Hogwarts Legacy was released just over a month ago and even though it is a new intellectual property, it certainly needed no introduction. It’s a game made for fans of the Harry Potter universe and right off the bat I’d say that immersion in this fantastic universe, where millions of people have spent and still spend many hours immersed in, whether in books or movies, is what this game does best.
Who never dreamed of studying here?
Indulge Yourself in the Magical World Settings and Gameplay
I can say that Hogwarts Legacy is a pleasure to play, as the gameplay is delicious. It makes you keep playing. But it’s certainly not the reason that made you buy the game, but the fantastic universe of your childhood, the world of Harry Potter.
This immersion was very well thought out by the game’s creators. Even though the game takes place in the 19th century, with almost a century difference to the adventures of the most beloved wizard in pop culture, the recognition element is without a doubt the Hogwarts castle, with its gigantic size, hundreds of corridors, secret passages, students, ghosts and a lot going on. The feeling during the day is to really be in a school, full of life. And at night, that chill of walking into an almost empty school.
The graphics are an important part of this immersion, as they are beautiful. The architecture of Hogwarts, the smaller villages, Hogsmeade and its many details, but mostly the animals. Playing on Xbox Series X, the game is a treat.
Take my money! (Literally)
Another important element of the game that deepens the immersion is the gameplay. With a third-person view, the game is extremely polished in this sense and fun to play. But most important are the spells. Be it the traditional ones, made through wands, be it the ancestral spells, the great novelty of the game and addition to this universe, the variety and combination between the spells is very reasonable for a first game and the combat becomes fun to the point that you almost forget some game problems, which I’ll talk about next.
Still talking about immersion, a key element in stories of magic and mystery are the secret passages and Hogwarts has some, which can be accessed through primary and secondary quests or simply by solving puzzles, or using specific spells, but mainly by being a good observer of the castle. So all I say is: Explore the castle very slowly and observe everything!
The Adaptation of Unique Characteristics and Distinctive House Traits
The plot of HP’s books was never very complex or original, but the construction of characters was interesting to the point of making an entire generation read; Point for the author. And in the game, this attention to the characters remains.
NPCs are great!
This is where this game really won me over. Even with the Beauty of Worldbuilding being what captivated fans, for me the strength of the game is character building. The most interesting thing is that the construction of the protagonist itself is not very deep, but the NPCs that your character interacts with frequently and at different times in the game really shine and make me smile many times during my gameplay.
Even though the game uses certain personality stereotypes around houses, at the end of the day we want to see nerds who live a little outside of reality in Ravenclaw and certainly slightly darker people in Slytherin, I think that respect for houses is greater than that of the films. In this game you see other aspects of Slytherin, such as the healthy competitiveness of the members of this house and the desire to win, which is not always negative. This kind of detail makes this game something precious and worthwhile to play.
Downside? Repetitions…
But as not everything is great, some negative aspects arise in the game, especially for those who play more than 20 hours and intend to explore the game more deeply. The game could be a little smaller to ensure repetitions are minimised.
I don’t think this is decisive to say that the game is bad. I’m going to try to avoid the “Good” and “Bad” here, because for me reflection and fun are greater. In the case of this game, the fun is the game itself, living in this universe for a few hours and casting very fun spells to apply.
The game’s enemies are repetitive as well and the story involves a novelty regarding ancient magic, which adds positively to this world, but ultimately, the characters outweigh the story. The main questline isn’t spectacular, but the care for characters is and this is the game’s greatest success, in my opinion.
Should You Head to Play the Game? Of Course!
Video games are dreams, formed by the absence or presence of electrical pulses, which form zeros; But these empty worlds would be meaningless without their core, us, the players. Let’s never forget that.
If you are someone who is all for the fantasy world in the Harry Potter series, it would be a no-brainer for you to play the game yourself. Even if you are not a Potterhead, Hogwarts Legacy certainly deserves your time to try it out! Stay tuned for more articles regarding this game here!
Frequently Asked Questions
What Platforms Can I Currently Play Hogwarts Legacy on?
Hogwarts Legacy is available for PlayStation®5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
What Genre of Game Is Hogwarts Legacy?
It is a third-person action RPG, with character progression and the use of spells and skills.
What Universe Is This Game Set in?
This game is part of the Harry Potter universe and is set in time over a hundred years before the events of the Harry Potter books and movies.