarts. It’s admittedly quite expensive for a children’s toy, once you factor in the console and Move setup, but if you already own those components then it’s not too bad. It’s a shame that they didn’t utilize the license to create a game for long-time Potter fans, instead of those who are just experiencing it now, but I imagine families will have a good time reading the Book of Spells together.
Okay, Sony, now that I’ve spent time waving a wand around, I just have one question: When is Wonderbook: Book of Jedi coming out?
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