Overview
Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world Action RPG developed by Avalanche Software and published by Warner Bros. Games under the Portkey Games label. Its story takes place in the wizarding world of the 1800s, long before the events of the Harry Potter books.
The player creates their own character and joins Hogwarts directly in the fifth year. After arriving, they are sorted into one of the four houses and begin attending different classes while discovering their unusual ability to perceive a form of ancient magic.
The castle is one of the game’s major exploration areas. Classrooms, passages, towers and various secrets can be discovered freely, but the adventure extends far beyond the school.
The open world also includes Hogsmeade, the Forbidden Forest and many surrounding regions, with villages, ruins, camps, caves and other locations to explore. Travel is possible on foot, but also by broomstick and with certain magical creatures that can be used as mounts.
Combat takes place in real time and is built primarily around spells.
The player can organize several spells into active sets and combine them depending on the situation. Some deal direct damage, while others can move an opponent, break a protection, control a target or alter the combat environment.
Defense notably relies on magical protection and dodging, while using the correct spell types makes it possible to respond to enemy shields and behaviors.
Progression gradually unlocks new talents that improve spells, ancient magic abilities, stealth or various tools. Equipment can also be upgraded and specialized to strengthen certain characteristics.
Magic is not limited to combat.
Classes and various activities allow the player to learn new spells, brew potions and grow plants that can be used during exploration or battles.
The Room of Requirement gradually becomes a personal space used to produce different resources, prepare equipment and organize some of these activities. It can also be decorated and customized.
Magical creatures also play a role in progression. Some can be rescued and then cared for in dedicated spaces, where the player can look after them and collect different resources.
Exploration alternates between the main quest, the stories of several classmates, side missions and different activities spread throughout the world. Some students can accompany the protagonist during parts of the journey and develop their own stories.
Hogwarts Legacy therefore does not attempt to directly reproduce the plot of the Harry Potter books or films.
It uses Hogwarts and the Wizarding World as the setting for an original story, in a period distant enough to introduce new students, professors and events while preserving familiar places and elements from the universe.
What to remember
- Hogwarts Legacy is a single-player open-world Action RPG set in the wizarding world of the 1800s.
- The player creates their own student and joins Hogwarts directly in the fifth year.
- The open world includes Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, the Forbidden Forest and the surrounding regions.
- Combat takes place in real time and allows many offensive, defensive and control spells to be combined.
- Talents allow magical abilities and playstyle to be progressively specialized.
- Potions, plants, equipment and the Room of Requirement directly contribute to progression.
- Several magical creatures can be encountered, rescued and cared for in dedicated spaces.
- The broomstick is used to explore the world and take part in different flying challenges.
- Some students develop their own stories and can accompany the protagonist during the adventure.
- The game tells an original story and is not a direct adaptation of the Harry Potter novels or films.
Conclusion
Hogwarts Legacy builds its experience around the ability to freely explore Hogwarts and a significant part of the world surrounding it.
Its Action RPG structure combines spell-based combat with progression built around talents, equipment, potions and various magical activities, while the open world gives an important place to travel and discovery.
Setting the story in the nineteenth century makes it possible to preserve the locations and principles of the Wizarding World while developing new characters and a plot independent from Harry Potter’s story.
The experience therefore rests on three complementary pillars: living at Hogwarts, developing your own wizard and freely exploring a magical world beyond the castle.
Good to know
- Developer: Avalanche Software.
- Publisher: Warner Bros. Games, under the Portkey Games label.
- Hogwarts Legacy was released on February 10, 2023 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
- The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions were released on May 5, 2023.
- The Nintendo Switch version was released on November 14, 2023.
- A version specially adapted for Nintendo Switch 2 was released on June 5, 2025, with improvements including graphics, audio, loading and controls.
- The game is a single-player experience, with no cooperative or online multiplayer mode.
- Quidditch is not playable, but broomstick flight is available for travel and several challenges are built around it.
