Even if the game was shown through a few showcases with long gameplay extracts, Hogwarts Legacy still remains surrounded by mysteries, but also by anxiety. The promises are almost too good to believe for those expecting an RPG Harry Potter for years, and the studio’s communication is still restrained despite a few videos given here and there to keep the public waiting. Fortunately, part of the press was able to approach the game a few days before its release in order to take it in hand for about an hour. The previews of the title have therefore fallen and they allow us to discover some interesting details, which we summarize here.
The choice is yours
We start first by going for a walk on the side of GamesRadar, whose preview focused on how we can modulate our adventure. This will go through a hundred side quests to performwhich, according to the lead narrative on the game, can be performed in any order, while having consequences on the main frame. For example, if you meet a character in a side quest and come across them again in a main quest, your bond with them won’t be quite the same. A detail that may seem basic, especially for a AAA as big as Hogwarts Legacybut it’s always good to know.
You will also have the choice of whether or not to use forbidden spellswithout any system of morality coming in your way. The only consequence of this will obviously be some astonishment and reprimands from those around you., because you understand, it’s not very nice. Apart from a small role-play aspect, there will therefore be no real reason to deprive yourself. These spells won’t be learned in school (obviously), and you’ll have to look for them to get them. You also won’t be able to wreak havoc on the school, as limitations will apparently be put in place. But apart from that, if you want to be a wizard who tends more towards evil than good, that’s up to you.
A PS5 version that holds up?
As for the rest, the press and content creators were mainly able to discover the beginning of the game, going through the character editor and the first discovery of Hogwarts.
IGN’s preview also focuses on the mini-games or the relationships between the students, not to mention the fights, which also allows us to glimpse a little more gameplay to better judge the technique of the game ( the previews were made on PS5). If everything does not yet seem to be perfectly in place due to textures that sometimes display badly, collisions that need adjustments or clipping, the title seems to be holding up, with beautiful lighting effects that are underlined. This will obviously have to be confirmed with the commercial versions of the game, which are sometimes full of unpleasant surprises.
The JK Rowling Question
Finally, IGN was able to question Alan Tew, game directoron the question that ignites many debates around the game, namely the ability of the studio to manage the controversy surrounding JK Rowling. If Alan Tew takes sacred gloves to avoid offending anyone, he answers:
“ I think for us there are challenges in every game we’ve worked on. This game was no different. When we ran into these challenges, we went back and refocused on the things that really matter to us. We know our fans fell in love with Wizarding World, and we think they fell in love with it for the right reasons. We know it’s a diverse audience. For us, it’s about making sure that this audience, who have always dreamed of having this game, has the opportunity to feel welcome. Let him know that he will find a home here and that it is a good place to tell their story. ยป
Hogwarts Legacy will be released on February 10 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series. It will then arrive on April 4 on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, then on July 25 on Nintendo Switch.