Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets returns in free RPG overhaul of classic PS2 game

Hogwarts Legacy is perhaps widely regarded as the best Wizarding World game there is.

That doesn’t negate the fact, though, that plenty of us have a deep fondness for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

This action-adventure adaptation of the hit Warner Bros. film landed on the PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, PC, and more back in 2002 - a whopping 24 years ago. Yikes.

Unfortunately, it’s pretty hard to get your hands on the game these days. It’s not widely available on digital storefronts.

Ordinarily, those who wish to revisit this 00s gem will need an original physical copy and the original corresponding hardware.

There will soon be an alternative method to get hands-on with Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets though, as one dedicated fan is set to bring the game back.

This new version introduces RPG elements including a working companion system

Reddit user UnderstandingLast690 is in the midst of working on a major overhaul of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, turning the beloved title into an RPG.

This includes the addition of a Bully-like school system, a companion mechanic, in-game vendors, and more.

UnderstandingLast690’s new version of the game is intended to launch as a native Android port so, yes, there are still going to be some hoops to jump through if you want to go hands-on.

The port’s creator cannot legally distribute OG game files so while download information is yet to be made available, we’re imagining you’re going to need a legally obtained OG physical copy and an emulator before you can think about downloading this mod.

You should never pirate files, but mods and ROMhacks are permitted, providing you follow the above guidance.

“I loved the original games on PC, especially the second Harry Potter game, but I felt that it was missing more gameplay or something,” the creator wrote.

“I also felt that we should be able to play as other characters or have a companion, because that was what the movies and books were all about. To have friends that follow you no matter what, I have implemented a companion system.

“I also tried to implement a system where you can change houses, so Harry can be in Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Gryffindor.”

They went on to explain that “an RPG shop” has also been added, as have seasons “so you can get the feeling that Harry is at the school at different times of the year”.

As for companions, over on YouTube, UnderstandingLast690 confirmed that they’ll be able to undertake trials and missions with you.

The creator’s work is far from over with the hope being that they’ll next be able to add a school system inspired by the likes of Bully where “you have to attend your lessons on time, actually learn something, and take exams to pass your classes, or you will lose house points”.

What isn’t yet clear is whether the mod work has been totally coded by the overhaul’s creator or whether any AI was used.

You’ve likely seen all kinds of unlikely gaming crossovers flooding your social media timelines, all of which have been coded using AI.

Modding is an important subculture within the gaming world but it's always been driven by the passion of players, not a machine.

Then again, with major studios like Epic Games championing AI coding, it’s inevitably going to crop up in the modding world too, whether you like it or not.

Regardless of whether you choose to engage with this Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets overhaul, I think we can all agree that those original Potter games are dying for an official comeback.

A simple remaster on PlayStation Plus’ premium tier or something of that ilk would surely go down very well indeed.