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State of Play: Hogwarts Legacy Impressions

Wands at the ready!
by Joe Wilcock on March 17, 2022   

When Hogwarts Legacy was announced in September 2020 there was, of course, mass hysteria and excitement surrounding the news but its proceeding radio silence had me concerned. Its ambition is colossal so it begs the question; does the developer, Avalanche Software, truly have the pedigree to execute their lofty vision?

Well, rest assured, after Sony's most recent State of Play all of my doubts have been nullified thanks to a phenomenal gameplay trailer. Gamers and Wizarding fans alike can rejoice as the features put on display here epitomizes the very heart and soul of the Harry Potter universe. 
 


 

First and foremost, the titular Hogwarts looks nigh on perfect. The detail depicted in both the interior of the school and the surrounding area looked breathtaking. The common rooms, hallways, libraries, greenhouses and huts in the immediate vicinity of the castle seem impeccable and it doesn't stop there. The scope of Hogwarts Legacy extends to Hogsmeade, Gringotts and the Forbidden Forrest just to name a few iconic locations from the books. All of which are interwoven in a labyrinthian style which, to me at least, is reminiscent of how Arkham Asylum was put together in Rocksteady's first Batman game. Although it looks compact and relatively small, considering you have multiple avenues to take flight for traversal, I imagine if you just scratch the surface there will be a plethora of nooks and crannies to explore. All of these aforementioned locals appear to be fully realized with fantastic graphical fidelity. 

The game itself is seemingly a bonafide, fully fleshed out RPG that is rich with content, characters and a new, interesting story. The mechanics used to progress your customizable avatar, who assumes the role of a late starter to Hogwarts, work in tandem with the relationships you build with your peers and cater to your play style accordingly. There are also lessons to attend, mini-games to conquer, dungeons and hidden areas to explore on top of discovering the mystery of an ancient magic surfacing once more which is also met with opposition in the form of Goblins and Dark Witches and Wizards. You will meet these adversaries in battle with an arsenal of offensive and defensive spells as well as charms, potions and aid from the pantheon of creatures that inhabit the Wizarding World.
 


As an anchor, The Room of Requirements will serve as your base of operations to support you in these endeavors. Here, you will brew potions, level up and supervise magical beasts in a fully customizable habitat area. I would hazard a guess that this will function similarly to that of The Sanctuary featured in Fable 3. A safe haven for all your wizarding needs.

Suffice to say, I was absolutely blown away by this trailer, especially considering my skepticism towards the project beforehand. Avalanche Software, although credible, don't boast the most impressive library outside of the Disney Infinity games. Their speciality is, for the most part, movie tie in games and not the good kind! Meet the Robinsons, Bolt, Toy Story 3 (which I do have a soft spot for), and Cars 2 don't exactly scream top-quality developer to me. But, since they ditched Disney for Warner Bros, it appears as though they've stepped up their game tenfold.

This new Hogwarts adventure is slated for a "Holiday 2022" release. However, judging by the potential this trailer has spotlighted they can take all the time they want.

Accio Hogwarts Legacy!

Check back with DailyGamer for more news on Hogwarts Legacy.


 

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