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Hogwarts Legacy received its first extensive gameplay look in Sony’s latest State of Play and blog post on Thursday. The 14-minute showcase revealed many of the major features and concluded with some elaboration by the studio, Avalanche.
Hogwarts Legacy will release in the holiday season of 2022.
J.K. Rowling is not involved with Hogwarts Legacy
When the Wizarding World is mentioned, J.K. Rowling’s transphobic remarks cannot be ignored. The Harry Potter author has made several hurtful and harmful comments about the trans community and continues to do so.
However, Rowling is not involved with Hogwarts Legacy, as stated by Avalanche on its website. Many of those involved with the franchise have distanced themselves from Rowling’s remarks, including Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson, the three stars of the movie adaptions.
Becoming a student at Hogwarts
Hogwarts Legacy puts players in the shoes of a fifth-year student who arrives at Hogwarts late. Players will be able to create their own character and get sorted into their Hogwarts House. Then, the lessons begin, such as Charms, Potions, Herbology, Defense Against the Dark Arts and all the others we know from the books.
Players will be able to freely explore the castle and beyond as an open world RPG, including dungeons, secret passageways and magical puzzles. The game also includes locations from the books that were not featured in the movies, such as the kitchens, the Hufflepuff common room and more.
The story and major features of Hogwarts Legacy
The story of Hogwarts Legacy takes place in the late 1800s, where a mystery plagues Hogwarts and the Wizarding World. A goblin rebellion seems to be imminent, threatening the existence of wizards. It is up to you, the player, to unravel it all and neutralize the goblin and dark wizard threat.
The combat ranges from blasting to enchanting. With stun spells, crowd control and direct damage spells, players will be able to find their enemies’ weakness through combinations. There are “dozens of spells” to find your own style.
Players will also be able to upgrade their skills and talents. Some of the examples that were shown were ‘core’ for overall effectiveness, ‘Stealth’, and ‘Room of Requirement’, which improve your abilities in the room of the same name. Players can also upgrade their abilities via gear that can be looted and crafted.
Potion crafting and herbology allow players to create temporary buffs or attacks, such as pulling a Mandrake from a pot in the midst of battle.
Care of Magical Creatures lets players collect and care for magical beasts, such as brushing your own niffler or kneazle.
Companions are also part of Hogwarts Legacy, letting players go on adventures with NPCs and learning their stories. And with school companions comes rule-breaking. We may even have glimpsed Peeves in the footage, the mischievous poltergeist that was absent from the movies entirely.
One of the most notable features in Hogwarts Legacy is the Room of Requirement. This place lets players customize the area and install things that they need, such as a potion station and herbs, as well as a way to replenish consumables and upgrade gear.
Player housing is, surprisingly, also part of Hogwarts Legacy. This plot of land lets players care for magical creatures and which you can “customize to reflect your personality.”
Expanding the Wizarding World
Hogwarts Legacy is not limited to the castle grounds. But it goes beyond even places like Hogsmeade and Gringotts, as Game Director Alan Tew explained.
“We knew it wasn’t gonna be enough to stare out of the window of Hogwarts and wonder what it’s like out there,” Tew said. “But the final question that the fans ask is, ‘What’s beyond that? What’s beyond the Forbidden Forest? What’s gonna be beyond Hogsmeade, what’s beyond the Black Lake if I start traveling south?’ And we felt we had to answer those questions.”
Hogwarts Legacy looks to be enormous, rich with features and beautiful visuals that many Harry Potter fans will recognize. Anyone interested in the franchise would do themselves a disservice by not checking out the full showcase.
Hogwarts Legacy is set to release in the holiday season of 2022.
