Yer a wizard, Harry!
With the hit new video game, “Hogwarts Legacy,” you can finally receive your long-awaited Hogwarts letter! Created by Avalanche Software, “Hogwarts Legacy” is an open-world, action, role-playing game on PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, and other gaming platforms. It was one of the most successful games in 2023. According to an article from Variety, since the game’s release in February of 2023, it has sold over 22 million copies, with 2 million sold in December alone.
Set in the Wizarding World during the 1800s, the game takes place a hundred years before Harry Potter arrives at Hogwarts. The story follows your character as they start their journey at Hogwarts fighting goblins, discovering ancient magic, and attending classes – all as a new fifth-year student. Along the way, you meet a lot of new friends and professors who will help you with your journey.
I finally received this long-awaited game for Christmas. And to say that I am addicted is an understatement – ask my friends and family. As a massive Harry Potter fan, I love going to Hogwarts classes, performing spells, and finding iconic magical creatures such as a hippogriff, thestral, and even a unicorn!
If you just bought the game like I did or are interested in playing it in the future, here are some helpful hints to help you get started.
Choosing your house
While it may not seem like it, choosing your house is essential. It is the first thing you do at Hogwarts, and it impacts the number of side quests, the common room, and your relationship with the characters. For example, as a Gryffindor, you can go to a Headless Hunt party with Nearly Headless Nick, the house ghost. As a Hufflepuff, you can explore a part of Azkaban. But you really can’t go wrong with any of the houses. All the house’s common rooms are uniquely beautiful. Choosing what house you go to depends on what kind of gaming experience you want.
Making use of the room of requirement
For those familiar with the Harry Potter series, the Room of Requirement is used for various reasons throughout. In the game, the Room of Requirement is used as your base. Once you unlock the Room of Requirement, you can plant, make potions, decorate, and even create a sanctuary for animals.
You often need to buy a specific potion or magical plant for different tasks. Unfortunately, buying your ingredients can be expensive. Instead of buying a single potion or plant, buy the recipe instead. By purchasing the recipe, you can grow as many plants as you want in your Room of Requirement, and save yourself a lot of money.
Here’s a tip: Buy large planters at Tomes and Scrolls. They will allow you to plant larger plants like the Chomping Cabbage.
Increase storage
When you first start the game, your storage for clothes and other belongings is very small. I have come across multiple instances while playing that I can’t get to a fabulous new robe because I don’t have enough storage. While you can sell clothes, that isn’t always ideal. Instead, complete Merlin Trials. After completing the “Trials of Merlin” quest, explore the many Merlin Trials on the map indicated with a leaf icon. The more trials you complete, the more opportunities you can increase your storage space.
Bonus: This is also the perfect opportunity to explore more of the world!
The COnfusing puzzle doors
Throughout Hogwarts, there are big wooden doors with pictures of magical animals around them. Once you open these doors, you can get to unique treasure chests. For me specifically, it took an embarrassingly long time to figure out these puzzle doors. So, how do you open them?
First, go up to the door where triangles with numbers will appear on the door. The sum of the smaller numbers should be in the middle of the two triangles. Essentially, you have to do some math to determine the question mark. Then, examine the golden animal pictures around the door. Each animal will represent the missing number from 0-9. Finally, you must look for the dice on the walls, close to the doors. Then, roll the dice to submit your answers.
If you are a visual learner, here is a YouTube video that helped me.
Dark Arts
Yes, you can turn to the dark side in this game, but it isn’t apparent. While I will not give any spoilers, you can learn all three of the Unforgivable Curses late in the game: the Killing Curse, the Cruciatus Curse, and the Imperius Curse. This isn’t a part of the main quest. So, when the time comes, you may want to choose carefully. You may miss the opportunity to learn them (if that is your jam). You don’t want to wait? If you have the deluxe edition, visit the Dark Arts Battle Arena in the East North Hogwarts Region. Once you get inside, you can practice your dark side without having to learn the spells. This is only available inside the arena.
“Hogwarts Legacy” is a dream come true for many Harry Potter fans like me. I hope you have the time of your life playing this cute little game. It is worth noting that Rowling has no part in the game development. Additionally, there is a fantastic trans character named Sirona Ryan in the game.
Happy gaming!