For years, fans have been searching for a Harry Potter game that truly fulfills the magic and wonder of the franchise. While there have been a few attempts in the past, such as LEGO Potter games and an underwhelming Quidditch game, they have fallen short of delivering the desired experience. With Hogwarts Legacy, however, it seems that we have finally found the game that lives up to our expectations because I have been waiting for a game like this since I first read and watched Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone
This review would include my first impressions due to the early access given by Hogwarts Legacy along with what the community and other publishers think of the new upcoming title to help you form a better opinion that I’d love to hear in the comments.
There are a lot of mixed opinions everywhere just because of J.K. Rowling’s transphobic comments and here I will try to present my final opinion at the end but
let’s start with my initial impressions
First Some Minutes of Impressions
Got frustrated with lectures from characters who have been dead for 100 years, spoken through paintings. But don’t worry, it gets better with a fantastic group of non-painted characters who make the story easy to follow. The classmates at Hogwarts are the ones you’ll spend most of your time with. They will be your friends, will go on adventures, and help you become better at using magic. Many of them are memorable and likable, such as Natsai the smart and determined Gryffindor. What I learned is that if you want to make your Hogwarts Legacy enjoyable you need to build good relationships through their questlines.
Also Read: Peeves the Poltergeist will be there to Tease You in Hogwarts
Combat – Proven Wrong
I was worried about the wand combat in Hogwarts Legacy being boring, as I found it uninteresting in the movies. However, I was proven wrong – the combat is amazing and tough. It’s not just about firing spells from your wand but you can dodge your enemy attacks with special combinations of your own choice. For instance, you can bring enemies closer with Accio, set them on fire with Incendio, and then blast them away with Bombarda.
Even though the combat system remains entertaining, the creatures you battle quickly lose their tricks. You’ll face the same dark wizards, spiders, and goblins which is a shame as the Harry Potter universe is famous for its variety of beasts and villains, but in Hogwarts Legacy, there’s hardly any variety.
One more thing that I found enjoyable is you’ll need to regularly rearrange your equipped spells. Keeping them organized and memorized becomes a challenge but it’s worth it.
Enhancing your abilities and discovering the most effective spells is an enjoyable experience, and the best part of the fight was that you have to switch up your strategies often since many as every enemy has its own spell that can break your shields apart.
Over 100 Side Quests
One of the ways to take a break from the main story and explore the world of Hogwarts is by participating in the over 100 side quests available. While not all of these quests may be equally engaging, many of them offer a chance to interact with memorable characters, solve their problems or help them. These quests allow you to immerse yourself in the experience of being a student at Hogwarts and offer a variety of activities, from learning how to pot plants to helping classmates who are being bullied. However, there are some quests that are meaningless but in the end, they provide a great way to fully enjoy the world of Hogwarts Legacy.
Issues I Faced While Playing on PS5
The game has some technical problems, including inconsistency in the framerate, and lighting that changes suddenly from too dark to too bright. Every door in Hogwarts also has a loading screen, which can be frustrating, especially since the PS5 promised to eliminate loading screens. Despite these issues, the game is still a huge adventure that captures the magic of the Wizarding World.
What the Publishers are saying?
Many reputed publishers have gotten to play the game a bit more so let’s see what they have to say about Hogwarts Legacy:
In almost every way, Hogwarts Legacy is the Harry Potter RPG I’ve always wanted to play
Tom West from True Achievements says:
Hogwarts Legacy is a magical experience that is bound to go down well with fans of the Wizarding World. Hogwarts and its surrounding areas are crafted in meticulous detail and give players a chance to truly explore some of the most wonderful aspects of the Harry Potter novels. Both open-world and Potter fans should feel right at home here, but anyone that dislikes having to clear a map of all landmarks is going to be in for a tough ride
Dalton Cooper from GameRant says:
Avalanche has created something truly special with Hogwarts Legacy. It succeeds at being the dream Harry Potter game that many fans were hoping for, and if nothing else, it creates a rock-solid foundation for future Wizarding World games to be built upon.
My Final Word
Hogwarts Legacy is an amazing game that is sure to impress fans of the Wizarding World. With its exciting open-world adventure, unique characters, and engaging combat, the game captures all the wonder and magic of the Harry Potter universe. Despite some technical issues, a weak main story, and repetitive enemy encounters, the game’s enchanting spell over players remains unbroken. The game is a true dream come true for Harry Potter fans like me. Whether you’re an open-world or Potter fan, you’ll feel right at home in Hogwarts Legacy, but if you don’t enjoy exploring and discovering new places, this game may not be for you.
