Revelio! Become a wizard and run around Hogwarts! Review of "The Hogwarts Legacy"

The "Harry Potter" series has been adapted to various settings and characters since the first novel was published in 1997, but "Hogwarts Legacy" takes place in the 1800s for the first time in the series.

The game is set in the vast open world of the Wizarding World, where players will embark on an adventure to uncover the mysteries of "Ancient Magic" involving not only Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but the entire wizarding world.

Create your own alter ego and enroll in the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry of your dreams!

When you start the game, you will immediately begin creating your own alter ego. You can customize only the face and gender (wizard or witch), but you can set the facial features in great detail, so I tried my best to make it look like me.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't make her look cool enough to resemble the writer herself, so I chose something that looked just like her, even if it was just her hair!　The name can only be entered in upper or lower case, so enter a name that looks like it.

At this time, you can also choose the difficulty level, but since magical combat is a bit unique, we recommend choosing "Easy" or "Story" at first, and then changing to "Normal" or "Hard" when you get used to the combat.

Let's master magical combat!

Combat in "Hogwarts Legacy" is, of course, primarily magic-based.

For example, you can use basic magic to check the enemy, use levitation magic "Levioso" to make the enemy float and temporarily disable them, use attraction magic "Accio" to draw them close to you and launch an attack magic, or use defense magic to defend against enemy attacks and launch an attack magic when they stagger or leave a gap.

This is where the placement of the magic buttons becomes important.

Pressing the right key of the four-way controller brings up the magic key assignment screen, where you can assign the magic you want to use in battle to the keys that are easiest to use.

Magic combat unfolds at a fairly high speed, and split-second decisions and maneuvers can make the difference between victory and defeat, so be sure to study the settings that are easy for you to use.

Instantly kill the enemy!

Although not deactivated in the initial state, you can also see dark magic such as "Avada Kedavra" and "Crucio" on the screen, which were considered those prohibited spells.

Reading the brief description, I have a feeling that learning these will make combat much easier, but I wonder if you will be able to use them as you progress through the storyline.

Come on! Let's set off for England in the 1800s!

Once you have completed your alter ego, you can start the game right away. The game opens in a town somewhere in 1800s England.

You are about to begin your exciting life at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, but you are being told a mysterious story and being watched by a mysterious person.

In addition, there are some stories that go to the very heart of the story, such as the products of ancient magic that are supposed to be lost, a mysterious key, and "ancient traces" that only the main character can see, and you can feel the sense of a great adventure coming on.

And then, at ......, we arrive at a tutorial-like place to familiarize ourselves with the game's controls while having a great adventure right from the start, with a dragon attack just ahead and instantaneous movement using the "Portkey," which, as its name suggests, is a mysterious key.

The controls of "Hogwarts Legacy" take a little getting used to, so be sure to go through the tutorial. There is no concept of magic power consumption when using magic, so it is a good idea to get a feel for it by shooting magic as you go along the way.

You can also go to the Gringotts Bank on Diagon Alley, which appeared in "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Personally, I love that scene, so being able to wander around the bank of your own volition is impressive.

After all, the best part of "Hogwarts Legacy" is actually being able to explore scenes from the novels and movies that have been faithfully recreated.

Here, you will learn Revelio, the most important magic in the game (in my opinion). Revelio" is a magic that reveals hidden objects, and is useful for searching for various objects hidden in the vast, meticulously designed open world.

The scene of learning magic is a mini-game, and it is quite an interesting performance to experience the hardship of learning magic.

Your first magic battle! Master the Protego!

This is where the first battle occurs! However, the main character, who has not even entered Hogwarts yet, can only use "Basic Magic" and "Protego," a defensive spell. He must master these two spells and kick the crap out of enemies who attack him in groups.

When you are not used to combat, you may be tempted to exclaim, "A rear-guard wizard can't fight alone! and practice casting "Protego" while reading the timing of your enemies' attacks.

In the beginning of "The Hogwarts Legacy," there is not much magic you can use, so it is important to defend yourself. For a while, the timing of "Protego" will determine the winner.

So, you finally arrive at "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry" while having a great adventure from the beginning.

It was quite a tumultuous beginning, as we were attacked by dragons and mysterious enemies, and experienced magical combat even though we had not yet entered the school, but it was a relief to arrive safely.

We managed to arrive in time for the "Sorting Ceremony" and did not have to suffer the stigma of having to stay in school before entering.

Here, you can experience the "Sorting Ceremony," which is faithful to the novels and movies.

Visitors can answer questions from the Sorting Hat and belong to the class designated by the hat, just as in the original novels, or they can choose their own favorite class.

I want to belong to the same Gryffindor as the Potter boys!　No, no, you want to belong to Slytherin, the same as Malfoy, the most popular boy on the Internet!　It's fun to think about it. No matter which pair you choose, it won't affect the story, so just go with your mood!

After that, after the duel in the "Defense Against the Dark Arts" class and the acquisition of the attraction magic "Accio," the students are free to do whatever they want.

There is no need to attend classes at set times or return to the dormitory. You will be able to explore day and night, and you are free to explore freely or complete quests to advance the story.

However, at this point, you can't use much magic or make potions, so you may still want to take your classes seriously.

Also, you can buy equipment and ingredients for potions in Hogsmeade Village, which is the closest place to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, so it is a good idea to complete the quest so that you can go there as soon as possible.

Hogsmeade Village is also home to Ollivander's Shop, which looks exactly like the Ollivander's Shop at Universal Studios Japan (USJ), so if you have been to USJ, you are sure to be impressed.

Inside the store, visitors will be able to reenact the wand selection process that the Potter boy also experienced at the beginning of "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. This kind of performance is a very nice point for fans.

The wizarding world, including Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and Hogsmeade Village, shows different faces by day and night. Of course, not only the scenery but also the people present change from day to night, so it is a good idea to visit at different times of the day.

In the city, the story also progresses, and it seems that it is not easy to enjoy a leisurely student life, as you will have to battle with huge trolls and be followed around by mysterious enemies. ...... I was able to defeat the troll just in time by using emergency evasion and swallowing a lot of medicine, because Protega was ineffective against the troll.

After all, magical combat is very deep. ......

I wonder if this is an oracle telling me to take my classes seriously and not just explore.

When you are exploring Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry or Hogsmeade Village, you can pick up items and money quite often. You can equip and sell these items to upgrade your equipment, but if you only look at the value of the items and equip them, you will end up with some very strange fashions. Of course, you can change only the appearance, so you should change to a decent fashion, but this is tasteful, so I decided to parade around Hogwarts in an eccentric fashion. I'm dreading whether or not I'll be offended by attending classes as it is.

The vast, meticulously recreated Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the surrounding forests and villages are full of hidden elements and gimmicks that require wisdom and magic to solve. While exploring them, time passes quickly.

You can of course also enjoy the main action RPG elements, such as sometimes being challenged to a duel and beaten to a pulp, having to raise your level and strengthen your equipment to win, and practicing magical combat.

There have been many "Harry Potter" games released in the past, but none have allowed players to explore the wizarding world so freely. Harry Potter fans will be able to immerse themselves in the world of Harry Potter, and even those who don't know much about Harry Potter will be able to enjoy the game as it is a highly accomplished open-world RPG.

Now, why don't you enroll in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and take on the "Mystery of Ancient Magic" that is shaking the wizarding world?

• Title : Hogwarts Legacy
• Publisher : WB Games
• Release Date:
• PS5 version, Xbox Series X|S version 2023/2/10
• Steam version 2023/2/11
• PS4 version, Xbox One version: 2023/4/4
• Switch version: 2023/7/25
• Genre: Open world action RPG
• Compatibility: PS5 / PS4 / Xbox Series X|S / Xbox One / Switch / Steam
• Price:
• PS4 / Xbox One Normal Edition: 8,778 yen including tax
• PS4 Deluxe Edition (packaged version): 9,878 yen including tax
• PS5/Xbox Series X|S Normal Edition: 9,878 yen including tax
• PS5 Deluxe Edition (packaged version): 10,978 yen including tax
• Deluxe Edition (digital version): 10,978 yen including tax
• Switch version: TBD

HOGWARTS LEGACY software © 2023 Warner Bros.
Developed by Avalanche Software.
HARRY POTTER Publishing Rights © J.K. Rowling.
GAMES, HOGWARTS LEGACY, WIZARDING WORLD AND
HARRY POTTER characters, names and related indicia © and ™ Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.