I brought the deluxe edition of Hogwarts Legacy a while before the game officially came out. As a big Harry Potter fan, I was excited about anything that came after the already-established series. But a game where I could go to Hogwarts and ride a broom was just something amazing.
There have been a few Harry Potter games in the past, but they were a bit odd to me. I’m sure everyone remembers PS1 Hagrid and the awful janky graphics of the older games. The Lego games were also not great in terms of personal touch, although they were great for younger children. Hogwarts Legacy, however, is a completely welcome change from this. I can choose a house that I most align with, which is, unfortunately, Hufflepuff, and I can play my own character at Hogwarts in the Harry Potter universe. It’s just a dream come true for me and many others.
In terms of mechanics, I would say the game is like a magical GTA online experience since there is the ability to use spells and brooms. Your character can just develop in the open world of Hogwarts, exactly like you see in the films. A personal favourite and overlooked feature is the ability to play in Slytherin and visit the common room. I think that in a lot of games, the players are restricted to the good guys when the cooler abilities and storylines are usually from the bad guys.
I think a big step in this game (and many other games in recent years) is how inclusive it is. Some characters are BAME and part of the LG- BTQ+ community, and it’s not just shoehorned in either. I believe these are just mechanics every roleplaying game should have because it’s a game set in another universe, and the player is telling their own Hogwarts story.
Overall, I would give this game 4 stars. My one criticism is that I’m a big fan of wands, but really wish that there was more freedom with wand customization. However, this is a really enjoyable game that I would recommend to Harry Potter fans and gamers alike.