Hogwarts Legacy (2023 Video Game) User Reviews

Magic Binds Together Our History

[MisterJxroen · 9/10 · 10 February 2023]

I'm currently 25 hours into the early-access stage of the game and it's fair to say that this game is incredible. Despite not having received a day one patch yet, I have barely encountered any major bugs or issues that caused my immersion to fade away.

I'm slightly biased when it comes to open world RPG's games with plenty of customization and exploration options, but nonetheless that genre is easy to get wrong. I'm happy to say that 'Hogwarts Legacy' got it right. I also get huge "Elden Ring" vibes but with a sweet and cosy swing to it. Obviously the duels and enemy encounters aren't as difficult (at least not at the point I've reached), but they feel uniquely similar which is cool.

The world design is breathtaking. Every time I'm looking at Hogwarts or another beautiful landmark, I find myself taking a screenshot and uploading it to my Steam account. The graphics are butter smooth and well optimized, which makes this game a joy to play - even on a somewhat mid-range PC like I have myself.

Some spaces in the open world are certainly empty, but there is still so much to do. I'm quite overwhelmed by how many different side-quests and places I can visit. There is so much lore to dive into and characters to meet. I don't think I'll ever run out of adventurous fun.

The combat features are brilliant and don't get tiring for me, at least not yet. With the regular introduction of new spells and ancient magic, you constantly have the ability to create unique combos and make each duel feel somewhat authentic. Flying on a broom or magical creature feels very smooth as well, I can tell they really optimized this feature. Perhaps it is because I play with a controller.

I'm also glad they created an original soundtrack with a touch of the original theme of Harry Potter. Anyhow, I can probably say a lot more but that would transform this review into a novel. There is simply just so much to do, it's insane! So far, game of the year for me. I can't wait for more patches and updates that make this journey even longer. Well done!

Brilliant game, with some minor and major issues

[Dannyboi94 · 10/10 · 10 February 2023]

I've been waiting for a game like this since I was 10 years old, and it was well worth the wait. Hogwarts Legacy is a fantastic game, that will appease both movie fans and book fans alike. It's a magical game with great characters, an engaging story and a stunning open world. There are some issues that I have with the game, which I will note below, but they do not take away from the enjoyment this game. This is still a game aimed at children, so if anyone is expecting some Elden Ring craziness, you will be disappointed.

The game starts with us getting our Hogwarts acceptance letter and the character creation, with a pretty interesting prologue soon-after. Right off the bat the game throws you in, and you then spend the next 1-2 hours figuring out the controls before you reach the good stuff. I spent more than 30+ hours just on the main story, plus the companion side quests, and barely scratched the surface of the open world.

But first, the bad stuff: The biggest, major issue I had with the game is the controller hotkeys. I played this on Xbox, so I am not sure how this fares on the PC, but the right arrow on the depad brings up your spell selection screen. This was a very poor choice on the creators part, as you also use that same key to scroll through different ability profiles, when you hold down the right trigger. This caused several frustrating moments, especially when you are in some epic boss battle, and are taken out by the spell screen.... They should have changed it to the right bumper, since you only use that for one option, an option you barely use. That's it, thats the biggest issue I found with the game.

The minor/major issues I found is that your character, isn't your own. If you were expecting to have your own personal Harry Potter story, you will be disappointed here. The main character is mostly scripted, and you only control some of their dialogue. Also, on the character screen, you are asked if you are a witch or a wizard, but this means nothing, as you are always referred to as *They or *Them. This is rather annoying since they aren't taking into account that you are a witch or wizard but referring to you as binary. They may have done this to prevent some select minorities from complaining, but this is in the 18th century, those groups did not exist. But those moments are sparse and didn't affect the overall enjoyment. I was also disappointed you only got to choose from 2 voices, male and female in the English accent. Since Hogwarts takes place in the UK, we should have had options for a Scottish, Welsh and Irish accent. But like I said, this isn't your own personal character. Even you try to be a ruthless Slytherin, like myself, the character always acts nicely, and politely. No. I did not want this. I want to shape the personallity, to choose to be cruel. It takes away from the immersion, when you are being all kind and caring, then blasting people with the killing curse. So I just told myself, my character is just putting on a show, that he actually hates everyone. Apart from Sebastian, but more on that later.

Some of the characters have very stiff movments and facial animations. While the character models themselves are fantastic, often when in conversation, the mouth is the only thing that moves. This could be a bug. There are some bugs here and there, but the bugs are very, very minor and I had a perfectly smooth playthrough.

The main villain. The goblin central villian is very underwhelming. He only appears several times througthout the entire game, and only interacts with your character a few times. This is not very compelling for the main threat to the school and wizardkind. I was expecting way more. While the scenes he appears in are pretty good, they never leave any kind of impact.

Lastly, the loot. Oh God the loot. What happened? You could be in an ancient tomb, filled with spiders and all sorts, fight your way through mobs, solve puzzles and what do you get...... clothing. Really, no joke, clothing. You telling me I fough a troll to the death for gloves?! There should have been so much more than that.

Now for the good stuff.

The puzzles are very well done, as well as exploration. The puzzles aren't irritating to solve, thankfully, since I hate puzzles in video games.

The flying controls are great, as well as other creature controls (no spoiler).

Graphically, this game is breathtaking. Wow. As someone who lives in Scotland, they nailed the look of the highlands. The open world, everything looks remarkable.

The music is also brilliant. It is so good, that if you told me it was composed by John Willians, I would have believed you. It is just perfect.

The story is also really, really good. The story is surprisingly long, longer than I was expecting. There are 4 total acts, and each act is roughly 10 hours long, if you decide to do the main side quests as well, which I would encourage everyone to do.

The characters. The big one. There are several central characters, and 4 companions. One of them, a Ravenclaw, is very underused and only comes with you on a few missions. The Hufflepuff and Griffindor companions are both great, and their missions are also very well done. But the highlight comes from the Slytherin companion (and my house). Sebastian is the best character in the game, and his side missions are some of the best in the entire game. They are fantastic, and often take away from the main story, because they are that good. I hope we see more of him in future installments.

I know this was a very long review, and I apologise, but this was a game 10 years in the making. While it has some problems, it was well worth it. It's one of the best games in years, with great characters, story and everything magical. If you see anyone getting bullied for playing this game (if you know why, you know), I encourage you to purchase and play this game. It is the perfect prequel to Harry Potter, the one we wanted. Can't wait for my second playthrough, to explore more of this world.

9.5/10.

HOGWARTS LEGACY!

[cjphillips-43411 · 8/10 · 10 February 2023]

Gonna keep this short, sweet, and to the point.

This was an amazing experience! Fun, fluid combat, compelling characters and story, intimidating foes. EXPLORING HOGWARTS. This is a Harry Potter fan's dream game, and as someone who grew up reading the books and watching the movies, I had an amazing time. The only place this game falls short in my opinion is in a few of the missions. Some of them feel a bit tedious, but not overwhelmingly so. It's hard to believe the last game from Avalanche was Cars 3: Driven to Win. You can tell this project came from passionate Harry Potter fans.

This is a game I can easily recommend to any fan of the Harry Potter franchise!

HOGWARTS LEGACY DESERVES 70 DOLLARS?

[misantosdesign · 8/10 · 1 March 2023]

For me, I'm a harry potter fan, I really liked the game, despite not bringing anything revolutionary and new, the game does everything it sets out to do relatively well, for a harry potter fan the game is very good, as the game itself has its flaws, some of them are very annoying are the bugs with trophies, I couldn't get 100% of the game due to a bug that has not yet been resolved, if you are that fan of harry potter play this game without fear go have a lot of fun, my rating for the game as a fan is 8 out of 10.

Ps: the story is not so remarkable but it's good, and the strongest point of this game in my opinion is the gameplay.

My Two Biggest Regrets Playing This Game..

[gmblairii · 10/10 · 16 February 2023]

1) My initial playthrough is coming to an end

2) I will never be able to play it again for the first time.

Visually and musically, this game is awesome. Not sure why people are having trouble running it, while I don't have a potato, I don't have a Cray either.

Voice acting is solid. Be forewarned there are a lot of cutscenes and dialogue. If you run around trying to ONLY complete the main quest in an hour (Hint: you can't), you'll be disappointed.

There is a LOT to do in the game. Initially you'll be overwhelmed, but don't worry, you'll get there.

Take your time. Enjoy the ride.

Proud member of # Team Poppy.

Felt Like Coming Home....

[alterbliss · 10/10 · 11 February 2023]

Absolutely Amazing Game! Thank You to EVERYONE that had a hand in making it!

The Detail is Perfect, The Story is Amazing!

Gameplay could have a small adjustment here and there in terms of mechanics (flying) , but still incredible to the point of barely noticing.

The animals/magical beast are on point! Beautiful and extremely well designed.

The sound effects and voice acting is incredible and immersive to the point it feels like I'm truly there in game.

Hogwarts Castle is so well done it feels like it was pulled from my imagination.

The Forbidden forest is so incredible and alluring that it actually provides an ominous feeling.

The map is so ALIVE and vibrant, it's just stunning.

(Apparently there are people saying they have had performance/FPS issues?)

I have had no issue(s) in that compacity gameplay wise or other etc, it has been a smooth and fun ride.

The Game itself truly truly felt like coming home.

VERY VERY VERY GOOD GAME!

Fully and Completely Recommend playing it!

Finally, an open world game in the Wizarding World

[Misterdeex · 9/10 · 12 February 2023]

The game that Wizarding World fans have waited for. Finally, you can experience an open world game that keeps you hooked for hours.

I enjoyed the story a lot - I will not spoiler here, so I am just going to say that it was exciting. I also liked the relationship stories as well, with Sebastian's clearly standing out. The side missions were fine as well.

What I loved is the amount of detail that you will find while going and exploring through Hogwarts Legacy. So much lore, so many collectibles - if you are into that, then you will find yourself having countless hours of fun.

But even if you are not a big fan of the books and movies, you will enjoy your time in this game. It is positively one of the better open world games.

Every HP fan's lifelong dream!

[Aris25 · 9/10 · 13 February 2023]

It feels like I've been waiting for this game for more than 20 years. I was ready for it since I read the first books as a child, but technology wasn't ready at the time.

I will not spoil anything, the story is more than decent though nothing extraordinary. However that matters very little. All that matters is that you get to live out your fantasy of attending Hogwarts and practicing magic!

All the locations, be it Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, the Forbidden Forest and the surrounding countryside feel alive in a way you can't even imagine! Through many segments, I was honestly smiling like a small boy out of sheer joy and I'm a grown man. Simply put, if you too have enjoyed the wizarding world, then do not miss out on this experience!

PS: Only reasons I gave it 9 stars and not 10 are because the facial expressions could use a little more work and mainly because Quidditch is missing. If they add that in a dlc, we are talking the perfect game!

Masterpiece!

[Einnorboah · 9/10 · 28 February 2023]

Hogwarts Legacy was an incredible game that lived up to the hype. From the moment I loaded it up, I felt like I had been transported into a magical world of adventure and exploration. The graphics were stunningly realistic and brought Hogwarts to life in ways that no other game has ever achieved before. Every mission felt unique as you encountered new challenges while exploring this captivating world filled with secrets and surprises around every corner.

The gameplay was also top-notch, allowing players to customize their character's abilities in order to find success during battles or puzzles they may encounter during their journey through Hogwarts Legacy's story mode campaign missions or side quests. The controls were intuitive enough for even novice gamers, yet still provided some challenges for veterans who wanted a bit more depth out of the experience when playing on higher difficulty levels.

Unfortunately, though there is one glaring issue with this otherwise masterful title - its lack of online features such as co-op play or photo mode which would have made it much more enjoyable for those looking for an immersive multiplayer experience with friends from across the globe. Despite this setback however, Hogwarts Legacy remains one of my favorite games released so far in 2023 due to its beautiful visuals, engaging storyline, varied gameplay mechanics, and overall level design.

RL.

Some incredible aspects to this game but your choices do not matter

[autumnjoiner · 7/10 · 19 February 2023]

I want to start off by saying I do enjoy this game and my favorite types of games are similar to this, free roam rpgs. The Sebastian Sallow quest lines are incredible and made this game for me.

I love the exploration and it had a better storyline than any of the fantastic beasts movies.

My critiques come from the unsatisfying endings of certain quest lines and that you're character can't really change the outcome of anything - whether that be through dialogue or choices you make- whether you decide to turn in Sebastian or not doesn't change the ending ceremony or plot. None of your dialogue choices will change characters minds and the game not featuring quidditch is a cop out.

While parts of the game are incredibly immersive, I can't help but notice a lot of laziness on the story developers part. Enjoy the game- it's really fun but I wish it had multiple endings and I wish you could have companions with you (Natty, Ominis, Sebastian, Poppy...)

Mind...Blown

[travisofrenchjr78 · 10/10 · 12 February 2023]

This has become my new favorite game OF ALL TIME. Dare I say it is on par with games like the Witcher 3 and red dead redemption 2 in terms of content. This is the game all potter heads dreamed about and experiencing it for the first time still feels like I'm in a dream. I cannot believe this is real.

The game is unbelievably beautiful and full of detail. Combat is fluid and fun and you truly feel like a wizard/witch.

There is a plethora of content that just draws me in and immerses me in a way I haven't felt in ages. Like I said, I cannot believe this game is real because it is a dream come true in a world that always seems to be putting you down.

This game was made by true potter heads and I am so thankful. I wish I could shake all of their hands but I hope this review is enough.

Hogwarts in a video game

[AvionPrince16 · 7/10 · 7 March 2023]

So i need to say that i really enjoyed the video game and whatever we can say about the quality of the game and each people's preferences or hate about that game we need to admit that the hogwarts castle and hogsmeade are really well made: we feel like we are in the hogwarts castle and we live our adventures: just for that im really happy to play that game and i was really curious to collect all the objects that we can and didnt annoyed me at all. And what i found wonderful its that hogwarts reveal to have some secrets that you will need to resolved to find treasures, secrets, informations. And the castle really feel like a character and let us know that its kind of alive with all the boards, the stairs who is moving.... i mean all you saw in the movie or in the book are well represented here and thats a great and huge thing to see hogwarts like this. Just for that i think it really worth it but thats not all

I need also to see that the RPG genre was a good idea ( the equipments, the books, the potions, the creatures, the experience points)just that make us want to explore the whole caste because we know that we will be rewarded. The game is long. I have 35 hours now in the game and im 65% and im still enjoying the game and didnt feel bored at all. The spells just make us want to unlocked each of them and used it in the whole caste and unlocked some hidden secrets, passages. The game is very generous in content. We cant say the opposite. The map is pretty big and have a lot of to do inside.

But what really annoyed me sometimes its that game can be pretty repetitive sometimes. The side quest feel like an excuse to make points, experiences, the whole structure is pretty the same the whole game. Nothing really surprising and we can feel after 20 hours that the game become pretty repetitive. We have the main quest that can keep us entertained but i need to say also the writing dont really make an honour to the Harry Potter movies or books: the dialogues are pretty superficial or just feel like an excuse to make things going. Of course we want to beat the new vilain and Rockwood but they mostly missing during the whole game; we see them briefly during some cut scenes but thats all: we dont really feel the danger or the emergency trough the vilains and the game lack of philosophy in the game(the power of love, family, the seek of power.) I mean that the writing feel a lack of imagination sometimes and even if they invented some stuff to make us see new things. The quality of the writing (dialogue, story) is not the same and feel a little bit more superficial and sometimes i just prefered to do some side quests instead

Some side quests are the same things and can be pretty repetitive too. What i found really good is that they did some same sequences as the movie like the lessons and they really respected the Harry Potter world in some situations and i really appreciated it.

The gameplay is really deep: we have a lot of spells that we will need to remember. The exploration is pretty good even if the revelio spell can waste it and make something more easier.

The characters that we will met are great but pretty superficial in my opinion and the choices that we make dont seem to have a huge impact in the final consequences. The world dont feel empty and we can see a lot of ghosts, merchants, students, teachers talk during we explore the castle or the environnments.

In conclusion, even if i still can talk hours about this game because a lot of things are here but i will say that if you are a fan of Hogwarts universe you will love it anyway despite some writing and characters who feel a little bit more superficial and just feel like an excuse to make us see some stuff or to unlock some new gameplay mechanics. The game is huge and its pretty long but i will say that the game let you play the way you want to play: you can spend your time to explore, to do the side quests. But what i found annoying its that slme regions of the map are blocked and some passages will need that you make the main quest to unlock: that break a little bit the immersion of the universe but its really minor and will not ruin your experience at all. I love also the riddles and the different things that will make you think in the game. I mean go for it. I think you will not be disappointed if you are fan of the universe even if the game have some defaults i found it pretty great and give some magical moments like the movies or the books even if we feel thar our main character is pretty superficial and his story will not really interest us because it will be less personal and be less the center of the attention. A great game anyway who in my opinion succeed to give us a Harry Potter game who dont need to be ashamed by his intentions.

Just need to edit this a little bit because i just finished the main adventure and im pretty diswppointed about how it end. The death of Figg, the fact that the end was just a tribute to Figg and nothing more . Its definitely a game in the story will never reach the same level of the Harry Potter's books . I mean is not that deep and the characters clearly lack of depth and complexities and it could be better but it was ok and do the job but still disappointed.

Immersive but boring

[poorquestion · 2/10 · 24 May 2023]

Hogwarts and the surrounding lands look and feel amazing. The story lines, combat, puzzle solving, etc are all disappointing. Basically a lot of busy work to complete a very expansive game.

After playing the game for a while you might notice: lack of attention to how the broom flying/camera position is designed. Simple work arounds to dark magic puzzles. Redundancies in combat and hidden challenges. Insignificant rewards for time consuming challenges. A story line which requires you to choose responses but then brings you down the same path either way.

It feels to me like they bit off way more than could chew and then got pressed against a deadline.

Harry Potter Games at its Finest

[dancrussell-83592 · 10/10 · 11 February 2023]

Is will a spoiler free review.

Hogwarts Legacy is one of best games out there at the moment and definitely one of best Harry Potter Games to of ever been created (besides the Lego ones of course). You can create your own character and will be put in a Hogwarts house depending on how you answer the questions at the sorting ceremony or link your harry potter account. If you don't like the house you've been sorted into after all the questions you can request to be sorted into an other house. You join Hogwarts as a 5th year and must stop the an evil goblin whilest also learning different spells that will help progress through the story. So definitely get this game wherever and whenever you can.

Total Score - 10/10.

I solemnly swear this game is so good

[Itssreeni93 · 9/10 · 8 March 2023]

After 60 hours of Gameplay, I have completed Main story and 90% of all side activities.

World Building & Graphics - Hogwarts is as spectacular as it is in movie, they have worked really hard on the finetuning the minor details which I absolutely appreciated.

Outside world is also well done it ain't AC Franchise good but still it's nice so Overall I give the World built a 8/10

Main story and protagonist (voice acting) - Sadly it is Mediocre, I felt some side quests had better story, than main one but gotta admit it's beautifully rendered and cinematic; almost as good as HP movies. Supporting characters are exceptional and will remain with you for a while but the same is not the case of Protagonist, poorly written dialogues and under utilized a forgettable hero (maybe that's the point). So Overall Story and characters I give a 7/10.

Side quests & Activities - Lot of amazing side quests with truly exceptional and touching stories. But it had these certain repetitive and un-skippable cut scenes and dialogues which may get on your nerve at times. So 9/10

Gameplay & Combat - Personally I encountered next to zero bugs during my 60 hour gameplay in PC, Well refined combat mode and Flight is just amazing, never knew a broom can be this fun to ride. Spell casting, general world interaction everything were great. I'll give 10/10

The Magic Element - Its here, its there its eveeerryywhere, truly exceptional, I just wish there were more content to play cant get over Hogwarts truly worth the wait - 10/10.

Overall I would wholeheartedly recommend this to everyone, its' Magical!!!

Final Score - 9/10

Mischief Managed...

It's definitely amongst the top 5 games I have ever played.

[Hcjrbjvurg56 · 10/10 · 2 March 2023]

I am an old gamer. I played games since PS1 and owned all Sony PS from 1-5. Let me tell you this: I have never ever thought that I would enjoy gaming like I used to be when I was child, this game smashed this thought like a hammer to an egg shell. And I am a potter-head. So what makes this game good? Well other than the fact that it was built on the best fictional world that has ever existed, this game has excellent graphics with details, fun, and engaging assets. Give this a mix with a fun combat system and puzzle solving and you get the best game ever. 10/10.

53 hours and still enjoying it.

A Magically wizarding wheeze

[billkmc · 10/10 · 12 February 2023]

Best game out there today. I was dubious about whether this could live up to the potterverse we all know and it didn't disappoint.

I won't go into details as I don't want to spoil it for anyone but the story is fun and exciting, while the spellcasting is easy to get use to. The fun travelling once you get a broom to explore the area is very funny and the views are breathtaking. Travelling from hogsmead and getting the view of Hogwarts castle is a really nostalgia trip and the music is so reminiscent of the movies that it really takes you back. The inclusion of the occasional family name is a nice touch but I'm glad they stayed away from the golden trio and other familiar characters to give us a wider view of the wizarding world.

All in all and amazing experience that you can get lost in for hours.

A Jewel In The Franchise Crown

[JoshuaMercott · 10/10 · 13 February 2023]

First Impressions:

I've been dying for a chance to return to the Wizarding World and "Hogwarts Legacy" more than rose to that occasion when it gave me that opportunity. The game was stunning in detail, boasted magnificent immersive quality, and is the best magical world game to date inspired by Rowling's iconic novels.

Gameplay Analysis:

Set in the 1800s, the plot certainly called to the history-lover in me. My eyes were, therefore, peeled for historical inaccuracies, but it looked like the team did their homework with laser-focus attention to even the smallest detail.

Hogwarts truly came alive on the screen for me. The sheer immersive value of "Hogwarts Legacy" has to be experienced to be appreciated. Once I started to play, I could've sworn I left our world behind and stepped through a portkey - the same name as the game studio, by the way - into a whole new world and timeline.

They started me off as a fifth year joining late, which was a curious and clever decision. My character could be part of more Hogwarts-related instances this way. Besides, a dark threat was unravelling at the school that threatened magic itself. So being a fifth-year student enhanced the already prevailing gravitas in the plot.

Since I connected my official Wizarding World profile to my WB Games account, "Hogwarts Legacy" automatically carried over my unique wand, patronus, and House into the game. This was yet another brilliant idea that made me feel as though I belonged in this world.

My House: Slytherin My Wand: Spruce Wood with Unicorn Core; 14 ½ Inches Length; Slightly Springy Flexibility My Patronus: Bat (rare)

Since I purchased the Digital Deluxe Edition of "Hogwarts Legacy", I received the cosmetic extras in-game and 72-hour early access. It was assuredly worth buying. I will showcase the cosmetic items and other elements in future gameplay videos, which I will upload on my YouTube channel; more on this later. Also, don't forget to claim those Twitch cosmetic-item drops.

For the time being, I'm guessing this will remain a single player campaign style game. Just the way I like it, though I won't complain if given the opportunity to be part of a possible multiplayer storyline in future DLCs or patches (unconfirmed).

The team behind the game deserves a long standing ovation for taking such a bold risk when faced with pleasing millions of franchise fans, myself included, and still delivering excellence that could satisfy a major number of us. I was certainly more than happy with what they achieved in "Hogwarts Legacy".

While the game downloaded relatively quickly, unpacking was slower than Umbridge running from a centaur. But it was well worth the wait. I had a nostalgia attack from when I used to wait outside my favourite bookstore for one of the "Harry Potter" book releases. Makes me want to turn back time, in a way.

From its outstanding character-customization options to the many intricate puzzles and lore elements waiting for me to build a brand-new story around my character, not to forget all the dutiful inspirations from J. K. Rowling's original books, "Hogwarts Legacy" felt like it was going to be a delight to play on so many levels and I was only just getting started with the campaign.

It felt familiar as well as fresh and did not fail to captivate where visuals and panoramas were concerned. It was quite literally an open-world game and you could go anywhere after just a short while completing the initial quests. Look out for a future video of me exploring and flight-seeing the open world on Thestral-back.

The game also contains a non-morality system, which will allow me to be a dark wizard, a prospect I absolutely adore. Such freedom is exemplary to see implemented in a game known for all sorts of forbidden spellcraft.

The flying mounts - thestrals, hippogriffs, brooms - were superb, to say the least. And the combat system was just the right shade of complex, and made my heart beat faster. The fight design in "Hogwarts Legacy" was a game-changer in its own right. The game came across as flawless every way I looked at it through a few online live-streams. I am eager to experience all this for myself.

Varying seasons with music to match further enriched the game in ways I found incredibly beautiful as I watched a few early access gameplay videos. This notion extends to the décor options, overall in-game designs, House-exclusive features, flora, fauna, a super-talented voice cast, and more.

I have only just started playing the game on PC via Steam. Suffice to say, only "Hogwarts Legacy" videos are going to be up on my channel for a while. Feel free to join me on my YouTube channel where I will keep uploading specific gameplay videos from this extraordinary title as I surrender to the fan-crazed art of immersion.

Final Notes:

I went in with frenzied fan fervour, meaning I was ready to rip the game apart if it didn't live up to its hype. Deep Potter-verse emotions were at play, after all, and I wouldn't have accepted anything less as a fan of this franchise. I am happy to report that "Hogwarts Legacy" delivered on all counts.

Its meticulous attention to detail and multi-layered gameplay with yester-era (1800s) appeal worked magic (pun intended!) on this game. It has certainly set a new standard for upcoming games, and I won't be surprised if future movie/TV adaptations take several pages out of the book that "Legacy" created.

"Hogwarts Legacy" feels extraordinary, ingenious, and magnificent. I can see myself playing this game over and over again as a student from each of the four iconic Houses. Now, to resume the game... I can't help but wonder, these are the moments that make life worth living.

ill just point to pros and cons

[mohammad-sanaei · 9/10 · 26 July 2023]

Overal : GREAT this is how it felt to me :

CONS:

• too many spiders (i used a mod that turned spiders into burgers and it was the only solution for me)

• when you do outstanding accomplishments such as taking on entire camp alone and kill scores of enemies, rescue phoenix , do merlin trials , and so on, the world and npcs do NOT recognize these feats , if you ride with graphorn to your "magical beasts teacher" she wont comment on it or anything... or if you are wearing the mythical house robes or whatever... nothing.

• not really in depth choice/consequence like other rpg games ... infact most of the time you dont even get a dialogue option... and you forcefully say something that doesnt go with your character.

• enforced races and friendships and enemies... this goes under the previous one i mentioned.

• too short for such an awesome world... the main story is really short and straightforward. It doesnt have any other endings either.

• i feel it was too demanding specially on ram ! I had to modify so many things just to make it stop crashing !

• forced benchmark for each start.

• no replayablity (because you dont get dialogue options to really make any other ending really THAT different) compared to games like pathfinder kingmaker/ dragon age / divinity

• not able to do more activities despite having such a detailed world ready in your disposal... it feels such a missed opportunity

-people dont know the difference if you use dark arts and break their locks or wear costumes that have skulls on them etc (ive mentioned similar issue few lines above)

• fights are fun BUT, its not really rewarding , if you kill 1 vs 40 enemies all alone, theres not really any recognition by people or your companions or any rewards etc ...

---------------------------

PROS:

• gorgeous world
• awesome controls
• tons of different puzzles , its like a dream
• interactive spell learning and lock opening
• the world and plants around you are alive
• character creation
• lots of costumes
• awesome ability to wear something but have its appearance look something else
• lovely fluid broom flying and climbing
• fights are really really fun
• animals and beasts are awesome, pitty you cant pet them all except cats.

I am absolutely obsessed with this game. Easily a GOTY contender. So happy this game has done so well and I hope we will see this become a series

[Neptune165 · 7/10 · 21 February 2023]

This game is incredible. The graphics literally blew me away on High Fidelty and Ray tracing. Even my girlfriend, who isn't a gamer, went 'wow' when she saw the Great Hall. Fantastic game, so slick. I'm really enjoying playing this. It's a lot better than I expected. Was amazed by the game initially. I think the problem with the game after several few hours is the easy levelling up and learning new spells just by doing side missions instead of getting the rewards for progressing in the main missions, and with so much gear thrown at you it becomes insignificant cos you are constantly just putting on better stuff... it loses that sense of achievement. This game was well done. They can only do so much for immersion. But all in all this is a very good game and has a lot of great potential to grow. I have been feeling the magical and mystical feel of the game since I started playing. If you're a Harry fan you will love and adore this game. One of my highlights of the year. The world is gorgeous and the gameplay is fun.

The most immersive magical experience yet!!

[adrew-79842 · 10/10 · 10 February 2023]

This game is nothing short of mesmerizing. Wanna explore Hogwarts? You get to look through every nook and cranny in the Castle. Wanna explore Hogsmeade? You get every shop in the entire town. Wanna fly around and explore the entire country surrounding Hogwarts and Hogsmeade? Have at it...

There are a few political undertones which may stir some debate and ruffle a few feathers, but it certainly does not take away from the game's objective excellence.

Waned Bros. Games has outdone themselves in terms of graphics, story, and an immersive experience. This game generates the same magical/ awe-inspired experience which enamored me as a kid when I first saw the movie in 01. Superb!!

A Good Game That Slightly Misses The Mark

[alindsayal · 7/10 · 20 June 2023]

One of the biggest games to be released this year is the Harry Potter spinoff Hogwarts Legacy. It came out to some positive reviews and as a fan of the franchise, I thought I would give it a playthrough and even though it took a long time, I have finally finished the game. The premise of the game set in the late 1800, sees a new student join Hogwarts where they have access to ancient magic and must learn to harness it and stop the dark forces.

Characters This game has a main character that the gamer gets to create. I created a male wizard and used him throughout the game, I mostly played as a heroic wizard and chose the dialogue to meet with that. The character is okay, there are a few interesting things about them but I always feel with your own protagonist there isn't enough depth put into them. I never really cared that much about the lead character and the voice acting didn't help at all.

There are so many characters in this game but one in particular stands out and that is Sebastian Swallow. A member of Slytherin, he is easily the best character in this game. His story is fascinating and the voice acting is great, I wanted to spend as much time as possible with this character instead the main story.

Professor Fig is a decent mentor for the main character, he kind of drifts in and out of the game but I thought he had a fun dynamic with the main protagonist and was a nice part of the game.

But the majority of the rest of the cast aren't great, the villain Ranarok is one of the most dull that you will ever see in a video game and is barely given anything to work with. Other class mates and teachers are just pretty dull and I can't really remember any of them or their personalities. I mean they waste the great Simon Pegg who plays the headmaster but is a small part of the game and doesn't really add anything.

Main Story The main story is average at best. It sees the Goblins basically try to take over Hogwarts and steal magic. It is interesting how it looks through the past of the wizarding world and what the characters motivations are but the rest of it is dull. The main character is not interesting enough and the villain is incredibly mediocre with this being a pretty big let down that had potential to be so much better.

Side Content As I mentioned above, the Side Content involving Sebastian is the best part of the game and I really enjoyed it, it had emotion and depth to it. There were a couple of other side activities that worked as well with other students. But there was also others that were a waste of time, the usual fetch quests that seem to be in every RPG are overwhelming here and I skipped the majority of them. Plus why was there no Quidditch, it is one of the most popular thing in Harry Potter but the game creators didn't put it in the game.

Gameplay The strength of the game is that the gameplay is fantastic. It flows incredibly well and allows the player to use plenty of spells that are from the books and films. The battles are a lot of fun and taking advantage of the spells that you learn and develop over the game is really fun. It is where the game thrives and I am happy that they really invested time into making this part a real highlight.

Graphics The game looks really good, it represents the Wizarding World really well. Hogwarts looks just how I imagined that it would, it nails its atmosphere very well and I really liked how the use of spells and design of characters feel natural to this universe that the game is set it.

Overall Overall, Hogwarts Legacy is a good game that does plenty of things right, especially its gameplay and graphics. But it it also fumbles on things too, I think when a game links to a film or book series it needs to have strong characters and story and for the most part this game doesn't have that. I still think it is an enjoyable game worth buying but definitely more of a desire for big fans of Harry Potter.

Rating - 7/10.

It sucks

[sobinkim · 1/10 · 9 April 2023]

I hate that if you are not a gryffindor you cant finish all side quests!!! You should have warned the players that you cant finish the collection. You should be able to change your house during the game And for the killing curse as well. You should have warned us that if you choose the wrong answer, you cant learn the killing curse right away. I played this game twice over the last two months to reach 100 percent completion for nothing. You made us think that the house doesnt matter! I am so pissed that now i am slytherin i cant do the headless hunt quest just because i am not a gryffindor! It was a total waste of time! You guys are such a amateur. There are so many bugs. No wonder so many players dont bother to finish the game!

Very Good Game With A Lot To Offer.

[Ggconte · 8/10 · 12 February 2023]

I managed to get my hands on the early access of this game and had been looking forward to it since it's announcement.

The story is set before the story of Harry Potter, in fact about 100 years before. We meet a new student uniquely starting in his fifth year and has special abilities that allows him to tap into ancient magic and must go through various trials that only his abilities can defeat. All the while a sort of Goblin rebellion is at hand.

While I know some fans were upset at the Goblin storyline and were a little disappointed that this wasn't a 7 year Hogwarts storyline like the books and films, this is still a very good story, is well written and fits the world that J. K. Rowling built. I particularly love the amount of side stories that flood this game and most fit into the main story.

First and foremost, this is an open world game and despite being in a school, the developers pretty much built a game that allows you to do things at your leisure. The world isn't the biggest you'll play in an open world environment but has so much to access, which more than makes up for it. The world also has plenty of people and objects to interact with. I'm a little disappointed that Diagon Alley wasn't included but that's a small quibble.

There were questions on whether this would borrow from the books or movies with its design and the answer was both as the world is a blend of both of those products. The castles overall look from the outside is very much the films, while the interiors take note from the books. The uniforms and House symbols are also more from the books.

Obviously, due to the prequel nature of the story, there's hardly any returning characters from the other stories, except for the ghosts in Hogwarts, so that might be a bummer for some.

The controls do take some getting use to, particularly with the spell casting, which consists of a lot of spells but only four buttons the execute, so you have to select different spells for different missions and place them under one of the four action buttons, which gets a little tedious but is still a better option than most games in this franchise.

The games progression cycle is smooth for the most part. There are a few times when things seem to come to a halt and you have to really try to scan the map for some clue but those are minimal.

Graphically, the game is both spectacular and lackluster. The environments are gorgeous. The castle looks great and the overall scope of the game is magnificent. The character models are a bit patchy so far as the developers continue to fix elements of the game. The cutscenes a gorgeous but it feels like the character models downgrade once back in the gameplay, which is a bit of a step backwards for this generation.

So overall, this will definitely please fans and should even be fun for those who have never read the books or seen the movies. The are a few flaws so far, but hopefully the developers clean them out.

Absolutely love this game

[lozlewis-01704 · 9/10 · 26 April 2023]

Probably my favourite game in years tbh, I've put an insane amount of hours. Done every house and now on my fith playthrough. Though I have one complaint I would like to voice and is the reason I only rated an 8.

I am extremely disappointed in the announcement that quidditch is not going to be included due to the quidditch champions online stand alone game. I am not an online game player never have been so I was looking forward to an offline quidditch experience in legacy. I really think the developers should take into consideration what the fans actually want and not what they think will make money. I really hope quidditch champions flops tbh.