Now before you complain that it’s not even Hallowe’en, the fact is that it’s never too early to get planning for your Festive Geeky Gifts. With a few treats sitting on our lovely review pile, we’re going to have a look at a few possibilities with a range of price tags for your pet geek, young or old – and hey, you can even win some stuff!

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Knight Models: Chamber of Secrets

BEST FOR: Potter fans, big kids
PRICE: £115.62 (Available HERE)

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Over the last decade, KM’s games and models have evolved, and their take on Warner’s franchises have produced some truly stunning models. If you have an existing fan who’s invested in the core Harry Potter game, you’d be well advised to get them the very lovely Chamber of Secrets narrative expansion, a set which does everything I want from Potter: tells a story, gives me an adventure, has gorgeous components.

I’m not a huge fan of taking Potter down the route of competitive gaming, if I’m being honest, and getting to re-enact key story points from the series is a real highlight for me. The campaign book feels good, high gsm – yes, that matters to me, it’s not a cheap product so shouldn’t feel like one – and likewise tokens are of the new, higher density we see with revised core set.

The fact that you get tokens for all characters that don’t appear in  the core box – Hagrid, Slytherins, etc. – plus generic students (with rules for incorporating them) is a huge plus. It’s reminiscent of the BMG Arkham Campaign, but with a lot of the lumps and bumps ironed out.

The Basilisk is a huge, beautiful beast, and Tom Riddell is spot on. I would never normally risk not pinning a lump of resin like the Basilisk so was really impressed that it holds together so well, and with minimal gapping. Big plus for casual players.

If you’re lucky enough to get a pre-order copy, you’ll find your Aragog token upgraded to a physical model, but irrespective there’s enough spiders here to give the hardiest arachnophile the creeps.

I didn’t expect these to be fully playable in game, but as well as great models that are very easily assembled they are more than just objectives – they’re playable beyond the scope of the campaign. Hoping to have Moaning Myrtle up to her tricks for Goblet of Fire…

As well as Colin Crevey, we now have retail versions of fan-favourites Dobby and the Sorting Hat – and Filch. You really can’t go far wrong for the serious Potter geek in your life.

The Chamber of Secrets expansion plays really well, and (bottom line) is a lot of fun to play through with the kids (or, you know, overgrown kids). Lots of fun games to be played Solo or Co-op, with a real sense of progression. You also get play variants and other scenarios at the end of the campaign book – lots of replay value. Honestly, this is everything the base set should’ve been.

It’s fair that it’s a big, although self-contained, investment. If you’re still not sure, start with the Harry Potter game itself (the revised edition of which we reviewed HERE) and go from there – you could head over to one of our friends Element Games using code SAM4132 to earn DOUBLE store credit and try and snag a bargain – or, you know, try to win a copy from us – find out how at the end of the week!

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The Writer of this piece was: Sam Graven
Article Archive: Geeking Out
You can follow Sam on Twitter

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