Hogwarts Legacy has been one of the most hyped video game releases of the year, but it appears that the anticipation for Avalanche Software’s Harry Potter RPG won’t be wasted. According to the first reviews of the game from Warner Bros. Games that went live today, Hogwarts Legacy is a title that should be well received by many fans of the franchise, with some publications alluding to an excellent RPG that captures the wonder and potential of the Wizarding World, the universe in which the Harry Potter novels are set in, including the Fantastic Beasts series. Hogwarts Legacy will be released for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S this Friday on February 10, while PS4 and Xbox One versions are slated for April 4. A Nintendo Switch version is also planned for release on July 25.
A sample of reviews from Metacritic (82 Metascore for PC version):
IGN (90): In nearly every way, Hogwarts Legacy is the Harry Potter RPG I’ve always wanted to play. Its open-world adventure captures all the excitement and wonder of the Wizarding World with its memorable new characters, challenging and nuanced combat, and a wonderfully executed Hogwarts student fantasy that kept me glued to my controller for dozens of hours. It’s certainly weighed down by technical issues, a lackluster main story, and some poor enemy variety, but even those couldn’t come close to breaking its enchanting spell over me.
XGN (90): Hogwarts Legacy perfectly shows what is possible in the Wizarding World. The game has a magical new adventure, with a lovely cast of new characters. The beautiful world is filled with small little details and a enormous amount of content. The combat system is also surprisingly deep and the puzzles will crack your brain, whilst never becoming frustrating. We do miss Quidditch, but Avalanche Software has put a lot of love in Hogwarts Legacy and it shows.
Pure Xbox (90): It felt like Hogwarts Legacy was always going to struggle to live up to the hype, but somehow Avalanche Software has managed to deliver an absolutely fantastic open world adventure that will surely go down as comfortably the best game based on the Harry Potter franchise so far. If you’ve been following its progress for a while and were keeping your fingers crossed for good reviews, we’re pleased to report that it’s definitely been worth the wait.
PlayStation Universe (95): Hogwarts Legacy is a compelling fantasy-RPG packed with stunning scenery, memorable characters and fantastic combat. Not only is it a brilliant love letter to fans of the Wizarding World, it excels as a game in its own right, so even non-Potter fans will find themselves immersed in its great story and characters.