Dear Reader,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all the necessary information and opinions.
Term begins on 10 February or 7 February for those with too much gold in Gringotts. New students will require:
1. At least three types of snacks
2. One drink of choice for hydration
3. One drink of choice for enjoyment
4. One comfortable blanket to settle down with
Please note that all drinks and snacks should be handled with utmost care and never come into contact with game controllers or keyboards.
All students should also have a copy of each of the following:
A copy of Hogwarts Legacy (readers who purchase the deluxe edition between now and 10 February will get access to the game up to 72 hours early)
A working PlayStation 5, PC or Xbox Series X – Please note: readers planning on enrolling in the game on either an Xbox One, PlayStation 4 or Nintendo Switch will need to wait until 4 April or 25 July, respectively, for their letter to arrive.
OTHER EQUIPMENT
1 charged game controller or mouse and keyboard
1 comfortable chair or couch
1 good set of headphones or speakers
1 week without other plans
Students may also bring if they desire, a friend to talk to over Discord while they play or a pet to keep their lap warm while they explore Hogwarts and beyond.
READERS ARE REMINDED THAT TO ENJOY HOGWARTS LEGACY
AN UNBRIDLED LOVE FOR MAGIC AND WIZARDRY IS REQUIRED
Yours sincerely,
The NAG Team
What incredible irony is it that the world is finally receiving the Harry Potter-inspired game they’ve always wanted and deserve at a time when the iconic Wizardry world has never seemed less welcoming?
I’d love to be able to sit down and write about how much I loved every second of the time I spent exploring Hogwarts and everything else Hogwarts Legacy has to offer without acknowledging any of the backlash and drama surrounding the game but to do so feels not only disingenuous but against everything a Gryffindor such as myself stands for.
So here goes: Hogwarts Legacy is a game inspired by and based on the overarching Harry Potter universe. However, the game is set more than 100 years before the events of either the books or movies and, as such, aims to tell entirely new stories.
She-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named has had no involvement in the project besides her works being the inspiration. The result is a game that feels every bit as inclusive and welcoming as the Hogwarts of my childhood, with players getting to fully customise their character’s gender to how they prefer to play. While this, in no way, makes up for the author’s hatred, it does show that Hogwarts Legacy aims to stand alone and open the door to all who knock.
Hogwarts Legacy is set around the legendary School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but not the one many fans have come to know and love. Instead, the game is set way back in the 1800s – a time never before explored in the franchise.
Players will get to do all the things expected from a game set within Hogwarts, from getting sorted into any of the three good houses or Hufflepuff to flying around on a broom, exploring the school grounds, attending classes, and even engaging in thrilling duals.
For those who have tried to stay away from much of the vitriol and hype surrounding the title, Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world single-player action RPG game that puts players into the robes of a witch or wizard and lets them solve puzzles, complete quests, and collect/care for magical beasts all while playing around with over 20 magical spells.
Without going into spoilers, the story of Hogwarts Legacy is focused on your character, an unassuming teenager who gets thrust into the magical world when they are invited to become a fifth-year at Hogwarts. Players will then embark on a dangerous journey to uncover a hidden dark truth of the wizarding world.
Now, while I don’t want to talk too much about the story, I will say it’s every bit as good and engaging as players might hope. Although if players wish to enjoy everything the game offers, they need to settle down and take their time, this isn’t a story that is best enjoyed rushed. Instead, Hogwarts Legacy is meant to be savoured and enjoyed slowly and relaxedly. This game is far more about the journey than the end.
In fact, the game is so journey-driven that for the first 15 odd hours, you’ll be better off following the story. This is because the world only truly opens itself to players after the 10-hour mark. Please don’t get me wrong; I’m not trying to say the game only becomes fun hours in; instead, I’m saying that the experience is elevated to an entirely new level after that point.
The game’s structure means that most spells are locked behind story missions and quests, and most of the world is locked until you get spells. Meaning trying to force exploration during your first few hours will lead to little more than disappointment. Still, if you go with the flow, the story and its world will slowly start opening up to you until you’re free to go where you want and do what you wish.
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly the best part of Hogwarts Legacy simply because there is so much good to be found here. It’s not often that I sit down to play a game and feel love in each and every part of it, yet that’s exactly what Hogwarts Legacy manages to do.
There are only two things I wish were better. Firstly, while it is inclusive, character creation could be more customisable, and I wish there were more sliders for me to play around with.
Secondly, during conversations, I wish the characters’ movements weren’t as repetitive as they are; I’d prefer it if they came across as more dynamic and alive. And that’s it; that is where all of my criticism of the game starts and ends, with two “would be nice” additions.
It’s worth noting that there are no romance options in the game; instead, there is a big focus on building friendships. So much so that even though the game is a single-player experience, the player never really needs to do anything alone (unless they want to). The game allows players to befriend characters and then have them tag along on their adventures, offering conversation, aid, and companionship throughout the game.
There are over 20 spells for players to unlock throughout the game, and while stealth does play a part in the game, combat is where everything comes alive. Few games have made magical combat feel as compelling and unique as Hogwarts Legacy.
Players will use various spells in combat, with more advanced spells having longer cooldowns. This means that to make the most of battle, players will find themselves constantly playing around with combos, and without spoiling anything, this is some of the most fun I’ve had in a game in a long, long time.
Never before has a game been able to so accurately capture the feeling of being able to do magic as smoothly and effectively as Hogwarts Legacy, and on top of casting spells and combos to catastrophic effect in combat, players can also brew potions to use, or even put into practice what they learn in Herbology, to unleash various forms of vegetation with mixed effect during battle.
On top of all this, the game also has some beautiful customisation outside the character creation tool. Players can change their character’s looks, clothing, and hair throughout the game. They can also customise their gear to have the stats of one item but the appearance of another so they can slay while also slaying. The room of requirements is another area of the game players are given the reigns and are allowed to create the world of their dreams.
Finally, whether you’re an old-school Harry Potter fan or just someone looking for an epic single-player experience, Hogwarts Legacy is almost sure to appeal. While there is an undeniable level of fan service and attention to lore throughout, the game’s enjoyment is independent of picking up on all of this.
Hogwarts Legacy stands on its own as a fantastic open-world single-player game with an engaging story, enchanting world, and thrilling and unique combat that is only made better by the attention to detail throughout for old-school fans to enjoy.
