Game Review The Hogwarts Legacy Everyone’s Talking About. Is she worth the attention?

For several days now, the entire Internet has been discussing one of the most party games of 2023. We are talking about the Hogwarts Legacy, the release of which took place on February 10th.

In recent days, she has taken leadership positions in many top charts around the world. For example, in Steam’s weekly chart by revenue:

1. Hogwarts Legacy: Digital Deluxe Edition (pre-order)
2. Hogwarts legacy
3. Hogwarts Legacy (pre-order)
4. Hogwarts Legacy: Digital Deluxe Edition
5. steam deck

And it’s not just that. It is made according to the universe beloved by millions of people.

Does she deserve the high ratings? Let’s figure it out.

The perfect magical atmosphere repeats here

The action of the game takes place in the UK at the end of the 19th century. Then there was no Harry Potter, no Voldemort with Albus Dumbledore. The principal of the school was Phineas Nigellus Black.

We play as our own hero, which we create from scratch, as it should be in the possession of an RPG. You can choose not only the appearance with the image of facial features, but also the gender of the character. And also give him a first and last name.

Of course, we have our own distinguishing feature – a rare gift, the use of knowledge by magic. Only a select few are capable of it, and there are very few such people. Even fewer than those able to communicate with snakes.

Such wizards can see traces of magic learning and use. For others, certain objects or passages are hidden, and their properties are not suitable for any evidence.

Developers from Avalanche were able to create incredible magical products. Magic arose literally at every step from the first minute of delay. Both the environment works on this, and special compositions for the game are created. Many of them have their basis from the original soundtracks.

Speaking of magical origin, I mean everything around. As you walk down the street, the castle, Hogsmeade. Everywhere everything is alive, the routine and reaction to the player appear by their own nature: watering cans fly on the globe and water the flowers themselves, pictures move and talk, stairs change shapes (but do not direct, as in movies and books) and much more.

And God, how beautiful Hogwarts. It is created with great love and oversaturated with the smallest details. The life inside of him boils. Children go to classes, communicate with each other, walk. Ghosts fly around the castle, one of the students is taken out. While you can along the corridor, you see many different mini-scenes or hear dialogues not only of children, but also of paintings, and armor placed in different corners move and make sounds, sometimes even groan.

There are also familiar characters from the book/movie universe. For example, Nearly Headless Nick or Peeves.

But not Hogwarts single game. Outside of it, a large open world with numerous regions is available. The same Hogsmeade is a fairly large village next to the castle. Here you can buy potions, a broom, various equipment and much more.

The paths and secret places seem to be endless. Of course, this is not so, but you get the point. You can roam in Hogwarts Legacy while playing.

There are also enough known locations, there are familiar places and even buildings. Can you guess what building this is?

In general, the authors approached their task with all responsibility.

All about training and basic mechanics

We’re going straight into the fifth year. Prior to this, we were previously taught by Professor Fig, who gave us some basics. The rest of the lungs to catch up during training at Hogwarts. The teachers kindly agreed to teach you after the lessons, so that you can catch up at an accelerated pace.

The set of spells is not very large. However, at the same time, all of them will be useful to you to one degree or another, depending on the situation.

The plot itself in a fairly simple game. In case of occurrence, at the time of my passage (about 15 hours, including additional tasks), he still slightly swayed. And this can be a problem for the players. He develops too leisurely in the first ten hours. And the story is more like a children’s fairy tale, where you immediately understand who has what priorities, where good and evil are, and everything like that.

Personally, I do not consider this a minus, but other gamers may have rights to this question. Perhaps the story will get stronger with time, but it’s hard to be more specific right now.

A typical office at Hogwarts Legacy

Some quests are built on the principle of “go through 3 more tasks, and then come back.” This is a little annoying and additionally slows down. And I can’t say that all such side quests are interesting and exciting.

For example, I need to get into the closed part of the library, and for this it was necessary to learn one closure. To get the required requirement, you need to complete another skill training task, namely the activity of 10 dodges from enemies and 15 activity reflection. Although it lends itself often to interesting things, in general, different things inspire melancholy. good, such moments so far, rather, rarity. But they are, and you need to be prepared for this.

All tasks have answer options, but for the most part they do not change the dialogue. Just use its slightly larger extension. This is neither bad nor good. Just know.

One of the puzzles

There are also various puzzles. Sometimes they come true, but usually they are solved on the spot. The treasures typical of the genre have not gone anywhere either. They need to be searched for in the drawings of the area.

The spells we have can be changed in the quick access menu. In total, 4 spells can be used, not counting the main two: attacking and defensive.

Equipment is also customizable. You can change the headgear, gloves, cape / cloak, clothes and even the handle of the wand. All garments have their own characteristics. For most, it’s just the armor level. However, some objects have their own properties, which can be determined on a special table in the Rescue Room.

Help-room is a separate world

She received a lot of attention.

This room can be customized. That’s it all, not some elements. Event creators choose not only furniture and decorations, but also completely change the design of a fairly large room.

Due to the production in the Room, the elf Deek is specially responsible, who helps Professor Weasley in teaching our plot.

But that’s not all! A decision has been made on the assignment, in the Rescue Room a portal will be allowed in the prohibition pen called Vivarium. You can arrange your fauna there. It is worth finding some kind of creature, it will be possible to place it here and take care of it (feed, play, comb and fly). You choose who and where to settle. Just keep in mind that each animal and fish has its own biome. In others, they simply cannot live.

It is also possible and breed these creatures. You save the most and the female of the same species, they have their own corral, and there they already breed. On any installations, a special resource “moonstone” is used. It is easy to find as the story progresses or just while exploring the open world.

Many actions require a timeout wait. For example, to create a banal Rowan decoction to restore health, you need to plant a star anise for 10 minutes (well, or buy it if you are too lazy to wait). Once it grows up, you can add it to the potion. Breeding also takes time – as much as 30 minutes.

Breeding has its benefits. Once the animals have given birth, it will bring you resources that can be sold in the shops of Hogsmeade. There is money to spend here, and there is never a lot of it.

Impressions of the combat system

She simple and dangerous understandable. In case of occurrence on PlayStation 5. For 2 main spells, 2 buttons are allocated, and for an additional one, you need to hold down R2 and select from 4 right buttons.

If you see us in the world of magic, then we fight with enemies exclusively with magic. And this means that the fight leads the distance. It is physically impossible to hit anyone, and it is not required.

For groups of enemies, talents can be upgraded to win on the ground or around you. For example, create a firewave when affected by Insendio.

Useful hazards and surface spells like Levioso that cheer up the air for a few seconds while you can safely attack it.

You can combine spells even during the battle. And that’s a big plus for Hogwarts Legacy. The combat system is easy to learn and quite diverse. Fighting someone is interesting and exciting.

Just 10 out of 10

Apart from a couple of little things, Hogwarts Legacy is interesting to be in. The game pulls you in from the first seconds and doesn’t let go until the very end. You don’t even notice how time flies. And it changed tremendously quickly.

The game is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Windows. It costs about 3.5 thousand rubles, but is not officially available in Russia. Nobody forbids buying it in another store, right?