Hogwarts Legacy – Review In Progress

Hogwarts Legacy has been released. However, the code that allowed me to review it was able to allow for a review embargo which was lifted today. After just a few days with the game, I’m not ready to pass along a final verdict. The 18+ hours of gameplay have helped me to see the bigger picture.

My most striking impression was that developers captured the unique and unforgettable aspects of this story. Set many decades before the Harry Potter stories that unfolded in book and film, the game has a latitude to tell its own story with its own characters that is refreshing – even if there are a healthy smattering of familiar last names like Weasley and Black that are in the mix. For gamers familiar with the books or movies, it’s great fun to explore the massive castle and the surrounding countryside, which is brimming with secrets, side missions, unique characters, and magical discoveries.

Visually the game is amazing. The franchise’s unique elements are captured and made vivid by the creative tweaks that make each minute pop. There were some technical issues, such as pop-ins when I was moving fast through environments and odd glitches in combat and action.

It is clear that the game’s developers want it to represent the definitive approach to gaming in Wizarding World. They’ve thrown a lot of options at the player, from broom-riding to spider-fighting to classes with eccentric and prickly professors. I feel that tutorials keep popping up even after playing for more than 12 hours. The narrative of a student at school feels very natural. Learning new techniques, spells or characters is interspersed with interesting explorations and successful mission completions.

Combat is fun, primarily because of the spells you’re flinging out and the animations accompanying them. Enemies rarely impress with their nuanced assaults, and thus far, there’s too little variety to the types of enemies I’m encountering. But I enjoy blasting out fire and ice spells, learning enemy weaknesses, breaking color-coded shields with specific attacks, and simply feeling like I’m in the midst of an action-packed magic duel.

The exploration is a great way to have fun. Running around the castle, I’m constantly getting distracted from my tasks to chase a flying key or solve a hidden puzzle – and that’s as it should be if the goal is to match the vibe of the inspiring stories. In recent hours, I’ve taken to my broom, and I’ve been flying outside the castle, which is both enjoyable and makes for a rewarding navigation experience. The game includes many quick-travel points, making it easy to navigate the vast map.

Upgrades and leveling happen through the completion of missions and challenges in the world, and it’s a lot of fun. You can often change how you approach stealth, combat, and exploration. This is the best thing about The Talents. It’s also quite fun to progress in gear, because the intelligent system lets players distinguish functional advancement from cosmetic changes. I find a lot of gear in the world as I explore – sometimes, a bit too much, especially when it doesn’t always help improve my character and just gets sold at the nearest shop. But it’s a small problem, and each new piece does add a new cosmetic tweak to my collection, which I enjoy.

Although Hogwarts Legacy looks strong, I have many questions. The dialogue and voice acting have been fantastic so far, but the story has some problems with pace and finding its groove. And I’m eager to have all my magical options at my disposal as I explore and fight, to see how complex things eventually get.

Many potential Hogwarts Legacy players are well aware that there is a wider conversation about the game’s release. In recent years, J.K. Rowling’s transphobic comments have prompted a wider discussion on the reasons for supporting a Harry Potter game. Some have called for the boycott. Like all of our critiques, Game Informer’s review of Hogwarts Legacy will evaluate the game itself rather than any surrounding concerns or debates, which will not factor into our score. In this instance, however, we will include an additional note that alerts potential buyers to the wider conversation surrounding the game in order to help them make informed purchasing decisions.

We’ll have more to share about Hogwarts Legacy in the coming days. Public release is scheduled for February 10, for PS5, Xbox Series X/S (PC), and for deluxe editions, February 7, for PS5. It will debut on PS4 on April 4 and Xbox One on May 5. A subsequent launch on Switch is scheduled for July 25.