PLAYED ON: PC via Steam
(Non-Spoiler Review)
In 2018, there was a leaked clip which was trending on social media but it was taken down from everywhere pretty quickly by Warner Bros. The clip was of the upcoming game based on Harry Potter’s Wizarding World. Everyone lost their minds, including me. Is this the game we, Potterheads, have been waiting for all these years?
Finally, Avalanche Software announced in 2020 that their upcoming game ‘Hogwarts Legacy’ will be coming out in 2021. Now, after numerous delays, the game was finally released for PS5, Xbox Series & PC on 10th February 2023.
After playing the game and exploring the magical world of Hogwarts, I can say that Hogwarts Legacy is an impressive game that offers a lot of exciting features. The game has a good storyline, which takes place in the 1800s, before the events of the Harry Potter series.
One of the best things is the attention to detail in the game's design. The graphics are stunning, and the world of Hogwarts is brought to life in a truly immersive way. The game also offers a lot of customization options for players, including their character's appearance and playstyle.
I tried to take as much time as I can to play this game at a proper pace, not just speed run through the campaign to write this review eventually.
The game's combat mechanics also is amazing, with the ability to cast spells and engage in fast-paced battles against a variety of enemies. Once you get a hang of it, the whole combat system is very satisfying.
Here, players take on the role of a fifth-year student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and experience life as a wizard, including attending classes, learning spells, and exploring the world of Hogwarts. The game provides a lot of freedom to players, allowing them to make choices that affect the outcome of the story (but it doesn’t affect it in a major way) but you get to learn some extra spells.
However, the game is not without its flaws. Some of the side quests can feel repetitive. For me, there was no motivation whatsoever to do the side content, to be honest. You get little to nothing in terms of rewards or loot. There were a lot of repetitive dialogues by the NPCs around and it got annoying sometimes.
The PC version was pretty clunky at launch. There was a lot of stuttering and frame drops, especially when moving around the castle. PS: After multiple patch updates, the game is finally smooth to play on PC (11/03/2023)
Last but not the least, the music in this game is brilliant. I would sometimes roam around in some particular areas of Hogwarts, just to listen to the music 😄 (my favourite being the greenhouse area)
TSHC SCORE: 8/10
CONCLUSION:
Hogwarts Legacy is a game that is sure to excite fans of the Harry Potter franchise. The attention to detail in the game's design, especially the whole of Hogwarts and the engaging storyline make for a truly immersive experience. While the game does have some flaws, overall it is a well-crafted game that is definitely worth playing.
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