February 15, 2023, 5:39 pm | Read time: 9 minutes

There are probably very few people in the world who don’t have a mental image when they hear the name “Harry Potter.” Even those who haven’t read the books or seen the movies have likely heard of the young wizard and his battle against evil. Since the leak in 2018 and especially since the official announcement of “Hogwarts Legacy” in 2020, fans and experts have been ecstatic. But can the game meet the high expectations? In the test, “Hogwarts Legacy” showed few weaknesses and many strengths.

The Star of “Hogwarts Legacy” Is Not the Quests

Anyone who reads the blurb of “Hogwarts Legacy” might initially have a hard time imagining the game’s plot:

“Hogwarts Legacy is an immersive open-world action RPG set in the world first introduced in the Harry Potter books. Experience Hogwarts for the first time in the 19th century. Your character is a student who holds the key to an ancient secret that threatens to tear the wizarding world apart. You can control the story and stand at the center of your own adventure in the wizarding world. Your legacy is what you make of it.”

Blurb, Hogwarts Legacy

Honestly, that sounds like any other role-playing game–except, of course, that it’s about the magical world of Harry Potter. In reality, there’s much more behind the somewhat generic plot description. You start directly in the 5th year at Hogwarts, which causes quite a stir. The secret mentioned in the blurb is the so-called ancient magic, which is naturally very powerful and can only be used or even perceived by the chosen ones. The evil goblin Ranrok is also after this power, and thus after the main character. The main story is somewhat shallow but still entertaining. Above all, it introduces the most important game mechanics in a good rhythm.

Even more exciting, however, are the numerous side quests that–sometimes obvious, sometimes hidden–await the player and bring the game world to life. The game never feels overloaded, and you’re not overwhelmed by the sheer number of tasks. Additionally, the quests lead to many corners of the castle that you might not have otherwise discovered. The side quests also prepare many smaller collection quests that accompany you until completion. Among other things, there are mysterious empty portraits all over the castle, invisible notes, puzzle doors–which particularly captivated us in the “Hogwarts Legacy” test!–and hidden constellations.

Additionally, you need to light braziers, sneak up on skittish chests, levitate balls, and much more. Some collection quests, such as Merlin’s trials or collecting Demiguise statues, bring game-changing advantages like expanding the inventory or improving the useful spell “Alohomora.” So, boredom is not an issue at Hogwarts; there’s always plenty to do.

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Role-Playing? Only to a Limited Extent, but a Great Open World

You don’t get much of the 19th-century setting. At Hogwarts, everyone wears their school uniform anyway, and the wizarding world seems to be stuck in that era fashion-wise. Speaking of fashion, the somewhat limited character customization is compensated by a wealth of in-game loot–especially clothing. The threshold is quite low. You don’t have to painstakingly calculate which pants best complement the stats of the gloves. So, the equipment you wear is quite intuitive and, in some cases, simply fashionable. Otherwise, role-playing elements are used sparingly. There is a talent point system, but it’s not particularly extensive. You can also react differently in dialogues and make different decisions, but this doesn’t really affect the course of the game.

However, due to the extensive and diverse open world, this honestly doesn’t bother much. Additionally, interesting elements like crafting and housing are introduced as the game progresses. By the time flying transportation is introduced, you truly feel like part of the magical world. Otherwise, you move on foot or via the Floo Network. You have to discover all the different teleportation points first, so you sometimes cover quite a distance and wander through the wilderness and villages around Hogwarts. In the test, this was honestly a major appeal of “Hogwarts Legacy.”

Like many titles in recent years, the game would have benefited from a later release date. Sometimes there are loading times within Hogwarts when you go through a door. Especially in flight mode, you can unfortunately see the edges of the loading area quite clearly, even at the lowest graphics setting. We also found recurring glitches and clipping errors more frequently in the test. Besides these technical details, which the developers can fix with patches, the game world unfortunately feels a bit empty in some places. This is noticeable, for example, at the beginning in the Great Hall, but also later in classes or in the villages. The less important NPCs are designed with little variety.

“Hogwarts Legacy” Offers a Beautiful Gaming Experience

Combined with the successful soundtrack, sound design, and especially the beautiful graphics, Avalanche has achieved quite a balancing act here, which every open-world game must face sooner or later. How much do I guide the players, and how much should they explore freely? Admittedly, some dungeons, especially in the main story, are very linear. Otherwise, you can explore the castle and its surroundings at your own discretion. The map is a good size, and there are many unobtrusive incentives to explore every last corner of the map.

Fans of the books and movies can find many lovely details from the source material, especially since the developers have clearly visually oriented themselves on the films. Of course, there’s Hogwarts itself. In addition to familiar places like the Great Hall, the Bell Tower, the Astronomy Tower, and the library with its Restricted Section, there are also the well-known classrooms. Not far from Hogwarts, you can explore the equally famous wizarding village of Hogsmeade. Next to the castle lies the infamous Forbidden Forest, and on the other side of the lake is the train station. If you choose the Hufflepuff house at the beginning, you even briefly end up in the wizarding prison of Azkaban.

Lots of Fan Service in “Hogwarts Legacy”

It’s not necessarily required to know the source material; you just understand the numerous references better. And there are indeed many, sometimes almost too many. Potter fans will recognize many surnames of the characters. Right at the beginning, you meet Professor Eleazar Fig, likely an ancestor of Harry Potter’s neighbor Arabella Fig. The headmaster of Hogwarts is also no stranger; it’s Phineas Nigellus Black, Sirius’ ancestor. His deputy is Matilda Weasley, and Renrok’s assistant is likely related to the Death Eater Augustus Rockwood.

Otherwise, a lot of fan service has been provided. The potions teacher, Professor Sharp, looks quite similar to Severus Snape, in the first Charms class you naturally learn the Levitation Charm, and in Herbology, you immediately come into contact with the Mandrake. In some places, the developers could have been a bit more creative, but these details don’t really bother. Additionally, a lot of attention to detail has been put into the game, as shown by the intricately designed clothing items or the layout of Hogwarts.

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Intuitive Controls and a Varied Combat System

We were skeptical about the combat system of “Hogwarts Legacy” before our test. The pre-released gameplay videos didn’t do the final result justice. You fight in third-person view against a variable number of opponents waiting for you throughout the game world. The game guides you well into the increasingly complex system. In addition to the basic spell, essentially the standard attack, there are four spell slots. The player can fill these themselves, depending on the type of opponent. This is especially important when an opponent casts a damage shield that can only be broken with a specific type of spell.

Speaking of shields, the Protego protection spell can also be activated at any time, or you can quickly dodge to the side. Additionally, the player has healing in the form of the Mega Power Potion and other items available in combat. This allows for a very individual duel, and if it’s all too complicated, you can theoretically win your battles with just a handful of spells and dodge rolls–it just takes significantly longer. It’s worth noting that it’s certainly not the most complex or challenging combat system.

Many spells used in combat are also useful and important for exploration. You need to use magic to solve various tasks and navigate the castle or dungeons. The menu is versatile and beautifully designed. It provides an overview of collected information, defeated enemies, encountered magical creatures, and found recipes, all quantified with a completion rate to ignite the collector’s drive. There’s also the beautifully designed 3D map of Hogwarts and its surroundings.

Conclusion–How “Hogwarts Legacy” Fared in the Test

Fortunately, it can be said that “Hogwarts Legacy” meets the extremely high expectations. Technically, the developers still need to make improvements in some areas, but they will surely do so in the near future. There’s also a lot of DLC potential. For example, there was a big outcry when it was revealed that there would be no Quidditch. However, the stadium is already complete in the game world. A PVP duel mode would also be conceivable and cool. Aside from that, “Hogwarts Legacy” has shown in our test that, in addition to a truly well-crafted game world and an entertaining story, it offers a masterfully executed atmosphere.

The many hidden secrets and puzzles feed the personal explorer spirit, which is likely quite pronounced in Harry Potter fans in this game. In general, “Hogwarts Legacy” brings a finely balanced ratio of quests, exploration, challenge, and a certain flow that makes you completely lose track of time. Collecting rarely feels like busywork but always necessary and organic, partly because the game cleverly introduces new elements. The main story and combat system are not particularly deep or demanding, but they don’t need to be, as the real star is and remains the overall gaming experience and the feeling of finally having your own story at Hogwarts.