Hogwarts Legacy Review: The Ultimate Wizarding World RPG Experience

Platform: PS5 | Xbox Series X | PC | Nintendo Switch  •  Developer: Avalanche Software  •  Publisher: Warner Bros. Games  •  Genre: Action RPG  •  Release: February 2023

Introduction: The Wizarding World Game We Always Dreamed Of

Imagine receiving your letter from Hogwarts. The thick envelope bearing the crest of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, sealed with purple wax. For millions of Harry Potter fans who grew up reading J.K. Rowling’s beloved books and watching the iconic films, that fantasy has always felt just out of reach — until now.

This Hogwarts Legacy review is here to answer the question millions of fans have been asking: does it live up to the hype? The short answer is yes — and then some. Developed by Avalanche Software and published by Warner Bros. Games, Hogwarts Legacy is an open-world action RPG set in the 1800s wizarding world, nearly a century before Harry Potter’s time at Hogwarts. With a Metacritic score hovering around 84–90 across platforms and an OpenCritic rating of 84 (ranked in the top 9% of all games), this Hogwarts Legacy review explores why it became one of the most celebrated RPGs of 2023.

Whether you’re a die-hard Potterhead or a casual gamer curious about the wizarding world, this comprehensive Hogwarts Legacy review covers everything — from spell-casting mechanics and open world exploration to graphics, story, and whether this game is worth your time and money.

Gameplay & Combat System: Magic Has Never Felt This Real

At the heart of this Hogwarts Legacy review is the gameplay — and it is genuinely spectacular. Avalanche Software has crafted a combat system that makes you feel like a true witch or wizard in the wizarding world. The core loop revolves around casting spells, dodging enemy attacks, and chaining different magical abilities together in fluid, fast-paced combat.

Players can equip up to four spells at a time across multiple loadout sets, allowing for deep customization. Basic utility spells like Accio (summoning), Wingardium Leviosa (levitation), and Diffindo (cutting) double as both puzzle tools and combat weapons. Meanwhile, offensive magic like Confringo (fire bolt) and Bombarda (explosive blast) add real punch to battles. The signature highlight of the combat system is Ancient Magic — a powerful ability unique to your character that builds up over time and can be unleashed in devastating, visually stunning finishers.

Enemy variety is impressive throughout the game. You’ll face trolls, dark wizards, spiders, and goblin rebels, each requiring different tactical approaches. The combat system rewards experimentation — using Accio to pull enemies into the air before blasting them with Expelliarmus feels immensely satisfying. For non-Harry Potter fans, the spell-casting and action RPG combat alone justify the Hogwarts Legacy review score.

The talent system allows you to invest points into three main trees: Spells, Dark Arts, and Core abilities. Unlocking “Avada Kedavra” — the infamous unforgivable Killing Curse — is one of the game’s most controversial but thrilling moments. You can choose to be a light wizard or dabble in the Dark Arts, which adds meaningful player agency to the experience.

Story & Narrative: An Original Tale Set in the 1800s

One area where our Hogwarts Legacy review notes some mixed feelings is the story. Set in the late 1800s, you play as a fifth-year student who arrives at Hogwarts with a mysterious connection to Ancient Magic — a rare and powerful form of magic that puts you at the center of a dangerous conspiracy.

The main narrative involves Professor Eleazar Fig, your mentor and guide, as you investigate a goblin rebellion led by the vengeful Ranrok, who has allied with dark wizard Victor Rookwood. The plot touches on themes of power, legacy, and moral choice, asking whether Ancient Magic should be wielded for good or exploited for personal gain.

The original story’s biggest strength is its independence from the Harry Potter canon. You’re not tagging along with familiar characters — this is entirely your adventure. Character customization is excellent, with full body type selection, house sorting (Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, or Ravenclaw), and meaningful dialogue choices throughout.

The companion characters — including Sebastian Sallow, Natsai Onai, and Poppy Sweeting — each have their own memorable questlines that rival the main story in quality. Sebastian’s arc involving his sister and the Dark Arts is widely considered the emotional highlight of the entire game, and a standout example of strong character writing in the wizarding world RPG genre.

The main story does suffer from some pacing issues, particularly in the middle section, but it picks up significantly in the final act. It runs roughly 15–25 hours for the main quest alone, with side quests pushing total playtime well beyond 60–80 hours for completionists.

Open World & Exploration: A Living, Breathing Wizarding World

If there is one area where this Hogwarts Legacy review can award near-perfect marks, it’s the open world design. Hogwarts Castle alone is worth the price of admission. Rendered in breathtaking detail across multiple floors, towers, secret passages, and iconic locations like the Great Hall, the Astronomy Tower, and the Restricted Section of the library, exploring Hogwarts feels like stepping directly into the films.

Beyond the castle walls, the open world expands into Hogsmeade village, the Forbidden Forest, the vast Scottish Highlands, and a range of smaller settlements, dungeons, and magical environments. The map is enormous, filled with collectibles, puzzles, magical beasts, and hidden Field Guide pages that reward thorough exploration.

Broomstick flying is a genuine joy. Soaring above the Scottish Highlands, diving through valleys, and racing to distant dungeons never gets old. The flying mechanic is smooth and responsive, making traversal across the open world one of the game’s most consistently enjoyable activities.

Side quests in the open world range from beast-taming rescues and Merlin trials to relationship missions with companion characters. While some side content is repetitive — particularly the Merlin Trials and bandit camps — the diversity of activities overall is impressive. The Room of Requirement, where you build and upgrade your own personal magical headquarters and care for magical beasts, is an addictive layer of base-building that adds dozens of hours of content.

Graphics & Performance: Visually Stunning Across Platforms

In terms of visual fidelity, this Hogwarts Legacy review is full of praise. The game is visually stunning, particularly on PS5 and high-end PC setups. Hogwarts Castle is a technical marvel — the way light filters through stained glass windows, the flickering of torches on stone walls, and the particle effects during spell-casting all create an atmosphere that feels genuinely magical.

On PS5 and Xbox Series X, the game runs at a stable 60fps in Performance Mode, with a Quality Mode offering 4K resolution at 30fps with ray tracing enabled. The PS5’s DualSense controller adds haptic feedback to spell-casting, which is a small but immersive touch.

PC performance at launch was the game’s Achilles’ heel. Initial PC releases suffered from stuttering, shader compilation hitching, and optimization issues that impacted the experience for many players. Patches have addressed many of these problems, but PC players on mid-range hardware may still encounter occasional performance dips, particularly in Hogsmeade and other densely populated areas.

The Nintendo Switch version, released later, makes significant visual compromises but remains a serviceable way to experience the game on the go. Load times on Switch are longer, and texture quality is noticeably reduced, but the core gameplay remains intact.

Pros & Cons: The Honest Verdict

Final Verdict: Is Hogwarts Legacy Worth Buying?

After 60+ hours exploring every corner of the wizarding world, this Hogwarts Legacy review lands firmly on a score of 9.0 out of 10. Hogwarts Legacy is not a perfect game — the story has pacing issues, early PC performance was problematic, and some open world content is formulaic. But it is something arguably more important: it is the Harry Potter RPG fans have been dreaming about for over two decades.

Avalanche Software has delivered an open-world action RPG that does justice to the wizarding world while also standing tall as a great game in its own right. The combat system is one of the most satisfying in the genre. The open world exploration — especially within Hogwarts itself — is second to none. The companion stories, the magical beast system, and the sheer attention to detail in every corner of the game world make Hogwarts Legacy a remarkable achievement.

Should you buy Hogwarts Legacy? If you are a Harry Potter fan, this Hogwarts Legacy review says: absolutely, without hesitation. If you are simply a fan of open-world action RPGs with deep combat systems and rich exploration, the answer is still yes. Hogwarts Legacy earns its place among the best games of 2023 and is a benchmark for how to build an immersive licensed game that respects and expands upon its source material.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is Hogwarts Legacy worth buying?

Yes. Hogwarts Legacy is a must-buy for Harry Potter fans and a highly recommended purchase for action RPG enthusiasts. Its open world, combat system, and environmental design are among the best in the genre.

How long is Hogwarts Legacy?

The main story takes approximately 15–25 hours depending on difficulty. Completing all side quests, assignments, and collectibles pushes total playtime to 60–80+ hours. Completionists can spend over 100 hours in the wizarding world.

Is Hogwarts Legacy good for non-Harry Potter fans?

Absolutely. While knowledge of the Harry Potter universe enriches the experience, Hogwarts Legacy stands on its own as a compelling open-world action RPG. The combat system, exploration, and world-building are engaging regardless of familiarity with the source material.

What platforms is Hogwarts Legacy available on?

Hogwarts Legacy is available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC (via Steam and Epic Games Store), and Nintendo Switch. The PS5 and Xbox Series X versions offer the best visual and performance experience.

Does Hogwarts Legacy have difficulty settings?

Yes. The game offers Story, Easy, Normal, and Hard difficulty settings, allowing players of all skill levels to enjoy the experience at their own pace.

Is there a sequel to Hogwarts Legacy?

As of 2023–2024, Warner Bros. has not officially announced a direct sequel, though reports suggest a follow-up is in development. Given the massive commercial success of the original — selling over 12 million copies in its first two weeks — a sequel is widely anticipated.

Hogwarts Legacy Review Summary: A transformative wizarding world RPG that delivers on decades of fan expectations. Compelling combat, breathtaking exploration, and an immersive open world make this one of the defining action RPGs of 2023. Highly recommended. | Score: 9.0 / 10