Hogwarts Legacy took the internet by storm, even months after its release. This action and fantasy role-playing game was released on February 10, 2023, for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S. It was later released on May 5, 2023, for Xbox One and PS4, and on November 14, 2023, for the Nintendo Switch.
The game was developed by Avalanche Software and published by Warner Bros. Games. It received “generally favorable” reviews from critics and won the “Award for Excellence” in the Japan Game Awards. Additionally, it also became the most-watched game of all time on Twitch and made it into the Guinness World Record.
Here are four spectacular reasons you should check this game out:
1. Nostalgia
The wonderful world of Harry Potter has been dazzling fans since 1997 when the first book was released. The films and theme park continue to introduce the magic to new generations. For many fans of all ages, this game is the experience they have been waiting for for several decades. While Hogwarts Legacy takes place decades before both Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, players get to finally experience their favorite locations.
Players explore the grounds of the legendary Hogwarts Castle and even come across what will be Hagrid’s Hut. Investigate the hallowed halls you got to see years ago on the silver screen. Take Herbology in the classic greenhouse Professor Sprout will one day teach in. Practice spells and potions in the elusive Room of Requirement years before Harry Potter will. And unlock Hogsmeade to customize your wand, restock on supplies, and shop til your heart’s content!
2. In-Depth Character Creation
While games in the past have had limited character creators lacking in inclusive representation, Hogwarts Legacy breaks that trend. Instead of having to pick between two gendered body types, the game presents a gender-neutral character creator. You can pick which voice you want to use from two different voice options which each have five different pitches. and if you want to be referred to as a “Witch” or a “Wizard”. The lack of gendered language beyond “Witch” and “Wizard” is a huge step forward for gaming.
The game also features a decent range of skin tones and hairstyles, allowing for actual diversity. Many games attempt POC hairstyles and skin tones but the result falls flat. The skin often ends up too red or too gray, and the one or two hairstyles they do have have bad hairlines and unrealistic textures. And many games do not include inclusive hairstyles at all. Black gamers and influencers have even gone to social media to laud Hogwarts Legacy for its options, going as far as to say “This is how you do black hair” and “It’s about damn time”.
There are a total of 50 different hairstyles and none of them have to be bought. All 50 are available upon character creation, no unlocking is necessary through DLC or microtransactions. If at any point you want to change your hairstyle or hair color, you can easily do so at Madam Snelling’s Tress Emporium, once you unlock Hogsmeade. This will only cost your character 20 Gold.
On top of the 50 different hairstyles, there are 32 different hair colors. The game also has 20 different skin tones, 10 different complexions, 10 different variations of freckles and moles, 10 different types of scars or injuries, 25 different eye colors, and 20 different eyebrow shapes. While you cannot change specific facial features, there are 15 different faces to pick from. Hopefully, you can find one that fits your character just right. And if you are not feeling creative, there are 30 different presets for you to choose from.
3. Fantastic Beasts
Hogwarts Legacy is full of magical creatures seen in Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts that players finally get to interact with. In total, there are 13 different beasts to discover on your explorations. They can be found in Beast Dens, which can have one to fifteen beasts in it. Capture the ones you find to create a sanctuary in the Room of Requirement.
Having the beasts in your care means they are safe from poachers. Here you will be able to interact with them such as feeding, grooming, and petting them. Taking care of them will cause them to produce useful materials.
Like some Pokémon, if you catch a male and female of a species you can breed them. This applies to 12 of the 13 creatures. Another similarity is that players may find “Shiny” versions of the beasts. These are rare and will have a different color scheme than the rest of their species.
Out of the 13 different magical creatures, three of them can be used as mounts. Players can ride the Thestrals, Hippogriffs, and Graphorns.
Here is a full list of all the fantastical beasts in the game:
- Diricawl
- Fwooper
- Giant Purple Toad
- Graphorn
- Hippogriff
- Jobberknoll
- Kneazle
- Mooncalf
- Niffler
- Phoenix
- Puffskein
- Unicorn
- Thestral
4. No Microtransactions
Thankfully for our wallets, Hogwarts Legacy does not and will not feature any microtransactions. And while it is listed on the game’s website under their FAQ, Chandler Wood, the game’s Community Manager, confirmed on Twitter, “We’ve seen this question coming up and want to set the record straight,” he said. “There are no microtransactions in Hogwarts Legacy.”
Microtransactions currently plague the gaming scene, needing players to spend real-life money to either continue the game past a certain point or to make the game easier. This makes certain games, including many free-to-play games, unfair for many players. But fortunately, Hogwarts Legacy is not pay-to-win.
