As someone who grew up with the Harry Potter computer games, I would like to say thank you for teaching me about the inspiration for these motifs and architecture that I see as part of my own home.
What an incredible video. The first three PC games are my childhood, and there's something so magical about them - knowing that the creators/artists had so little to work with, and what they ended up with defining so many people's childhoods is just... magical!
It's impeccable how much love you put into this video. A truly unique topic, not just a recap, and going through ALL the games across all the consoles, using the graphical and audio assets to boot (UI FX especially tickle my soul). Fantastic work, unbelievably underrated. This video has everything I love in it and more. Those old HP games, Stephen King's horror literature, old esoteric architecture, gargoyles, art history, old shovelware with historical passion and a rich tapestry of history, classic beloved games of old and their art direction during development using real life references, and more. This is pure brain candy in the best of ways. Actually, that's unfair to say because that doesn't it highlight its substantive nature-it's a five star gourmet brain meal. I knew six minutes in it would be going into my favorites playlist (god who still uses those nowadays?). Bless you for bridging the perfectly tenderized sinew betwixt all these enrapturing and inextricably intertwined subjects. Well done. Also F-Stop Fitzgerald is the best name for a photographer I've ever heard.
Imagine my surprise when I thought this is the first video I've seen from you, just to click on your channel and see all of the Harry Potter Ambient music videos that I have listened to no stop for months now. I love our work!
Ok Phil, this is the type of content I subbed for, because it truly seems that going for a doctorate and doing youtube is what drives you mad to go for more and Im all here for it.
Whenever I have a bad day, your videos cheer me up. I love to lose myself in nostalgia, thinking about those times I used to play this game with my family when I was a kid. Thank you, sincerely.
This is one of the best videos I've ever seen, my entire soul is alight. I LOVE the gargoyles and design elements. When you played the 'spooky laugh' at 1:13 it literally gave me nostalgia chills
OMG 😱😱😱, I've LITERALLY been waitin for smthn like dis FOREVER!!! 🎉🔥 🏰✨ This is like, a treasure hunt but for game nerds & art buffs alike!!! Can't believe we're diving DEEP into the art & design that shaped the magical world we all escape to. 🧙♂💼🎮 Gonna binge this when it gets released. 🌟
This video is phenomenal, Phil. It's an encapsulation of the charm, warmth and magic that makes so many people love the classic Harry Potter games. It would have been such a huge undertaking and your passion for these games shines so brightly throughout. This is an instant comfort video for me! Thank you!!
I'm so thankful for being a part of our lovely family. The love we share for these games is wonderful, and your work on this video is nothing short of absolutely amazing, Phil! 100 points for Ravenclaw!
Wow you really put your heart into this one! I did not expect to feel all the emotions I did while watching this gloriously long deep dive video. It's so nice to be a part of this weird old game family. Cheers!
I hope someday somone makes a hack of CoS PC that transforms it into PS with a fully explorable castle. It would be great to redo the spell challenges for better scores and find various secrets the mod team puts in.
Same. The characters look so ugly, and the voice acting is so lackluster, but no game has ever really quite captured the magic and wonder of that second PC game for me.
This is was bloody brilliant! Well worth the wait! Hoping we get a part 2 where the devil has actually been hiding somewhere totally unexpected for the last 35 years! The Guaranty Trust Building at 17:34 has 2 carvings on from Nightmares in the Sky! But the captions say one is a mile to the north east and the other is in sodding New York! F-stop unintentionally created a Google Street View treasure hunt book. But all the clues are vague or red herrings. Every time I found one it felt like discovering a secret area in the games after alohomora-ing every inch of wall.
Oh my god, yes! As someone who loves environment art for games and has fond memories of playing the Harry Potter video games I am super excited to see this video! Thank you for all the great content!
The Harry Potter games (1-5) were a huge part of my childhood and, crazy as it seems, PoA is the game that made me want a GameCube. Thank you for being one of the few people on YT who remember them as fondly as I do.
This is one of those videos were at first you think "oh this sounds interesting, I'll watch a little bit" and then you end up watching the entire thing because it's so interesting and well made. Thank you for your amazing work!
I just want to let you know this is the best time I’ve had with a TH-cam video in ages. Well done, absolutely fascinating information and your research and delivery is top notch. I will be definitely revisiting this vid again and again. Thank you!
Dude, I'm so happy to discover this today. Spent whole childhood alone loving HP games to the point, that I had dreams about custom levels. Didn't had friends who liked them because "This is a license game/ I played PS1 instead of PC, so that means they all suck/ this is not a true game like Counter-Strike", and my parents were seriously concerned I spent so much time with them, giving me "The Talk"... Really warms my heart to see there's a whole community grew up with these games and still appreciating them that much and creating modding tools. And art style of PC was always an inspiration for me to try 3D modeling and texture art, since it's simple enough, yet very stylish (+ that Unreal Engine 1 charm). Great to know I'm not the only one, to have all the paintings and reliefs in the memory. Great job, thank you for making this. Have a great day!
As for many others, the first Harry Potter games were a huge part of my childhood and the whimsical and adventurous space they created inhabited my mind for a very long time. For me they were a safe space I could always return to and I knew Hogwarts Castle like the back of my hand. The music was simply the soundtrack of my childhood and I think they managed to capture lightning in a bottle with these games (you can tell they were made with love and care). As a visual artist I still revisit the games for their unique mood and visual style and still find myself in awe of the atmosphere and the beautiful art pieces displayed on the castle walls. Thank you for making these video essays, they are very well made and I am happy to have found someone still interested in this super niche topic.
Probably this is one of the most beautiful videos that I saw in youtube. I appreciate your effort and I hope you find inspiration for some interesting ones.
Phil, the insane amount of effort you put into this video and your content in general is noticeable. I love classic Harry Potter games; I grew up with them, alongside the books and movies. I want to tell you that your channel is the best when it comes to this type of content. I sincerely wish you all the best, and I hope your channel grows as much as it deserves. I send you a big hug from Uruguay!
So first of: I LOVE this video! Amazing research, you can tell how much work and time were put into this! Not only by you, but even the people in the Discord Servers, Reddit Forums and of course, your boyfriend! I love your passion for this niche thing, because I also find it absolutely fascinating, as odd as it may seem. Really, your channel is like one of my favourite places on this side! :) Now, the thing is, I already knew a few of those things mentioned in the video. And that´s were I want to give you (and also everyone who has the same interest in Harry Potter und niche little details) a recommendation: Harry Podcast! A Podcast, in which every five minutes of the first movie get analysed, so much that some episodes are over an hour long. It contains information about the making of the movie, the Harry Potter story as a whole, and even extreme details on stuff that has barely anything to do with Harry Potter, like what´s "Tri Thwls ar Ddeg Ynys Prydain" or how does limestone come to be. Or paintings and architecture. Plus it´s one of the funniest things I know, I feel like not a single day passes without me quoting a weird insider or joke or something like that. The only downside here is that it´s not in english. The whole thing is in german, made by a german youtuber (trust me, she is the BEST), and here in germany, it´s actually quite famous. I would even go as far and say it´s one of the most well known podcasts of the country. You can listen to it on most plattforms, tho I would reccomend watching it here on TH-cam. The advantage is that you can see each individual scene while listening, AND the first three episodes have hand-made english subtitels!! The rest of the episodes have subtitels too, but I think that´s by TH-cam itself, so no guarantee on anything. Again, I know this whole thing is kind of a rant, but I´ve been watching this podcast for years now, over and over again. So please, even if it doesn´t sound very promising to you, take a listen (or watch?). I swear it will be worth it! Search for "Harry Podcast" by "Coldmirror" on TH-cam, there are 30 episodes in total, it´s finished and the last one came out at christmas. Thanks for making this video and have a good day! :)
I cannot convey to you how happy i am that youve produced this video. I hold more nostalgia for these first three games than any other thing. They are so essential to my memory. Thank you. Please keep doing what goure doing
as an architecture student who loves the harry potter games to an absurb degree this video could not be more up my alley, incredible quality as well so well done thank you!!!
This was great! Thank you for making it! It was a good story. I love that you're digging up and recording knowledge that would otherwise have been forgotten about the creation of a series of games that so many of us love.
Absolutely gorgeus! This video is an amazing work of research. So emotional as for those who love the old videogames from the 00's as for the lovers of art! Congrats!
something to add in reference to the paintings: the practice of "wizardising" reallife paintings to fit into the harry potter world actually came from the set design of the movies first. it was pretty much the middleground of avoiding copyright of just using existing portraits as they were which would have been pricey, or alternatively having to make hundreds of portraits completely from scratch, which would also have been incredibly expensive and time consuming on top of that - as you said yourself. the porkchop girl (elizabeth pope) for instance can already be found in the first movie, and they then went on to reuse at least some of the portraits in the games as it seems! i'm not sure whether some of the portaits were exlusive to the 5th/6th game however, but i can imagine that they might be and they just followed the same methods. anyway, amazing video as always, im always thankful to have someone as obsessed with these old games :)
This is one of my favorite ways of interacting with games…just wondering about the world building, history, references, insights, etc. i love finding out what inspired artists to achieve that very final product. I love how you not only tell us about the real world reference, but also dive a little into them. This very video has always been in the back of my head throughout these years. It’s so cozy, it’s weird. You should something similar to other games from many years back.
My goodness Phil you've really outdone yourself on this video, I was totally engaged the entire time. The whole history of the rescued gargoyles and grotesque of New York part was something I never even imagined a passion project behind, wow, what a video!
This video is incredible. Exactly my type of niche but to a standard and length it feels like you're watching a BBC Two/Four documentary. It'd be right at home on those channels!! And I'd rather watch this on broadcast with a glass (bottle) of red wine than be out in the club, because this is exactly the type of content I love to consume. Please keep up the great work
What an incredible video, those games were such a big part of my childhood and i recently replayed the three first games on both pc and gamecube, the vibe the art the music, all of it is so unique and its sooo fun to get so much information of the origins of so much of it!! Thank you so much for this video.
I come from the Orthodox/Eastern part of Europe and have recently started touring Western Europe and a bit of Southern Europe. When visiting churches there I get a charming sense of familiarity due to having played Harry Potter a bazillion times as a kid. Some easy examples include Christ Church and St. Patrick's in Dublin, Sainte-Chapelle in Paris and the Cologne Cathedral. Sweet, sweet video, m8. Seeing you outdoors and armed with a book really cast a spell on the quality. You are a true Nichemaster.
I still have the first three pc games, as i grew i came to notice the architecture, art and music with greater detail, your video rekindled that great feeling of respect the devs gave me by putting so much effort into making something memorable, thank you.
God I am so hyped for this to come out. COS was my childhood. I can play through this game in my head with my eyes closed. I seriously cannot wait to learn more about the art in this game.
The 'dissertation-defense-style acknowledgements' are the icing on the cake at the end ;) this is incredible. Great work. Great content as always. Thank you for this.
Yeah, that buzz falling reoccurring joke had me rolling! Each time it was even more funny to me. Really like the care you put in your research, what a cool rabbit hole to explore!
I love your videos, Phil! I especially enjoyed your description of the Rictusempra challenge level's martial character. The ascent to get the star evoked images of armies trying to capture citadels perched on high places while the defenders try to push them out. I must also say that the willingness of professionals and laymen to help you find the devil (Pan) carving gives just a little bit more hope for humanity, as does the great effort undertaken by unsung heroes to preserve such artwork. I think I'll be paying a visit to the Anglican and Catholic churches of my own city now.
I just want to say thank you for making this. I didn't know this niche existed but I was hooked from the first second, not lastly thanks to your amazing style of storytelling. This is one these video-gems you randomly stumble upon that just stick with you. It also inspirired me to be more concious of my surroundings and pay attention to details even in "boring" everyday-life. So thanks again for making this
I remember Castlevania: Curse of Darkness also has some similar gothic structure. Just as the Harry Potter games and Medievil and even Castlevania SOTN has the most beautiful cathedral at the top of the castle. So soothing for a pixel game, so amazing
This was a really interesting video! I honestly always just assumed the carvings were pixel art specifically made for the games, I never knew they were photos of real carvings, let alone ones with such an interesting history. It's a shame so much about their whereabouts is unknown, 'cause they're very well made and beautiful.
Thanks so much for this video, Phil. I’ve always been curious about the art in Harry Potter games and where it came from, but I can’t be arsed to find out more.
Man, thank you to YOU! What an incredible video I just watched, the kind of little gems that you can still stumble upon on youtube. I can't imagine the amount of research and time it must have taken you, but man what a result! these HP games mean a lot to me, and sometimes I wondered if I was the only one who felt this way, because they are not considered classics either. I am glad to see that they were able to have such a big Impact on other people to the point of being interested in them in detail as you did! Thanks again for all this work!
I saw your video yesterday and for a moment I promise I though you published a video called "the architecture of HP games" which was just a one minute panorama of the game's hallways. Thanks god I noticed your time stamps on the comments so I could deduct it was a trailer. Seriously though this video somehow appeared on my TH-cam feed and I almost miss it because of that trailer you did, I think you may have lost a lot of initial views because of that, hope you do get a lot more on the upcoming days. I've not seen the video yet, but a 40+ minutes chat about HP games sure looks interesting to watch for a few nights! Thanks for your work!
I am in the process of making a review of the 1st Harry Potter game, and I looked for other reviews to find some more insipiration. That is how I came across your videos. And then youtube started to bombard me with them, and I was like: all right, all right! Subscribed.
Thank you Phil for making this. I've always played these games and enjoyed the architecture just like you. It's a treat to finally have someone analysing it. If you wouldn't have, I would have!
Thanks so much for all the work you put into this - so niche but amazing for people who grew up with these games and mean a lot to them. Such a fascinating topic and it’s amazing how much work and passion went into these games.
This video is fascinating. Thank you so much for making it. Fills my heart with warmth because those early Harry Potter games were filled with so much fun and adventure and joy, and it's always interesting to see where video game assets have their origins or got their inspirations from.
As a Harry Potter fan and grew up with these games this really gives a good sight of the games aswell of the niche part! You are very good! Honestly halfway through the video I just pusht the subscribe button
You have established yourself as THE Harry Potter PC TH-camr. Yes it's super niche, but you're like a god to me haha! I have never met anyone who played and loved the PC games in the way in which I did as a child. Please keep up the good work!
It's too bad only Jeff Willis kept his wizard cards. It would have been fantastic if they released a book of all of the Wizard card art back in the day.
I haven't finished watching yet but I'm thoroughly enjoying the research and insight and most importantly passion that went into this. As a child I was mystified by the architecture and art of the games and it's incredible to be here 20 years later learning about their origins! Thank you!
fascinating, this is super quality youtube. I'm so familiar with the first 2 PC games but had never really considered these "bosses", also I'm constantly impressed by the aesthetic and atmosphere of the early harry potter games - they hold up quite well.
I love that this video feels like high-budget documentary on BBC or Discovery Channel. Very interesting topic indeed. It brought my attention to things I didn’t notice as a child but now come to appreciate them. Thank you for your research and this film. 🥰
This is probably the best video in HP Games on the entire web. No joke here.
Ah thank you so much 😅❤️
So happy someone in the internet is passionate about such a niche yet totally interesting topic
As someone who grew up with the Harry Potter computer games, I would like to say thank you for teaching me about the inspiration for these motifs and architecture that I see as part of my own home.
This is the type of insanely hyper niche content I adore. I am your fan now.
What an incredible video. The first three PC games are my childhood, and there's something so magical about them - knowing that the creators/artists had so little to work with, and what they ended up with defining so many people's childhoods is just... magical!
It's impeccable how much love you put into this video. A truly unique topic, not just a recap, and going through ALL the games across all the consoles, using the graphical and audio assets to boot (UI FX especially tickle my soul). Fantastic work, unbelievably underrated. This video has everything I love in it and more. Those old HP games, Stephen King's horror literature, old esoteric architecture, gargoyles, art history, old shovelware with historical passion and a rich tapestry of history, classic beloved games of old and their art direction during development using real life references, and more.
This is pure brain candy in the best of ways. Actually, that's unfair to say because that doesn't it highlight its substantive nature-it's a five star gourmet brain meal. I knew six minutes in it would be going into my favorites playlist (god who still uses those nowadays?). Bless you for bridging the perfectly tenderized sinew betwixt all these enrapturing and inextricably intertwined subjects. Well done. Also F-Stop Fitzgerald is the best name for a photographer I've ever heard.
Imagine my surprise when I thought this is the first video I've seen from you, just to click on your channel and see all of the Harry Potter Ambient music videos that I have listened to no stop for months now. I love our work!
Ok Phil, this is the type of content I subbed for, because it truly seems that going for a doctorate and doing youtube is what drives you mad to go for more and Im all here for it.
Whenever I have a bad day, your videos cheer me up.
I love to lose myself in nostalgia, thinking about those times I used to play this game with my family when I was a kid.
Thank you, sincerely.
This is one of the best videos I've ever seen, my entire soul is alight. I LOVE the gargoyles and design elements. When you played the 'spooky laugh' at 1:13 it literally gave me nostalgia chills
OMG 😱😱😱, I've LITERALLY been waitin for smthn like dis FOREVER!!! 🎉🔥 🏰✨ This is like, a treasure hunt but for game nerds & art buffs alike!!! Can't believe we're diving DEEP into the art & design that shaped the magical world we all escape to. 🧙♂💼🎮 Gonna binge this when it gets released. 🌟
This video is phenomenal, Phil. It's an encapsulation of the charm, warmth and magic that makes so many people love the classic Harry Potter games. It would have been such a huge undertaking and your passion for these games shines so brightly throughout. This is an instant comfort video for me! Thank you!!
Had a smile on my face throughout this entire video. I fkn love this community that's formed from these weird lil games from over 20 years ago.
I love obscure video essays like this so much, the effort you have put into this narrative is astonishing
Criminal that this doesn’t have more views, legit the best thing I’ve watched on this website in ages
I'm so thankful for being a part of our lovely family. The love we share for these games is wonderful, and your work on this video is nothing short of absolutely amazing, Phil! 100 points for Ravenclaw!
I cannot express how genuinely happy I was to see both this game coupled with this oddly specific topic in my recommended. I think I love you man
The unicorn tapestry in the common room in both games and movies are from Stirling castle Scotland
Wow you really put your heart into this one! I did not expect to feel all the emotions I did while watching this gloriously long deep dive video. It's so nice to be a part of this weird old game family. Cheers!
this is the best username ever created 🪲
The reason I really loved the chamber of secrets was to be able to explore Hogwarts. I love both architecture and detailed free roam maps.
I hope someday somone makes a hack of CoS PC that transforms it into PS with a fully explorable castle. It would be great to redo the spell challenges for better scores and find various secrets the mod team puts in.
Same. The characters look so ugly, and the voice acting is so lackluster, but no game has ever really quite captured the magic and wonder of that second PC game for me.
This is was bloody brilliant! Well worth the wait!
Hoping we get a part 2 where the devil has actually been hiding somewhere totally unexpected for the last 35 years!
The Guaranty Trust Building at 17:34 has 2 carvings on from Nightmares in the Sky! But the captions say one is a mile to the north east and the other is in sodding New York! F-stop unintentionally created a Google Street View treasure hunt book. But all the clues are vague or red herrings. Every time I found one it felt like discovering a secret area in the games after alohomora-ing every inch of wall.
Oh my god, yes! As someone who loves environment art for games and has fond memories of playing the Harry Potter video games I am super excited to see this video!
Thank you for all the great content!
the music is a vibe.
Good ol’ Jeremy Soule! ❤️
Tell me about it! It unlocks memories I thought were lost
That was so beautiful, I actually cried.
This video was probably the biggest gift I could have been given.
The Harry Potter games (1-5) were a huge part of my childhood and, crazy as it seems, PoA is the game that made me want a GameCube. Thank you for being one of the few people on YT who remember them as fondly as I do.
This is one of those videos were at first you think "oh this sounds interesting, I'll watch a little bit" and then you end up watching the entire thing because it's so interesting and well made. Thank you for your amazing work!
The most anticipated video of all time!!! It will be your best for sure.
I just want to let you know this is the best time I’ve had with a TH-cam video in ages. Well done, absolutely fascinating information and your research and delivery is top notch. I will be definitely revisiting this vid again and again. Thank you!
Dude, I'm so happy to discover this today. Spent whole childhood alone loving HP games to the point, that I had dreams about custom levels. Didn't had friends who liked them because "This is a license game/ I played PS1 instead of PC, so that means they all suck/ this is not a true game like Counter-Strike", and my parents were seriously concerned I spent so much time with them, giving me "The Talk"... Really warms my heart to see there's a whole community grew up with these games and still appreciating them that much and creating modding tools. And art style of PC was always an inspiration for me to try 3D modeling and texture art, since it's simple enough, yet very stylish (+ that Unreal Engine 1 charm). Great to know I'm not the only one, to have all the paintings and reliefs in the memory. Great job, thank you for making this. Have a great day!
As for many others, the first Harry Potter games were a huge part of my childhood and the whimsical and adventurous space they created inhabited my mind for a very long time. For me they were a safe space I could always return to and I knew Hogwarts Castle like the back of my hand. The music was simply the soundtrack of my childhood and I think they managed to capture lightning in a bottle with these games (you can tell they were made with love and care).
As a visual artist I still revisit the games for their unique mood and visual style and still find myself in awe of the atmosphere and the beautiful art pieces displayed on the castle walls. Thank you for making these video essays, they are very well made and I am happy to have found someone still interested in this super niche topic.
Probably this is one of the most beautiful videos that I saw in youtube. I appreciate your effort and I hope you find inspiration for some interesting ones.
Phil, the insane amount of effort you put into this video and your content in general is noticeable. I love classic Harry Potter games; I grew up with them, alongside the books and movies. I want to tell you that your channel is the best when it comes to this type of content. I sincerely wish you all the best, and I hope your channel grows as much as it deserves. I send you a big hug from Uruguay!
This is the video I’ve needed my whole life 🙏
So first of: I LOVE this video! Amazing research, you can tell how much work and time were put into this! Not only by you, but even the people in the Discord Servers, Reddit Forums and of course, your boyfriend! I love your passion for this niche thing, because I also find it absolutely fascinating, as odd as it may seem. Really, your channel is like one of my favourite places on this side! :)
Now, the thing is, I already knew a few of those things mentioned in the video. And that´s were I want to give you (and also everyone who has the same interest in Harry Potter und niche little details) a recommendation: Harry Podcast! A Podcast, in which every five minutes of the first movie get analysed, so much that some episodes are over an hour long. It contains information about the making of the movie, the Harry Potter story as a whole, and even extreme details on stuff that has barely anything to do with Harry Potter, like what´s "Tri Thwls ar Ddeg Ynys Prydain" or how does limestone come to be. Or paintings and architecture. Plus it´s one of the funniest things I know, I feel like not a single day passes without me quoting a weird insider or joke or something like that. The only downside here is that it´s not in english. The whole thing is in german, made by a german youtuber (trust me, she is the BEST), and here in germany, it´s actually quite famous. I would even go as far and say it´s one of the most well known podcasts of the country. You can listen to it on most plattforms, tho I would reccomend watching it here on TH-cam. The advantage is that you can see each individual scene while listening, AND the first three episodes have hand-made english subtitels!! The rest of the episodes have subtitels too, but I think that´s by TH-cam itself, so no guarantee on anything.
Again, I know this whole thing is kind of a rant, but I´ve been watching this podcast for years now, over and over again. So please, even if it doesn´t sound very promising to you, take a listen (or watch?). I swear it will be worth it! Search for "Harry Podcast" by "Coldmirror" on TH-cam, there are 30 episodes in total, it´s finished and the last one came out at christmas.
Thanks for making this video and have a good day! :)
I cannot convey to you how happy i am that youve produced this video. I hold more nostalgia for these first three games than any other thing. They are so essential to my memory. Thank you. Please keep doing what goure doing
Omg, I played The Order of the Phoenix game so much as a kid and never knew that those shortcut portraits were real :o Such a great video, man!
as an architecture student who loves the harry potter games to an absurb degree this video could not be more up my alley, incredible quality as well so well done thank you!!!
This was great! Thank you for making it! It was a good story. I love that you're digging up and recording knowledge that would otherwise have been forgotten about the creation of a series of games that so many of us love.
Absolutely gorgeus! This video is an amazing work of research. So emotional as for those who love the old videogames from the 00's as for the lovers of art!
Congrats!
something to add in reference to the paintings: the practice of "wizardising" reallife paintings to fit into the harry potter world actually came from the set design of the movies first. it was pretty much the middleground of avoiding copyright of just using existing portraits as they were which would have been pricey, or alternatively having to make hundreds of portraits completely from scratch, which would also have been incredibly expensive and time consuming on top of that - as you said yourself. the porkchop girl (elizabeth pope) for instance can already be found in the first movie, and they then went on to reuse at least some of the portraits in the games as it seems! i'm not sure whether some of the portaits were exlusive to the 5th/6th game however, but i can imagine that they might be and they just followed the same methods.
anyway, amazing video as always, im always thankful to have someone as obsessed with these old games :)
Oh wow this is super cool info!!! Love it
This is one of my favorite ways of interacting with games…just wondering about the world building, history, references, insights, etc. i love finding out what inspired artists to achieve that very final product. I love how you not only tell us about the real world reference, but also dive a little into them. This very video has always been in the back of my head throughout these years. It’s so cozy, it’s weird. You should something similar to other games from many years back.
My goodness Phil you've really outdone yourself on this video, I was totally engaged the entire time. The whole history of the rescued gargoyles and grotesque of New York part was something I never even imagined a passion project behind, wow, what a video!
This video is immensly interesting and so well researched. Outstanding work, this is the kind of niche content that is right up my alley! Keep it up!
This video is incredible. Exactly my type of niche but to a standard and length it feels like you're watching a BBC Two/Four documentary. It'd be right at home on those channels!! And I'd rather watch this on broadcast with a glass (bottle) of red wine than be out in the club, because this is exactly the type of content I love to consume. Please keep up the great work
Wow! You really did your homework here, Phil! Bravo! You point out art history within the game that I never really took notice of. Thanks for this!
I've always been obsessed with the environments in the first games as well. This is such a great video. Nostalgia meets history.
I'm really curious about this one, especially since you have been working on this for such a long time!
What a wonderful video, Phil! Great job, this was a lovely dive into cosy nostalgia and a really novel, thorough investigation :)
38:01 - "It was once located on a tenement..." -- I weep for beauty as you compare what once stood there with what stands there now.
as an art history major who was obsessed with the first two PC harry potter games as a kid, thank you for this gift of a video.
What an incredible video, those games were such a big part of my childhood and i recently replayed the three first games on both pc and gamecube, the vibe the art the music, all of it is so unique and its sooo fun to get so much information of the origins of so much of it!! Thank you so much for this video.
Super cool video man, really glad it poped into my front page! A real nice watch!
I come from the Orthodox/Eastern part of Europe and have recently started touring Western Europe and a bit of Southern Europe. When visiting churches there I get a charming sense of familiarity due to having played Harry Potter a bazillion times as a kid. Some easy examples include Christ Church and St. Patrick's in Dublin, Sainte-Chapelle in Paris and the Cologne Cathedral.
Sweet, sweet video, m8. Seeing you outdoors and armed with a book really cast a spell on the quality. You are a true Nichemaster.
I still have the first three pc games, as i grew i came to notice the architecture, art and music with greater detail, your video rekindled that great feeling of respect the devs gave me by putting so much effort into making something memorable, thank you.
one of the best videos on yt I’ve seen in a while, great job! 👏
I'm darn glad there exists a Potterhead that loves architecture and is making a deep dive on it. Can't wait!
God I am so hyped for this to come out. COS was my childhood. I can play through this game in my head with my eyes closed. I seriously cannot wait to learn more about the art in this game.
This is one of the most interesting videos I've come across in a while! So informative and well laid out, kudos
The 'dissertation-defense-style acknowledgements' are the icing on the cake at the end ;) this is incredible. Great work. Great content as always. Thank you for this.
Yeah, that buzz falling reoccurring joke had me rolling! Each time it was even more funny to me.
Really like the care you put in your research, what a cool rabbit hole to explore!
What a wonderful, whimsical video. It tickled a curiosity in me that had been dormant for years. Thank you 🌻
I love your videos, Phil! I especially enjoyed your description of the Rictusempra challenge level's martial character. The ascent to get the star evoked images of armies trying to capture citadels perched on high places while the defenders try to push them out.
I must also say that the willingness of professionals and laymen to help you find the devil (Pan) carving gives just a little bit more hope for humanity, as does the great effort undertaken by unsung heroes to preserve such artwork. I think I'll be paying a visit to the Anglican and Catholic churches of my own city now.
I just want to say thank you for making this. I didn't know this niche existed but I was hooked from the first second, not lastly thanks to your amazing style of storytelling. This is one these video-gems you randomly stumble upon that just stick with you. It also inspirired me to be more concious of my surroundings and pay attention to details even in "boring" everyday-life. So thanks again for making this
I remember Castlevania: Curse of Darkness also has some similar gothic structure. Just as the Harry Potter games and Medievil and even Castlevania SOTN has the most beautiful cathedral at the top of the castle. So soothing for a pixel game, so amazing
I can only imagine how much work this must've been. thank you for this!
This was a really interesting video! I honestly always just assumed the carvings were pixel art specifically made for the games, I never knew they were photos of real carvings, let alone ones with such an interesting history. It's a shame so much about their whereabouts is unknown, 'cause they're very well made and beautiful.
Oh wow a proper documentary , nice work bro
Thanks so much for this video, Phil. I’ve always been curious about the art in Harry Potter games and where it came from, but I can’t be arsed to find out more.
I am honestly shocked nobody gifted Phil a copy of the Devil stone relief so that he can put it in his room.
Very glad I found your channel! Awesome content and you're really chill
Man, thank you to YOU! What an incredible video I just watched, the kind of little gems that you can still stumble upon on youtube.
I can't imagine the amount of research and time it must have taken you, but man what a result! these HP games mean a lot to me, and sometimes I wondered if I was the only one who felt this way, because they are not considered classics either. I am glad to see that they were able to have such a big Impact on other people to the point of being interested in them in detail as you did! Thanks again for all this work!
I saw your video yesterday and for a moment I promise I though you published a video called "the architecture of HP games" which was just a one minute panorama of the game's hallways.
Thanks god I noticed your time stamps on the comments so I could deduct it was a trailer.
Seriously though this video somehow appeared on my TH-cam feed and I almost miss it because of that trailer you did, I think you may have lost a lot of initial views because of that, hope you do get a lot more on the upcoming days. I've not seen the video yet, but a 40+ minutes chat about HP games sure looks interesting to watch for a few nights!
Thanks for your work!
Really cool project. It must have been so much effort. Many thanks for letting us join into this dive. I really got lost in time with this video
I am in the process of making a review of the 1st Harry Potter game, and I looked for other reviews to find some more insipiration. That is how I came across your videos. And then youtube started to bombard me with them, and I was like: all right, all right! Subscribed.
Another banger as always, can't get enough of these videos.
Thank you Phil for making this. I've always played these games and enjoyed the architecture just like you. It's a treat to finally have someone analysing it. If you wouldn't have, I would have!
Thanks so much for all the work you put into this - so niche but amazing for people who grew up with these games and mean a lot to them. Such a fascinating topic and it’s amazing how much work and passion went into these games.
This video is fascinating. Thank you so much for making it. Fills my heart with warmth because those early Harry Potter games were filled with so much fun and adventure and joy, and it's always interesting to see where video game assets have their origins or got their inspirations from.
The devil is one of the most recognizable textures in those two Harry Potter games.
A next potential video would be to analyse the music in the first three games especially the PC ones
I am so excited for this!
thanks for this research. brilliant coverage of my favorite first games aesthetics. music and all the textures are “chewie we’re hone” moment
your channel has some really high quality stuff
9:53 I'm sure I must have found it back in the day as I think secret areas were numbered, but I have a feeling this is a completely new secret room.
As a Harry Potter fan and grew up with these games this really gives a good sight of the games aswell of the niche part! You are very good! Honestly halfway through the video I just pusht the subscribe button
This is video is the best, its been so long since i saw such an interesting nostalgic and funny video, congratulations and thank you!!¡
You have established yourself as THE Harry Potter PC TH-camr. Yes it's super niche, but you're like a god to me haha! I have never met anyone who played and loved the PC games in the way in which I did as a child. Please keep up the good work!
It's too bad only Jeff Willis kept his wizard cards. It would have been fantastic if they released a book of all of the Wizard card art back in the day.
I haven't finished watching yet but I'm thoroughly enjoying the research and insight and most importantly passion that went into this. As a child I was mystified by the architecture and art of the games and it's incredible to be here 20 years later learning about their origins! Thank you!
14:52 holy crap, I work there!
Brilliant video. So much love and dedication must have gone in to making this. Congrats 😃
Thank you so much dude!! 😁😁❤️❤️
can't wait for this
fascinating, this is super quality youtube. I'm so familiar with the first 2 PC games but had never really considered these "bosses", also I'm constantly impressed by the aesthetic and atmosphere of the early harry potter games - they hold up quite well.
I love the fact that this channel exists
I dont know why I got emotional at the end... amazing video phil 🙏🏼
This helps to explain why those games were so magical, so relateable
Such a unique and extremely interesting video. Really enjoyed this.. Keep up the good work 👍
how is this video so engaging? that was unexpectedly interesting, watched the whole thing
This video is absolute fire, thank you from the bottom of my heart
I love that this video feels like high-budget documentary on BBC or Discovery Channel. Very interesting topic indeed. It brought my attention to things I didn’t notice as a child but now come to appreciate them. Thank you for your research and this film. 🥰