Hogwarts Legacy: A Dream Come True
It's time to experience the magic.
Harry Potter has been a part of my life since 6th grade, ever since I saw Philosopher's Stone (or was it called Sorcerer's Stone) and I was sucked into the wizarding world. After being introduced to the books by my friend's brother, the rest as they say is history. It is the only series that I have reread the most.
Having had the Wizarding World as a major part of my life, I was really excited when in 2020, a new game, called Hogwarts Legacy, was announced based in the universe. The game was to be set in a time centuries before Harry Potter. The gamer in me rejoiced at the prospect of an open world Harry Potter game with an original story.
As time passed, more gameplay was revealed and I learnt that we would get to play as a fifth year and go through your journey at Hogwarts and the Wizarding World. The gameplay looked promising and I was cautiously optimistic (by now the Fantastic Beats movies had been major letdowns).
Come 2023, the game was finally released and the reviews came pouring in. It all seemed fairly positive. Since the launch for the older generation console was set for later in the year, I had no choice but to wait. When it finally did launch for the Xbox One and PS4 in June, my hype and urge had smoldered down. I no longer was as keen to get the game considering I was not playing much then.
It was only last weekend, when I saw that the game was on sale, that it came back into my sights. Suddenly, I was excited again and picked up the game. It seemed that over time I had forgotten the specific aspects about the game and just the residues of the reception influenced my decision.
What a beginning!
Right out of the gate, I was swept off my feet by the wild ride that is Hogwarts Legacy. The attention to detail in the world building will make any true fan happy and satisfied and I couldn't help myself feel the joy as I recognized some lore element as we progressed through the opening.
Finally, when we do get to Hogwarts and that theme music starts playing just before the reveal, I was on the edge of my seat. This was going to be amazing.
Once I got to Hogwarts and was sorted into my house (Ravenclaw for those of you wondering), I got to explore the common room and then was shown the Central Hall. Hogwarts looked amazing. I was amazed at the level of detail and the fact that I could recognize key areas in the game.
Outside Charms class, I came across this board of the most commonly used spells. Wow, just wow!
In between classes, I explored Hogwarts a bit more and I found this painting, the one of the wizard who tried to teach trolls the ballet. I remember reading about this in the books.
I was excited to explore outside the castle, and soon I got the chance to go to Hogsmeade. The whole path to Hogsmeade was open to exploration and I saw the inviting arch to the Forbidden Forest as well.
Finally, when I did get to Hogsmeade, I explored around and found Honeydukes. It was a sweet paradise. There are some amazing surprises there that I won't spoil, but here is one with candy floss.
Closing Thoughts
I am still at Hogsmeade and taking it slowly through the game. I am loving every second of it. It is a Potterhead's dream. I not only get to explore Hogwarts, but an extended Wizarding World at my leisure. I can't wait to unlock brooms and mounts so I can travel further away. From what I can see, I am impressed by the faithful adaptation to the world.
Finally, I will leave you with a fun fact, did you know that the Hogwarts motto "Draco Dormiens Nunquam Titillandus" meant: "Never tickle a sleeping dragon"?
