
There’s strategy and challenge in each new battleground, and I look forward to testing my abilities and various clothing upgrades every time.Ĭombat may be where the action lies, but customization and exploration are core aspects of the game. Spells, healing potions and protego bubbles respond even at the last possible moment, and my witch’s moves chain together in a way that feels volatile and magical. Players eventually step into battle with 16 spells ready to fire, a wheel full of potions and plants, a meter that generates extra-powerful magic moves, and some basic defenses - and all of these actions culminate in explosive, frictionless duels. Her favorite spell is incendio.Ĭombat in Hogwarts Legacy plays out across a variety of environments and against multiple enemy types, and it’s consistently delicious.

Her name is Chenault, she’s a Slytherin, and her wand is 13 inches with a dragon heartstring core. I’m about 22 hours in on PlayStation 5 and I’m one skill away from completing my witch’s ability set. I’m not done with Hogwarts Legacy, but we weren’t given much lead time for the review and I feel I’ve played enough to form lasting opinions about the game. I feel like a witch - and that’s all I’ve ever really wanted. I feel powerful while playing Hogwarts Legacy. Combat involves intricate spellwork and lightning-quick responses, and this combination consistently results in a seamless, satisfying flow.

Casting spells quickly becomes second nature in this environment and when it comes to puzzles, my magical instincts are often correct and richly rewarded. It’s a massive and gorgeous open-world RPG that extends far beyond the walls of the wizarding school, with mysteries, danger and cute creatures packed into every corner. (And now I know what happened to my soul.) I would’ve traded my little emo soul for a sprawling role-playing game that allowed me to be a student at Hogwarts, and 16 years later, that exact wish has been fulfilled. I grew up alongside the Harry Potter novels and devoured them all, and I spent the time between book releases reading and writing fanfiction set in the Wizarding World.

Hogwarts Legacy is the Harry Potter game I’ve been dreaming of since I was a teenager.
