Hogwarts Legacy is a new game that allows Harry Potter fans to live out their wizarding dreams. The open world role-playing game (RPG) released on February 10th has already received high praise from many critics. With over 80,000 reviews on the popular gaming platform Steam, Hogwarts Legacy has achieved a four-and-a-half star rating.  The game can currently be purchased on PC, Playstation 5, and Xbox Series X, ,and will be released for Nintendo Switch and Playstation 4 at a later date.

The Wizarding World website allows users to get sorted into their house, find their patronus, and get their unique wand through the use of quizzes. There is also a variety of articles, quizzes, puzzles, short stories, and more for readers to explore. You have the ability to link your Wizarding World account to the game to receive special rewards and have your custom wand put into the game. 

The game is equipped with an immersive story of a Hogwarts student starting in their fifth year. When prompted, players are able to customize their characters. After players complete the prologue and get sorted into their house, players have the ability to roam around Hogwarts as they see fit. 

Players can also cast the iconic spells featured in the books and movies, including the Unforgivable Curses.You learn these spells by going to the familiar classes like Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, and more.  Players also have the ability to ride around on brooms. Your character also has the ability to use ancient magic, which is something that has not been used in the Wizarding World for centuries.

Story quests can be completed at any time, while side quests vary depending on house selection. Gryffindor has the most, while Ravenclaw has the least. Prior to release, many players speculated whether or not they would be able to visit Azkaban, the notorious prison for dark wizards. A trip to Azkaban is a Hufflepuff exclusive quest and is not available to any other houses.

Many people are familiar with the Weasley and Black names. Phineas Nigellus Black, an ancestor of Sirius Black, is famously known as Hogwarts’s least favorite headmaster. Headmaster Black has also seemingly canceled the Quidditch season for that year, resulting in the disappointment of many students. Professor Matilda Weasely, while not a confirmed ancestor of Ron Weasley, acts as a mentor for your character, and is a strong and intuitive witch. 

In my opinion, the game has incredible graphics and effectively captures the experience of Hogwarts as described in the books. I do wish players were able to play Quidditch, which is something I was looking forward to. One of the only grievances I have is that some of the game mechanics are a bit difficult to get used to and navigate. It is exciting to continue progressing through the game and uncovering the story of Hogwarts.