Hogwarts Legacy - A fascinating experience in virtually every way. This video game is what fans have been craving for a long time and is considered the best Harry Potter game to date
Despite the passage of time, Harry Potter remains one of the most popular and profitable franchises in the world of entertainment. In 2020, Warner Bros. Games announced "Hogwarts Legacy", although its existence had already been leaked in previous years. Fan anticipation skyrocketed when the first trailer was released as it featured an incredibly ambitious gameplay experience in the wizarding world. However, if the multiple promises are not fulfilled, it can lead to the failure of the game, which is common in other games that have aimed very high in recent years.
"Hogwarts Legacy" was a very special case, as it immediately aroused the interest of the gaming community and, of course, the many Harry Potter fans. Despite the ever-present risk of disappointment, few tempered their enthusiasm. Fortunately, I can assure you, dear reader, that "Hogwarts Legacy" has not only lived up to the enormous expectations surrounding the game, but has far exceeded them.
A large part of the success of "Hogwarts Legacy" is due to the fact that Avalanche Software, the studio behind its development, set itself a very clear goal: to allow players to live the experience of being a student of the College of Witchcraft and Wizardry without having to to embody a character previously known from the novels, but to create one of our own that can represent us. Thus, the game begins with your virtual character entering the magical universe. Of course, there is a narrative context that gives shape and meaning to your adventure, though I won't delve into the story beyond the details previously revealed by Avalanche. The plot centers on an evil group led by the elf Ranrok, who seeks to put an end to centuries of rejection and contempt for his species by the witch and wizard community, by mastering a very powerful type of magic. Our purpose will be to avoid it. Ranrok is a fearsome villain and is accompanied by no less dangerous characters who will try to get in our way.
Although the story is not the strong point of "Hogwarts Legacy", its development is entertaining enough to keep your interest from start to finish. In addition, the plot is wrapped in a mystery component that motivates you to keep moving forward to solve all the unknowns. The main story is the perfect setting to demonstrate all the learning that you have acquired during your stay in the castle, which I will go into more later.
Upon arriving at Hogwarts at Hogwarts Legacy, you will experience the same process as any newly arrived student: being assigned to one of four Houses. This is where the game unfolds like a true role-playing game (RPG). The Sorting Hat will ask you a series of questions about your personality and, based on your answers, it will determine your destiny. But don't worry, if you are not satisfied with the selection, the game allows you to reject it and choose another option. It is important to note that your choices have future consequences, for example, the choice of House may affect access to a particular quest. In addition, your conversations with other characters also influence the personality of your character. You can choose to be an exemplary student who provides support to others, or an arrogant one who does not live by moral limits. But keep in mind that it is not possible to go to the extremes of the Harry Potter universe, such as becoming Voldemort's ancestor or burning down the entire school.
The learning experience is a key component in Hogwarts Legacy, and it works much like it did for Harry Potter in the novels and movies. Early in the game, you'll be assigned to a house and start attending classes to learn the various mechanics of the game, such as defense against the dark arts, enchantments, potions, and herbology. Each class has its own activities that will help you practice your skills and gain new knowledge. The gameplay is another highlight of Hogwarts Legacy, especially during combat. Although there are a large number of spells available, including the dreaded Unforgivable Curses, you will be able to choose the four that best suit the situation you are facing and assign them to the buttons of your choice. Before launch, many had doubts about how they would create a robust and easy-to-use dueling system, but the implementation of the spells is very satisfying.
The fighting in Hogwarts Legacy is awesome no matter who your enemy is. The fluidity of your character's movements and the variety of spell effects allow you to improvise your own combos. To defend yourself, it is crucial to learn how to use the magic shield and know when to execute it in order to make a successful counter attack (parry). The enemies are also worthy opponents, and their artificial intelligence can prove challenging on higher difficulties. It is necessary to study their movement patterns and discover their weak points in order to choose the right spells and items to deal damage to them. This information can also provide a strategic advantage in battle. In general, the combat system in Hogwarts Legacy is both challenging and satisfying.
The use of potions is a crucial aspect in Hogwarts Legacy, since they can be of great help in difficult situations. Like spells, there are many varieties of potions with different effects and durations, and you will need to learn how to make them using various ingredients. Fortunately, the potions class will teach you everything you need in a clear and detailed way. Despite the above, you don't have to worry about the combat being difficult, as Hogwarts Legacy is a very intuitive game. All the mechanics are explained in a simple way and, most importantly, you will have the opportunity to put everything you have learned into practice before facing dangerous missions.
Hogwarts Legacy, being an open world game, features a variety of side activities. These tasks do not have the same narrative and gameplay complexity as the main story objectives. In the early hours of the game, many of these tasks are designed to give you practice on the knowledge you've acquired in your classes. Although you will not be required to complete these activities before facing the dangers of the outside world, I recommend that you do them. I think the best way to enjoy Hogwarts Legacy is to find a balance between main and side quests to get the most out of all the rewards the game has to offer. In fact, it is possible that at some point you realize that you are not level enough to face certain enemies in the main story. Perhaps you need to learn a new spell or potion, or get a new outfit to increase your stats.
Exploring is a very important activity at Hogwarts Legacy and one that is highly enjoyable. The map is surprisingly vast, and Hogwarts castle is only a small part of what the game has to offer in its immediate vicinity. Best of all, Avalanche has been able to make the most of the expanse of the map to offer a large number of experiences that could not have been carried out inside the school. The setting is essential in a Harry Potter game, and in this sense, Hogwarts Legacy does not disappoint. The game features one of the most impressive open worlds ever seen in video games, which makes exploring it very rewarding. Although the game offers the option of fast travel using the Floo Network, the experience of traversing the world is so enjoyable that you would rather avoid it.
The moments when I have been completely in awe are numerous. Every corner of the map shows the great care that Avalanche has put into capturing the magical world according to the description of the novels. The attention to detail, especially in the castle, will bring you constant smiles. The paintings move, the sculptures look at you, the statues argue, the ghosts walk the corridors and the magic students enjoy or suffer their school life. In this game, Hogwarts takes on a life of its own. In addition, the most emblematic places of the castle have been recreated with an overwhelming level of detail. The common rooms of each house, the classrooms of the different classes, the astronomy tower, the great dining room, the great staircase, the library and many other places are available for you to explore at your leisure. Of course, there are also secrets to discover, but I prefer that you find them by yourself.
Hogwarts Legacy offers us a magical experience that goes beyond the castle walls. Exploring the school grounds on a flying broomstick or riding a magical creature is a delight for the senses. But the adventure does not end there. One of the most interesting novelties is the Room of Requirement, which you can customize to your liking, turning it into your private room. Modify its furniture, change its appearance and make it reflect your personality. Also, you can create your own herbology space to grow ingredients and brew potions. This proposal is practically a decoration game in itself, which gives you a more complete and enriching experience.
Regarding the technical section, in general terms, Hogwarts Legacy meets the expectations of a project of the current generation. However, there are some areas of the map, like the castle, that have been cared for more than others. The choice to use Unreal Engine was a wise one, significantly lowering the risk of visual bugs and other technical issues. Despite this, it would be desirable if more attention had been paid to character animations, particularly facial ones. It's a little disconcerting to talk to characters who go from grinning from ear to ear to having the most sour face you've ever seen. Also, the audio seems to be out of sync properly with the movement of the lips, which is an issue that should be fixed in an update.
Despite these drawbacks, the rest of the visual work is excellent. The effects and particles, so important in a game that involves the use of magic, are of remarkable quality and are displayed in the right proportion. During the fights, you will not get tired of seeing light effects everywhere. The quality is also reflected in the textures and lighting. As you walk through the castle, you can see how the light enters through the large stained glass windows and spreads to other places. Outside, the natural light of the sun and the moon illuminates an impressive landscape. In short, entering the Forbidden Forest at night is an amazing experience.
I can't pass up the opportunity to talk about the Hogwarts Legacy soundtrack! It's a riot of creativity and genius that clearly draws inspiration from iconic movie themes. No matter what the occasion, there is always a perfect tune to accompany it. From moments of victory and joy to the darkest and scariest scenes, the music transports you to the magical world in a completely immersive way.
As a Harry Potter fan I can say that this game is a must experience. It has left me with a more than satisfactory taste in my mouth and hours and hours of entertainment. Ever since I was a child, I have dreamed of a game that would allow me to immerse myself in the Wizarding World in such a deep and exciting way, and Hogwarts Legacy has made it possible.
Furthermore, with the impressive sales success this title has had, it is almost certain that Warner Bros. will continue to produce more games set in this fascinating universe. I just hope they uphold the high quality standards they've set with this release. It is clear that they have understood that Harry Potter can succeed in the world of video games just as much as he did on the big screen years ago. They just need to keep doing things right... and enjoy the magic!
I have no doubt that we will continue to see games like this one, it's really cool, and I think the graphics are crazy, they look beautiful, it makes you want to play it now, and spend 5 hours playing it.
That's right friend, it's a spectacular game to spend hours and hours playing without getting bored...