Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince for PlayStation 2 allows players to explore Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry while engaging in various magical activities. Players can attend classes, participate in Quidditch matches, and take part in Wizard Duels. The game features potion-making and utilizes the Marauder's Map to unlock new areas, with Harry as the primary character and Ron and Ginny appearing in select levels.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince features the exploration of Hogwarts and casting spells on objects around the school, similar to its predecessor. The game also includes multiplayer games, classes, different times of day, Quidditch, Wizard Duels and Potion making. The Marauder's Map is included in the game, with progress opening other parts of the school. Harry can also call Nearly Headless Nick to show him around the school. Harry is the main playable character in the game, but Ron and Ginny are also available in two levels.