Videogame Review: Hogwarts Legacy

 

What an amazing game!

I finished it in about six weeks, playing more hours than I usually play during a week. I just couldn't get enough. 

Hogwarts Legacy got a lot of things right. Especially because they used the same sets and creature design used in the Harry Potter movies. As I rewatch the movies with my son in preparation to go see The Cursed Child in NYC in a few weeks, I get a sense of nostalgia feeling like I've been there too. It's amazing how they managed to recreate Hogwarts Castle like they did.

If anything, just being there discovering more and more Harry Potter related things, is worth the money I paid for the game.

The game gave me a lot of freedom to explore, but it did stagger the main quest and side quests in an interesting way.

First of all, it let me synch to my Wizarding World online account. As I was sorted into Hufflepuff years ago, I now feel like Hufflepuff is my house and I wouldn't change it for the world. Synching your account before the game starts gives the sorting hat his queue to sort you into your assigned house, but it still gives you the option to change.

If you don't synch the account, then you answer a few questions to get sorted into a house (which the sorting house lets you change if you want).

You start the game knowing a basic attack spell and Revelio, which I cast about a million times while playing the games. Soon, you get to know your common room, begin exploring the castle looking for hidden stuff and attend classes, where they teach you more spells.

But you are free to leave the castle and visit Hogsmead right away. And there's more than that. The map is much bigger than just Hogwarts and Hogsmead, and there is plenty to discover in each area and town.

Around the world, there are three main threats: creatures (like spiders, wolves or the living dead, to name a few), goblins, and wizard poachers (all of which you kill—you being a 15 year-old-student. Eep!)

Apart from following the four main quests (the main quest and also a pretty long and elaborate quest for each of 3 students you get to know) and a few side quests, you can search for Merlin Trials (which let you increase the number of gear you can carry, capture fantastic beasts, collect plants, book pages, and more.

At some point, you are taught how to use a broom and then you can find landing platforms and pop balloons, as well as travel the world flying around. It's pretty neat. Oh, and you are also able to fly a hippogriff and even a therstal if you pre-ordered the deluxe edition.

Everything looks exactly like in the movies! You feel like you're there! 

You breed fantastic beasts, plant magical herbs (like the mandrake), and brew potions.

The combat is pretty easy to understand and I rarely ever needed more healing potions that I had. You get money when opening chests or selling gear (that you mostly find in chests). The main quest will guide you to take the classes you need to get the spells you need to continue exploring the world. 

I had a lot of fun with this game and the way it reveals more and more about the wizarding world was simply magical.

I highly recommend Hogwarts Legacy to any Harry Potter fan—even if you don't play video games...yet.

Cheers!