Commentary: The game lets you dive into an unseen era of the wizarding world, and it's a joy to explore.
Playing Hogwarts Legacy is a reminder that few fictional worlds are as bewitching as Harry Potter's. In 1998, my Mum handed me a copy of Philosopher's Stone -- Sorcerer's Stone in the US -- and that first chapter sucked me right in its magical universe. I was hooked for life.
Or so I thought. After the core book series wrapped up and there were no more movie adaptations coming, my emotional connection diminished. The overstuffed spinoffs, along with author J.K. Rowling's inflammatory comments about transgender people, sucked the remaining fun out of the franchise, and I figured it was time to move on.
All that baggage fell away as soon as I started Hogwarts Legacy, which hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Series S and PC on Friday (it's available in early access from Tuesday, and arrives on other consoles in the coming months). This open-world action RPG game, developed by Avalanche Software, is designed to let us live out our fantasies of enrolling at the iconic School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as a new student.
Having played the PS5 version for 10 hours, it captures the wonder of the early books, with an intriguing original narrative, engagingly varied gameplay and intricately designed world to explore.
Back to basics
The game sidesteps the narrative restrictions of Harry's story by jumping way back in the timeline, to the 1890s. After creating your character, you're whisked off on a brief opening adventure before reaching the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Even though you're a new student, you're starting your magical career a little late and enroll as a fifth year. That's presumably because having a wide-eyed first year, just 11 years old, explore dangerous caves, learn dangerous spells and battle dark wizards would feel kinda weird.
The customization options are a key element in living out your wizarding world fantasy, and they're a joy. You can choose your character's gender and appearance. Then you'll pick and alter your wand (don't worry, the one you start the game with is a loaner) and broom.
You also get sorted into a Hogwarts house (Slytherin FTW), based on a series of questions you'll answer shortly after arriving at the school, but you can have a do-over if the initial selection isn't to your liking.
The house you end up in doesn't seem to change much beyond the common room, your uniform and some throwaway lines. Though teachers mention house points in some classes, you won't actually be competing for them in the game.
Your education is occasionally interrupted by the main story, which focuses on your connection to mysterious ancient magic and a sinister dark wizard in league with the intense leader of a goblin rebellion -- these baddies sport the excellent names of Victor Rookwood and Ranrok, respectively. It's an absorbing narrative that expands this universe's lore nicely, especially when it hints at events further back in the timeline, but sometimes fades into the background amidst all the game's other distractions.
Living in a wizarding world
The development team's love for Harry Potter is apparent in every aspect of Hogwarts Legacy, but shines most brightly in the world and its characters. Every teacher, student and location feels distinct and real, with a peppering of familiar names like Weasley and Black to make fans feel comfortable.
Each character is richly written, cleverly voiced -- Simon Pegg plays the unpleasant headmaster -- and visually diverse, so talking to them and learning about their backgrounds is fascinating. (It's frustrating that you can't pause during cutscenes though.) This characterisation is woven through the main story and its side quests, which range from investigating one of the castle's mysteries and sneakily grabbing potion ingredients to wandering into a dangerous cave.
These are varied and fun in terms of gameplay, exploration and puzzle-solving, but feel even more worthwhile since they present opportunities to learn more about the quest-givers and world. And teenage tomfoolery, like sneaking into the library in the dead of night with the help of an invisibility charm, just feels like vintage Harry Potter.
Your customized avatar's voice acting is solid, but occasionally a bit flat -- like you're overly polite or reserved. That's preferable to listening to a realistic teenager, though. The character models are convincing enough, but the eyes sometimes move unnaturally and feel unnerving.
The world is sumptuously designed too, particularly in the beautifully gothic Hogwarts, with its moving paintings, chatty gargoyles and fascinating student banter. Every inch is begging to be explored, with heaps of collectibles and Easter eggs to discover -- you hear a satisfying hint of the John Williams theme when you pick up certain items. The nearby village of Hogsmeade isn't quite as big, but it's still full of fun diversions.
The colorful rolling hills, plains and hamlets that make up the rest of the world can feel a little bland by comparison, despite their Elder Scrolls vibes.
The game's technical limitations are occasionally evident as you dash around the environment too; sometimes assets will load at the edge of your screen and doors will appear to be stuck as the area beyond loads. It never felt game-breaking, but might briefly shake your sense of immersion.
Tricks of the magical trade
The multifaceted nature of your wizarding unfolds gradually through Hogwarts Legacy's early hours. Your character starts out with the most basic dueling skills and spells, but the way you flick out spells with your wand gives combat a unique, kinetic flow.
You block incoming attacks with a magical shield and dodge bigger ones. The combat is similar to that seen in the Batman: Arkham and Spider-Man games, but with a sorcery aesthetic. It's immediately gratifying, to the point where you'll be hankering for magical battles.
Once you get to Hogwarts, you'll learn new spells and skills in classes like Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions and Herbology. Crucially, the flow of quests gives you time to get comfortable with each new ability before introducing another -- you'll attend a class and then use what you've learnt in a few story missions or side quests.
The game encourages you to use every tool in your arsenal, instead getting comfortable with a few basic combos and relying on them to get through every battle. You'll be playing for a few hours before the skill trees are unlocked, but you'll likely have a sense of your preferred combat style by then. Pretty much everything you do gives you experience points too, so you'll level up at a steady clip.
There's also a constant flow of new gear that'll enhance your attack and defense, in addition to changing your character's look. You can also apply the appearance of any previous clothing to new ones, so you aren't stuck looking ridiculous just because a certain item has higher stats.
Annoyingly, inventory limits add needless friction to exploration -- you can find new gear but be unable to pick it up. It's irritating to have to fast travel to Hogsmeade to sell off excess items while wandering around the castle. You can increase your inventory with certain side quests, at least.
A joyous school reunion
Thankfully, Hogwarts Legacy doesn't lean too hard into its school setting -- you won't have to adhere to a rigid schedule. Instead, you attend class to advance the narrative and add new gameplay elements rather than going because you have to.
The world opens up in a big way once you finish your first flying lesson and get your own broom. There's a bit of a learning curve to soaring above it all, but it's exhilarating and highlights the scope of the playing area.
Hogwarts Legacy evokes the same magic as the first book's opening chapter, letting you explore a beautifully realized world, meet a fascinating cast of characters and embark on your own wizarding career. It's the Harry Potter game fans have been dreaming of for decades.
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How to choose houses in the Hogwarts Legacy sorting quiz
The Sorting Hat takes your choice into consideration
Just like in the Harry Potter books and movies, you can choose your house in Hogwarts Legacy through a Sorting Hat quiz.
For the uninitiated, the four Hogwarts houses are Gryffindor, Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. Gryffindors are brave and daring, Slytherins are cunning and ambitious, Ravenclaws are eccentric and intelligent, and Hufflepuffs are trustworthy and hardworking.
However, like the characters of the series, your house doesn’t define you. For instance, Hermione Granger is seen as one of the most intelligent students at Hogwarts, yet she is a Gryffindor and not a Ravenclaw.
By understanding how Hogwarts Legacy’s sorting quiz works — or by using the account link feature before playing — you can end up in the house of your choosing.
HOW HOUSE SORTING WORKS IN HOGWARTS LEGACY
Soon after the start of the game, you’ll arrive at Hogwarts just in time for the Sorting Ceremony. There are two different ways you can be sorted into your house.
You can either take a very short in-game quiz, or you can link your Harry Potter Fan Club and WB Games accounts for a more personal house selection. Whichever method you decide to use, you can influence the Sorting Hat’s decision.
Once you arrive to the Sorting Ceremony after the tutorial, you’ll sit at the front of the Great Hall, and Professor Weasley will place the Sorting Hat atop your head.
From here, you’ll be given two prompts where you must make a choice.
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Here’s The Exact Time ‘Hogwarts Legacy’ Early Access Begins On PS5, Xbox Series X And PC
Post updated at 1:30am 2/6/2023. See update below.
The most highly-anticipated game of 2023 (so far) is almost upon us. Hogwarts Legacy, despite being enmeshed in a near-constant state of controversy, is already breaking sales records on PS5 and Xbox Series X, and unless the game is a massive disappointment, it’s looking like one of the biggest games of 2023 by a long mile.
The open-world Harry Potter game allows players to explore the magical school Hogwarts as a young witch or wizard as they attend school, fight monsters, fly on broomsticks and cast spells—all in a fantastical open-world. The game takes place a hundred years before the events of the Harry Potter books, which means you won’t run into familiar characters, only familiar fantasy.
Gamers excited to hop onto their broomsticks can do so a few days earlier than the game’s February 10th release date. If you pre-ordered the game’s physical Collector’s Edition or Digital Deluxe Edition on console or PC you’ll get 72 hours of early access. Here’s the exact time you can apparate into the game’s early access period based on your platform of choice:
Early Access On Steam And The Epic Game Store
PC players will be able to dive through Platform 9 and 3/4 and board the Hogwarts Express at 10 am PST / 1pm EST on Tuesday, February 7th. This is for players globally, so you’ll want to double check what time-zone that is based on your region. This translates to 6pm UTC.
Early Access On PlayStation And Xbox
It’s a bit different for console players as the 72 hour Early Access begins at midnight local time on February 7th. Whenever the clock strikes midnight and the carriage turns back into a pumpkin and the dress into rags, lose your glass slippers and hop into the game. The only time-zones that differ here are those west of EST. So 9pm PST / 10pm MST / 11pm CST on the 6th, and then 12am EST on the 7th (at least, that’s what the below map appears to convey despite the Hogwarts Legacy tweet’s text):
Brief Thoughts On The Rowling Controversy
Hogwarts Legacy has been shaping up into what looks like a very good game (I had many doubts early on but I’ve come to be pretty excited about the game). The controversy around Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has put a damper on things, but I believe you can purchase and enjoy the game whether or not you agree with Rowling’s politics. In fact, I urge you to play the game (or not play it) with total disregard to the pop culture wars that everyone has become embroiled in surrounding all things Harry Potter.
A few more details about Early Access and launch times for Hogwarts Legacy players. The game won’t be available on Xbox One or PlayStation 4 until April 4th, 2023. It’s not coming to Nintendo Switch until July 25th. None of these platforms will gain any kind of Early Access as a pre-order bonus.
A few more details about Early Access and launch times for Hogwarts Legacy players. The game won’t be available on Xbox One or PlayStation 4 until April 4th, 2023. It’s not coming to Nintendo Switch until July 25th. None of these platforms will gain any kind of Early Access as a pre-order bonus.
The three reasons listed are:
Allowing conversation about JKR quickly spirals into bigoted language towards LGBTQ+ individuals. For primarily the dignity of LGBTQ+ users but also for the longevity of the subreddit at large, we cannot provide any kind of opportunity for this language to start in the first place.
Users who rally behind JKR under the guise of “keeping things about the game” are still taking conversations off topic from the actual game. JKR does not need anyone to come to her defense, and this subreddit especially does not need to be a platform for that.
Users who actively engage in an “us vs. them” mentality with comments about “Twitter activists”, “woketivists” etc. merely feed into this dynamic which they claim to hate. Comments about how you enjoy trolling people on other social media platforms, or how you are buying extra copies to troll the critics, is still trolling. This content breaks subreddit rules and will be removed.
Given how badly any conversation about Rowling, her position on trans issues, and anything even tangentially related to that subject spirals out of control, I think this is very wise. I’ll probably avoid any further discussion of these issues for the time-being as well, and focus on the game and whether or not it’s any good—which I genuinely hope it is! I’ll have my impressions up soon, as I’ll be playing on both PS5 and PC this week before launch.
I thought I would update this post now that I’ve had the chance to play the game a few hours before Early Access begins on consoles (and a bit longer if you’re on PC, unfortunately). I have to say that already I’m smitten. I’ll have proper impressions up later and a full review down the road (this game is huge) but for now, I can honestly say this is the most fun I’ve had in an RPG in years—at least in an RPG that isn’t a Dark Souls / Bloodborne / Elden Ring game.
Honestly, this game gets off to such an incredible start it’s exceeded all my expectations. The opening act is really, really strong. You have mystery, action, magic, endearing characters, mini-games, spells to learn and classes to go to. There’s a fascinating mysterious plot that kicks off right away, but you almost forget all about it as you enter Hogwarts, sit with the Sorting Hat to pick a House and then head off to class, to Hogsmeade, and to all the adventure you encounter along the way. The teachers and students are all really fascinating to talk with—and I say this as someone who is often bored or at least antsy when it comes to dialogue-heavy games.
I made a couple videos of my early hours with the game. This first one is the character creation:
This second video is Part 1 of my playthrough which lasts from the opening scene through the title screen (when you first arrive at Hogwarts). I’ll be posting more gameplay videos as I go, with Part 2 going over your first day at Hogwarts.
I designed my character—Wyatt Harbottle—to look like a younger me, though I never dressed this snazzy as a Fifth Year when I was at wizarding school (or, rather, when I was daydreaming about the idea of knights and wizards and princesses needing to be rescued from evil dragons).
The game is beautiful, by the way. These aren’t the best graphics out there, but for a multiplatform game of this size and scope, I’m really impressed with how good everything looks. And on PlayStation 5 at least, so far it’s running without a hitch. Apparently some people have experienced glitches but I haven’t seen any.
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