Video Game Review
Title: Hogwarts Legacy
Developer: Avalanche Software and Portkey Games
Release Date and Available: PS5, Windows, Xbox X/S; 10 February 2023; PS4, Xbox One; 4 April 2023; Nintendo Switch; 25 July 2023
Ever since the first Harry Potter book came out, fans have longed to join and experience all that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has to offer. Now they can with the new Hogwarts Legacy video game.
Players have the choice to be a witch or a wizard and can customize them to be like them or however they want. There are many ways to dress up your character, you can buy gear in Hogsmeade -a village right next to Hogwarts-, collect gear from chests, and, if needed, change your hairstyle in Hogsmeade. Your character is different from the non-playable characters, you possess the ability to harness and use ancient magic. It is different from the other characters’ magic talents. This is where the story takes place, dark wizards and goblins are after you because of your powers after two people are murdered.
Hogwarts Legacy was developed by Avalanche Software which also introduced the Disney Infinity games a few years ago. I have played all of the Disney Infinity games and they are very open and you control what happens. However, given the time it was released, the graphics are decent but not as good as recent games. Portkey Games from the Wizarding World was also in on the game, and they came out with Hogwarts Mystery. This game is close to Hogwarts Legacy but still very far away from it. Graphics are amazing in Hogwarts Mystery and the story is very long like Hogwarts Legacy. The only bad thing about Hogwarts Mystery is that the game requires a lot of waiting time unless you use money, and some nice features are only available if you buy something. Hogwarts Legacy, on the other hand, is a one time payment with optional additions that do not affect gameplay.
This game’s graphics, voice acting, story, and side quests are top-tier. The developers have outdone themselves with this game. It is very addicting like many other games that have great stories. Each quest leaves a question, and you must pay attention to other quests and the world. The environment is huge in this game and requires over one hundred hours to explore.
The only bad thing about this game is that there are no relationships that you can build. Yes, your choices can determine how close you are to a character, but there is nothing official about the relationship. There are no levels or extra activities you can do with an NPC. Especially in dating, many people are upset they can’t date their favorite characters which may be a problem for some but not everyone. Many people are also complaining that there is no Quidditch, the sport in Harry Potter played on brooms, but it said at the beginning of the game it is banned, so it is a part of the lore behind the game. I think that it could be added via DLC, an addon, later on, because that sport would be very hard to play in a game like this one.
All in all, Hogwarts Legacy is a great game and can be compared to the greatest games of all time. This game gives players hours of gameplay with an exciting story and side quests that unlock new parts of the game. I highly recommend this game to people who love Harry Potter and who would love to be a witch or wizard at Hogwarts.
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