I'll admit it, I have not read a single Harry Potter book. However, I did see the first movie and somewhat enjoyed it. When I saw that they were displaying the new GameCube game at the Cube Clubs, I figured I'd give it a shot. Since no one was near either copy of the game, I figured I'd be highly dissapointed. I'm glad to say that was not the case, but it was a far from perfect experience.

The first thing I noticed was that the control scheme is a lot like adventure games such as Zelda or Star Fox Adventures. There's a graphic of the GC controller buttons in the top right corner, with each button pertaining to a specific command. It played smoothly enough, and I didn't have any difficulty moving Harry around and targeting my spells.

Graphics-wise, I'd have to say EA and Eurocom have done a pretty good job of bringing the Harry Potter world to life. Detailed textures in every nook and cranny, along with excellent lighting conditions, make up a captivating atmosphere. Each spell effect has its own animation and its own nifty lighting effects, making spellcasting a less dull experience than it could be.

I probably never thought I'd say this about a Harry Potter game, but I enjoyed myself while playing The Chamber of Secrets, and I will probably be picking up the final copy to see how much more I can be impressed. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to try out the GC-GBA link up feature at the Cube Club. However, that just makes a little bit more to look forward to at the game's release.