Avalanche Software
Hogwarts Legacy: The Definitive Game of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Avalanche Software’s development brings a very special game for fans of the magical world and is shaping up to be one of the most important titles of 2023.
The world of Harry Potter has had a long career in video games. Since the books made the leap to the world of cinema, it has also taken advantage of the push from the world of video games to bring that magic into the hands of gamers. We are talking about a journey that began in 2001 and has passed through several generations of consoles, mix mechanics and even reached smartphones. However, a few days before the release of Hogwarts Legacy, the new open-world RPG proposal from the reborn Avalanche Software, we find ourselves with a game that not only faithfully revisits this universe, but expands it so that fans will find not only a love letter, but also a place they will want to return to and explore for a long time to come.
Hogwarts Legacy and the Mystery of Ancient Magic
The story of Hogwarts Legacy takes us to the late nineteenth century, where we control a young wizard or witch who enters Hogwarts during the fifth year of school, something truly unusual. Accompanied by Professor Fig, our character learns the basics of magic, but also begins to demonstrate an ability related to an "ancient magic" that allows him or her to have a greater power yet to be explored. Their arrival at Hogwarts is also accompanied by the many mysteries that have surrounded the famous school of witchcraft and wizardry over the years. At the same time, a rebellion by goblins led by Ranrok to free themselves from the wizarding world is taking place, and several events are taking place on the grounds near Hogwarts and Hogsmeade.
There are a lot of details about his story, but that would be getting into spoiler territory and is something the player will have to figure out for themselves. Everything is kept very close to what we had in the books and movies, showing that the magical world always seems to have something going on and that you cannot have a quiet year of studying at the prestigious school.
It is worth noting that those fans who have their Pottermore data will be able to bring their house and wand data into the game when the connection to the WB account is made. However, if you were never a fan of the Sorting Hat's decision, or your wand design was never to their liking, Hogwarts Legacy will only take this data as a suggestion, and you can make the change when the time comes.
Hogwarts Legacy and the Scottish Highlands
It is clear from the title that Hogwarts is one of the main places we will visit in this title, and the most diehard fans will not be disappointed. If you have ever dreamed of seeing the castle in great detail, accompanied by paintings that move, students walking or studying, stone walls that move, and exploring each of the halls, corridors, staircases, and even the bathrooms, this is the game for you. The level of detail is amazing and there are always new places to visit and explore.
If the interior of the castle is impressive, the world around it is just as spectacular. You can expect to see the usual places like the picturesque village of Hogsmeade, the Forbidden Forest, or the Black Lake, but Avalanche Studios has gone the extra mile to expand the known terrain and the map to create a world that expands the possibilities for exploring more of this universe.
In this expansion, we will encounter other small towns that, while not as impressive as the castle itself or Hogsmeade, greatly expand the world and make us feel part of the same magical society and introduce us to other characters and vendors. At the same time, the forests are full of effects and the flora and fauna you would expect from the magical world, with giant spiders, huge aggressive wolves and other creatures.
Traveling through this world can be done via the very convenient Floo network, which allows us to move quickly between the various points we activate. For some paths, such as the one from Hogwarts to Hogsmeade, which can be quite a long walk, we can make the journey quickly. This is where the power of the new generation really shines, with almost non-existent loading screens inside the castle and an almost instantaneous fast-travel system. However, if flying on a flying broom or a magical creature like a hippogriff is your thing, the game will eventually unlock those abilities. And really, flying through the air in this world is a wonderful feeling.
Hogwarts Legacy and The Legend of Spells
What would the magical world be without a variety of spells to use on a daily basis? All of this magic is gradually unlocked as you progress through the game. From Revelio, Leviosa, Incendo, and Lumos to Bombarda, Reparo, or even the terrible Unforgivable Curses like Avada Kedavra or Crucio are available for use.
Learning to use these spells will depend heavily on our teachers, either as normal classes or by completing certain challenges to unlock them. While our wand has a basic attack, this is complemented by the various spells that are learned to create combos that will be important to master when entering combat.
As the game's story progresses, our character will learn new spells and a skill tree will also be enabled that will help not only to give more power to the spells, but also to other aspects such as stealth elements, or more general skills.
In addition to the classes where we can learn these spells, the classes of Potions or Herbology will help us to have other items to heal our character or be used in combat. Whether we visit the halls to harvest or make these potions, or with the help of the Room of Requirement to have our small base to help us within the corridors of Hogwarts.
If there is one area where it falls short, it is in the quick selection of spells. The game requires the player to switch spells with the left trigger and one of the buttons, and a number of additional spells can be accessed with the directional pad once unlocked. However, this limits the number of spells you can use per party to four, which makes things more complicated in larger battles.
Hogwarts Legacy and collectible challenges
The amount of side quests and rewards found in this game is amazing between challenges, collectibles, hidden items, parchments, riddles, and other secrets inside and outside of Hogwarts. Much of the map has these types of elements and it will be a great job for collectors to find them.
Also within the Hogwarts environment are Merlin's Challenges, environmental puzzles that make the player think and are important for improving certain elements within our character.
Although this content helps to learn more about the magical world and soak up more of its myth, sometimes it can feel very overwhelming the number of collectibles that exist, or even a bit tedious to repeat Revelio at the slightest provocation to see if there is still something hidden around the corner.
Harry Potter (fans) and author controversy
It is not often that a game is surrounded by controversy, and the case of Hogwarts Legacy is an important one that is making a lot of noise on social media, and with reaason. The reality is that the transphobic and hateful comments made by author JK Rowling have a greater impact because of her status as a prominent public figure, even leading to harassment and even worst to the trans community. The situation is unfortunate considering that the development of the game has much more time than these statements, and now a boycott of the game is developing. This boycott is not because the game is transphobic. Not at all. It is because part of the royalties goes to the author. If the game is successful, even if it is a minimal amount that she receives, it is a way to support her.
Not surprisingly, this kind of controversy had an impact on the development of the game. Hogwarts Legacy has some small elements of inclusion, from aspects in the creation of our young characters, as well as some secondary characters that appear as a representation of the transgender community. It is not much, and it is not a change that will turn the situation around, but it does mark a stance where the studio itself distances itself from the author's opinion beyond a verbal statement.
Hogwarts Legacy is a title that manages to capture and present an important franchise in a way that takes great advantage of the capabilities of today’s consoles and PCs to deliver a truly magical title. The story is interesting and the use of spells and RPG elements make it engaging enough to want to roam the corridors and fields surrounding Hogwarts for a long time.