Hogwarts Legacy - Release Date, Story, Gameplay And More

Hogwarts Legacy is an upcoming single-player action RPG from Avalanche Software that immerses Harry Potter enthusiasts deep into the wizarding world. Indeed, fans have anticipated a modern open-world game set in the Potterverse for years, and finally, there is one on the horizon.

Players can explore the esteemed Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and its surrounding locations, from choosing their character design and house to attending classes, learning spells, and crafting potions.

Beyond this, players can also tame wild beasts, fight a new threat in the wizarding world, unravel dark mysteries, and more. So, with plenty to do, see, and experience in Hogwarts Legacy, we've detailed everything you need to know about this grand magical adventure.

When will Hogwarts Legacy release?

Avalanche Software revealed that Hogwarts Legacy will release for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC on 10th February 2023. The Nintendo Switch launch date will be revealed at a later time as the devs "need a little more time to deliver the best possible game experience."

What is the storyline in Hogwarts Legacy?

In Hogwarts Legacy, you play as your custom-created character, who enters Hogwarts in their fifth year and possess a unique ability to manipulate ancient magic lost to time. This unique ability could be one of the reasons for your character's late entry to Hogwarts and will presumably play a considerable role in the game's narrative.

Unfortunately, Voldemort and other Dark Wizards you might be familiar with won't be making an appearance in the game. Still, there is an unprecedented threat looming on the horizon.

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In particular, Ranrok, a dangerous and powerful goblin, who has allegedly formed a Goblin Rebellion, is working with Dark Wizards to seek and harness ancient magic and cause mayhem in the wizarding world.

It's your job, alongside Professor Fig and the companions you make along your journey, to stop Ranrok and his party of Goblins and Dark Wizards from disrupting and possibly destroying the magical world.

Hogwarts Legacy Gameplay

As mentioned before, Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world action RPG. As a result, you will be free to explore the entirety of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, alongside the countryside that surrounds it.

Some of the areas you will visit during your journey include Hogsmeade, the Forbidden Forests, Gringotts Wizarding Bank, to name a few.

You will also come across various hamlets scattered around the countryside, where you will find merchants offering valuable resources and side quests.

Aside from walking, you can also traverse the open world on a broomstick (for which you have to master broom flight) or on a Griffin. In addition, there is a possibility of alternative means of transportation in Hogwarts Legacy.

Combat

The combat in Hogwarts Legacy boils down to fun and frantic duels with goblins, Dark Wizards, and ferocious beasts that roam the wilderness, though stealth also seems to play a viable role.

You will learn multiple spells - both defensive and offensive - during your journey in Hogwarts Legacy, and you can mix and match them to suit your playstyle. Some incantations you can perform in the game include Incendio, Reparo, Expelliarmus, Petrificus Totalus, and more. 

Since it's an RPG, you can also diverge towards the dark path and practise unforgivable curses like Avada Kedavra; however, we don't know its consequences in the game's larger narrative.

Crafting and Customisation

Crafting will play a massive role in Hogwarts Legacy. Aside from brewing potions that would provide you defensive and offensive buffs during combat, you can also grow magical plants, such as the screaming Mandrakes, which would help you incapacitate and distract a group of enemies.

Notably, while you will create and customise your character at the start of Hogwarts Legacy, it seems you will be to change your appearance later in the game as well. In addition, vendors and shops across different settlements, such as Hogsmeade, will sell new gear, potion recipes, and whatever else you might need during your time at Hogwarts.

As you explore the open world and complete various challenges and quests, you will gain XPs and talent points, which you can use to level up your abilities and skills. You can invest these talent points into unlocking and upgrading five different skill trees. These are the skill trees confirmed thus far:

• Stealth - Improves sneaking ability
• Core - Improves the overall effectiveness
• Room of Requirement - Improves your abilities in the Room of Requirements.

Room of Requirements

The ever-changing Room of Requirements serves as your customizable base in Hogwarts Legacy. Here, you can install potion stations to craft potions and Potting Stations to grow plants. You can also upgrade your gear here.

In the Room of Requirements, you can also nurture and tame wild, magical beasts with the help of a house-elf named Deek. Similar to how Newt Scamander does in the Fantastic Beasts movies, you can also customise this space by installing cottages, Upgrade Stations, bringing pets, and more. 

Companions

Staying true to the RPG roots, Hogwarts Legacy will allow you to form friendships with different NPCs, who could then become your companions that aid you in your journey. You can find these characters in House Common Rooms, hallways, and other public places inside Hogwarts. 

All these characters have unique personalities and backstories, which you will discover as you spend more time with them. Your companions will also teach you special abilities, though the developers haven't confirmed what they will be.

The companions confirmed so far are Natsai Onai (Gryffindor), Poppy Sweeting (Hufflepuff), and Sebastian Sallows (Slytherin).

Overall impression

All in all, Hogwarts Legacy is shaping up to be an ambitious open-world RPG that will finally allow you to live out your lifelong Hogwarts fantasies. Ultimately, the game has the potential to be the Harry Potter game everyone wanted, placing the player at the centre of it all and offering a genuinely immersive, magical experience.

Hogwarts Legacy will release in Holiday 2022 on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 4 Pro, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One consoles, Nintendo Switch and Windows PC platforms.

For more on the game, head to our section dedicated to the latest Video Game news, guides, tips, and more.

Featured Image courtesy of WB Games.