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Hogwarts Legacy
PC (Steam)
The Magic and the Mundane
4/5 stars
A lot of huffing and puffing was made when Hogwarts Legacy debuted - but that controversy didn't seem to be much of hindrance as the game became the most popular of 2023. It's easy to see why - who wouldn't want to be their own wizard (or witch) in the truly magical world of Harry Potter? It also proves the single-player games are still worth their weight in gold - a lesson, alas, that Warner Bros. seems to entirely have ignored as they followed this massive success with what is easily one of the most disappointing games of 2024 - the live-service bomb Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Will we get a follow-up to this game - who knows, but it certainly is worthy of one.
Looks and Stuff: Bringing the world of Harry Potter to life is not easy task. With much of the world and lore and such established it kind of has to follow what has already been written. That being said, the game takes place years before the events of the books/films - and allows you to experience the world in a different time but with familiar trappings. The games does an outstanding job of capturing the look, feel and even the music one has come to associate with Harry Potter. A good chunk of the early game takes place in Hogwarts itself and from moving pictures to moving staircases to the classrooms and flying lessons - it is a wonder to behold. You can spend many a hour just wandering the castle - and this area has plenty of secrets (some of which you won't be able to do right off the bat - but soon enough) along with a plethora of students to interact with. After a rip-roaring opening that also serves as a cursory tutorial for the wand/magic system, you are soon sorted into your house via a short question/answer session (I wound up in Hufflepuff - shut up). Each house, of course, has its own area but you can explore pretty much everywhere else on your own. Of course the game soon opens up to the wider world - with many hamlets and villages to the other major area of Hogsmeade. From the Forbidden Forest to ancient ruins, goblin strongholds and troll dens - the wide world is full of wonder and looks amazing.
The game is fully voiced - mostly voice-over veterans (some, like JB Blanc and Jason Anthony voicing several characters) with Simon Pegg (as Professor Phineas Nigellus Black) being the most recognizable name in the cast. Even if the names aren't familiar, the performances are on point and never feels rushed or strained. Alongside the voices, the music is also quite magical - with many tips of the hat to John Williams and his themes - along with plenty of original content that fits right in. Besides that the game just sounds good overall - from arguing suits of armor to music-playing portraits to random student dialogue - yes, it does repeat itself after a bit - but still, it's the little touches that truly bring this game to life. From a technical standpoint, the game never had any bugged missions or game-breaking moments. While I did experience some texture issues, I chalk that up to the game's high demands and my aging computer.
Story: You find yourself in the shoes of a witch/wizard with a unique ability to see and wield a specific kind of ancient magic that most can't even see or even knows exist. You also find yourself as a 5th-year student of Hogwarts - essentially a senior - but never having attended the school before. You've arrived at a precarious time as a goblin named Ranrok has started a rebellion and joined forces with a dark wizard, Victor Rookwood and a veritable army of poachers and thieves. Ranrok seems to also have an interest in this ancient magic - and seems to be one step ahead of everyone else. Even before reaching Hogwarts the game opens with a thrilling tour of Gringotts bank as well as a dragon attack - but you make it to Hogwarts just in time for the Sorting Ceremony. After being placed in your house, you get to experience the student life - attend a few classes, learn some spells, meet fellow students and help them out if you see fit (or just be a jerk to everyone if you choose). The early game is mostly getting around the castle/school - three students in particular, Natsai Onai, Poppy Sweeting and Sebastian Sallow become some of the main quest-givers and open up many opportunities. Onai is is most interested in taking down Rookwood, Poppy is about stopping the poachers and helping magical creatures (including, perhaps, a certain dragon from earlier...) and Sallow will do anything to help un-curse his younger sister - even if it mean dabbling in the dark arts.
But the game soon opens up far beyond Hogwarts and you'll soon find yourself traveling all around the highlands, the coast, the mountains and the forests (forbidden or not) - visiting villages and hamlets (each with their own side-quests to explore) and taking down goblins, poachers and dark beasts. One hilarious aspect of the game is that for all the preaching about saving magical creatures - that doesn't seem to extend to the hundreds of "bad" creatures you utterly destroy along the way - from spiders to dire wolves to even mostly sentient trolls. I guess compassion can only go so far. Also, you kill an awful lot of goblins and dark wizards too - I mean, whose actually the genocidal bad guy in this story anyhow? I get it - open world, experience, etc - I just find it amusing the dichotomy between what the story says and what you do.
Anywho - you soon find the main meat of the game involves going even further into the past - as you connect with four long-dead Hogwarts professors (via paintings, of course) who set about a series of challenges to overcome. It also connects to a former student named Isidora Morganach - one who, like you, could see ancient magic. It also seems Ranrok has a connection as well - and most of the game is trying to prevent him from hatching his plot. During all this you still have to attend various classes - can't save the wizarding world if you don't learn about Mandrakes and learning to ride your broom now, can you?
Gameplay: The game is an open-world sandbox / third-person shooter (magic, but you get the idea). There is A LOT to do here - as any sandbox game will attest. Just in Hogwarts itself is a game's worth of stuff to do - pages to collect, chests to open, secrets to uncover, puzzles, side-quests - it does on and on. Most of the quests can be solved with very early spells but others will have to wait a bit as you gain access to more and more of the higher-level spells (especially the third-level Alohamora unlocking charm). Much like Batman or Assassin's Creed, you have an overall "revelio" spell (much like detective vision or the like) that will point you towards secrets and uncover where chests might be hiding. You'll use this spell often. But there is so much more to do outside Hogwarts - and the map is massive. Just about everything you do gives you some form of XP - and not just fighting enemies. The biggest mistake I made was building up a lot of XP before doing much of the story - meaning I was way over-powered for most of the game. Granted, it's pretty easy to earn, but if there's one piece of advice I can give to make the game a bit more challenging it's follow the story first just to make things interesting.
One of the more interesting aspects is the Room of Requirement - which allows you decorate as you please and, later on, even make your own magical creature menagerie. While I really didn't do too much with this - someone who really likes to deck out a place in their own style could have a heyday with this feature - plus is provides pretty much unlimited potions/magical plants to your heart's content. On that note, I hardly ever used potions or magical plants in combat as I found the spells / combos pretty much powerful enough on their own. One thing I will say is that as you level up you can choose between many options to unlock better spell abilities and other effects. The thing to unlock first, by far, is the ability to open up more spell slots - each on gives you access to four different spells, and the quicker to you open these up, the bigger and better combos you can perform. Early on I had some trouble with figuring out the system but believe me, once you have it down it's a cinch to combo-wombo even the most formidable enemies. Also, you can pretty much ignore any and all potion abilities - they're nigh useless IMO. The game also lets you dress up - hat, gloves, cloak - and you can imbue them with even more power via magical creatures. Once you are fully upgraded in this aspect AND have unlocked powerful spell abilities, it makes thing even easier.
The biggest complaint I have with Hogwarts Legacy is that by the end of the game the magic kind of loses its luster. It just gets repetitive as the battles become easy and you see/hear the same things over and over again. Even Hogwarts becomes quite tiresome by the end. There's a lot you can do but even I reached my limit and by the end I wasn't too sad to let it go.
Replay value: While there are a few different options on all dialogue - mainly being a "nice" or "mean" personality - it doesn't really affect the overall outcome - you can still learn all the more diabolical curse spells (and use them with impunity) even if you're a good character.
Final Verdict: Other than visiting the Wizarding World in Orlando, probably the closest you'll ever get to being your own version of Harry Potter - and you don't even have to leave home (or even get up off your butt).
Presentation: 5/5
Story: 3/5
Gameplay: 4/5
Replay: 2/5
Overall (not an average): 4/5
Time Played: 93h 8 min.
Cheevos: 84% (38/45)
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