Hogwarts Legacy is a new game that was released on February 10. It takes place in the Harry Potter universe and is set at the titular Hogwarts school of magic during the 1800’s. For many long time fans of Harry Potter, the game gives them what they have been dreaming of: a way to attend Hogwarts “as a student” and discover the mysteries of the wizarding world first hand. 

I am not a huge fan of Harry Potter. I watched all the movies because my brothers loved them, but beyond that, I did not care much for anything Harry Potter related. I tried reading the books, but I found them too boring, and the recent movies did not catch my interest either. That being said, I absolutely adore this game and think it is amazing. From an objective standpoint, Hogwarts Legacy is an incredible game. Forgetting that it is tied to the Harry Potter IP and just looking at the game for what it is, it is great. 

The main thing that stands out to me is the gameplay. The ratio of puzzles, combat and storytelling is perfect. The game gives the player a wide variety of spells to use to solve puzzles and fight enemies. There are just enough spells to have a decent selection without overwhelming the player, and each spell is satisfying to use. The puzzles get progressively harder and are satisfying to solve. The combat is perfect and can best be described as easy to learn, but difficult to master. 

Another aspect of the game that stands out is the graphics. Video game graphics are getting so good that they look nearly life-like. That being said, the graphics of this game do not stand out because of detail. The graphics are amazing, but they stand out because they perfectly give off a magical and mysterious atmosphere. Everywhere in the game, from the labyrinthine halls of Hogwarts to the rolling hills of the valley to the dark shadows under the canopy of the forbidden forest, emanates a feeling of mystical aura. Every view of the game is beautiful and players can explore every single inch of it. 

The most important part of the game, the story, is also exceptional. The game starts with a wonderful introduction to the core mystery of the plot that instantly leaves players wondering what is going to happen next. I will not give any details about what happens in the story to avoid spoiling it, but if anyone wants to know more they can simply watch the trailers for the game or any of the countless videos about it online. What I will say is that the story continuously becomes more engaging and thrilling as the plot unfolds and it is one of the best stories I have played in the past few years.

All of these aspects of the game are incredible even without the added benefit of being part of the Harry Potter universe. But when that is taken into account, the game becomes even more exceptional. Even for me, someone who was never very interested in the series, I find immense joy in just exploring the halls of Hogwarts and being able to interact with its mysteries. The game does an amazing job of catering to both long time fans that will know and recognize different parts of the Harry Potter universe and new fans who are experiencing the magic and wonder of the wizarding world for the first time. 

All in all, Hogwarts Legacy is an incredible game that fulfills the dreams of longtime Harry Potter fans and piques the interests of newcomers. The game is remarkable not only for its use of the Harry Potter lore, but also because it is just a really good game. It is easy to tell that this game was made by fans of the series who wanted to make something amazing and succeeded. I highly recommend that anyone who gets the chance to try this game out to take it. If I had to rate this game out of ten I would give it 9.5/10 For anyone interested in playing the game, it is available on PC, Xbox, and Playstation and costs either $69.99 or $59.99 depending on the version bought.