“Hogwarts Legacy” is a video game developed by Warner Bros. Games for a variety of platforms. It was released on Feb. 10 of 2023 for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X, and will be released on April 4th for PS4 and Xbox One, as well as on July 25th for Nintendo Switch. The game features a single-player look at what Hogwarts was like roughly a century before Harry, Ron, and Hermione arrived. In addition to getting to see some parts of the castle that didn’t make it into the movies, such as the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw common rooms, the game includes many familiar names, with ancestors of the characters we know and love, such as the Weasleys and Sirius Black, making appearances as faculty at the wizarding school.
In the game, players create their own avatar, complete with eighteenth-century attire and, if the game was pre-ordered, an exclusive set of robes. Once a character is created, a very special introduction to the game begins, setting the scene and overall storyline before we get to be sorted (remember, the Sorting Hat takes your opinion into account!) and begin school as a fifth-year transfer student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Throughout the game, players get to attend Hogwarts classes and learn new spells, and are even given the opportunity to learn the Unforgivable Curses. Apart from the storyline, the game features a huge expanse of land to explore, and many magical little easter eggs to find as well. One of the most notable easter eggs includes a memorial to Robbie Coltrane, the actor who played Hagrid in the films and who passed away just this past October.
One of my personal favorite things about the game is the ability to care for magical creatures with a vivarium. This is a room in which players get to collect magical creatures and care for them, much like Newt Scamander’s suitcase in “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” Magical creatures of all kinds, from nifflers to occamies to thestrals can be found within the game for players to collect and care for.
A few cons include the exclusion of Quidditch, the popular wizarding sport played on broomsticks, from the game. This disappointed many fans of the series who were hoping to bring their houses to victory in a match of this well-loved sport, though speculations remain that it may one day be implemented as an extension of the video game. Additionally, many fans are upset that there is no opportunity to find a love interest in the game, as many have already fallen for the charming and charismatic Sebastian Sallow, a Slytherin student players have the chance to befriend early on in the game.
“Hogwarts Legacy” was a dream come true for many fans of the Harry Potter franchise, including myself. I first started reading the books when I was about eight, and have loved the story ever since. I myself am still awaiting the release on PS4 and cannot wait to create my Hogwarts student, though through watching friends play and researching game clips, I’ve put together what is hopefully a comprehensible guide to what one can expect when they first play this magical game. It should be noted that the author of the franchise, J.K Rowling, was reportedly not involved in the game’s production, however, she will likely still earn royalties due to the fact that the game is based around her writing.