Hogwarts Legacy preview: We’ve played it, is it really the Harry Potter game everyone’s been waiting for? On the PS5

Preview Hogwarts Legacy: We Played It Was It Really The Harry Potter Game Everyone Was Waiting For?

Pre-order Hogwarts Legacy on PS5 with Amazon

Hogwarts opens its doors to you

As a startling logo emerges from the fog, the first notes of a familiar theme ring in our ears. Without a doubt, we have entered the world of wizards. And it’s quite impressive to see how quickly the magic happens. So yes, there is an element of nostalgia. Some moments also remind us of the adventures of the famous wizard who allowed us to discover Hogwarts for the first time. Pretty subtle nods to the franchise that are sure to please fans. But the magic doesn’t stop there, it’s far from it. The promise of Hogwarts Legacy is to make us discover Hogwarts Castle (and its surroundings) in a different way. And visually and atmospherically, it’s a huge success. Whether outdoors or indoors, the decorations are particularly successful and well thought out. It radiates magic everywhere, from the entrance of the greenhouse to the small animations of objects. Hogwarts Legacy Castle: Hogwarts Legacy has its own little leg, and this short review has already made us want to get lost in it for hours. Admittedly, it’s a little less magical when you focus on details like the sometimes frozen animations of faces or the rendering of hair. In general, we feel the technical limitations of a studio that has never worked on such an ambitious project.

But if we consider these data, the work done seems even more impressive. In particular, despite all expectations, the corridors of the castle are quite alive. This was one of the biggest concerns for players after the first game demo. Well, a small hour spent playing the game managed to calm us down for the time being. Inputs from Peeves, gossip that reaches our ears (which will vary depending on your house according to the developers), and little activities here and there make this school come alive.

So, of course, the animations of the NPCs aren’t very varied and something doesn’t always happen. But to enjoy the ride, you just have to let yourself go to the music. Even our short walk outside of Hogwarts grounds was very reassuring. It remains to be seen where everyone from Hogwarts Legacy will invite us to adventure and explore. Especially since, according to the developers, it will take about forty hours to complete the main story. You can also add additional content, which we promised a lot.

And from the writing side, what does it look like? Well, that looks pretty interesting. A completed mission served both story and character development. Plus, everything we’re presented with is colorful and seems to give off that sympathetic tone that exists in the books/movies. As you can tell, this first taste brings us to Avalanche Software and Warner Bros.

You’re a wizard, but you’re not Harry Potter

During our interview, the developers clearly told us: Hogwarts Legacy aims to let you live your own story in the wizarding world. The idea is that everyone should be able to meet there to modulate their adventure according to their wishes. And this especially includes very complete character creation tool. To be honest, we weren’t surprised at all. The first gameplay demo already introduced us to this tool, which promised to be particularly complete. But if you can see it for yourself, it’s something else. Fifteen face shapes, twenty skin tones, fifty hairstyles and heaps of possible colors… And then, there’s her style. In terms of appearance and avatar customization, Hogwarts Legacy is clearly one of the best examples to follow. The same goes for the very comprehensive aspect of the tool. Whether you’re disabled, trans (assuming the argument is important), or a member of any ethnic community, you can create a character in your character. So the bet is largely successful for Hogwarts Legacy!

And the customization doesn’t stop there. You can really transform the look of your gear into stylish adventures, and it’s pretty cool to say the least. Story-wise, it’s too early to tell how our choices will play out throughout the game. But according to the developers, some small decisions will change how NPCs interact with you and others. , more important (especially regarding the use of black magic). ), will affect the end of your adventure. But what we see is that unforgivable spells clearly change the situation during combat.

Get out your chopsticks!

If Avalanche Software’s first demo reassured us about the game’s playability, this preview managed to dispel a few lingering doubts. First, because the fight choreography is very pleasing to the eye and that the information is written beautifully on the screen (makes you forget the slightly busy side). A very precise pace-based meter system scores big points throughout so it’s as fun to watch as it is to play. The only negatives: lack of accuracy in movements, certain sequences and, in particular, a tool for blocking the enemy’s aim. In addition, it takes some time to adapt to fully master the combat system, and therefore it is not the most accessible.

But after those few annoyances, waving your wand at Hogwarts Legacy is a real pleasure. In addition, many spells allow you to significantly adjust your fighting style. And then the enemy defense system (susceptible to a single type of spell) will force you to adapt to it anyway. Add to this the ability to interact with the environment (for example, by throwing enemies into space) and you get really engaging and interesting battles. It remains to be seen if they can maintain that flavor throughout the game.

Overall, the game has richer gameplay than expected. In addition to the dynamism of battles, it is possible to choose his approach (stealth or aggressive). It doesn’t seem like much, but it helps deliver a Hogwarts Legacy game that looks more advanced than expected and will therefore appeal to true license fans as well as casual gamers. Add to that the dark tone the title takes, and you’ve got a game that can keep the most persistent Muggles interested.

Pre-order Hogwarts Legacy on PS5 with Amazon