It’s been a while, but Avalanche Software and Portkey Games, a subsidiary of Warner Bros Games, are back with a holiday treat for fans looking forward to their upcoming game Hogwarts Legacy. Near the beginning of this year, they originally shared a first look at the gameplay, but now they are here with a full showcase worth of gameplay to build more anticipation going into 2023!
In the first section of gameplay, the player, a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the late 1800s, mounts their broom flying low over the open world. Flying above the Scottish Highlands, the player lands to explore a hamlet which provides an opportunity to meet different witches and wizards while also participating in quest opportunities. The player then mounts an Onyx Hippogriff (a Hippogriff variant exclusive to pre-orders) to traverse the landscape as it changes to winter and the land is covered by snow.
In a deeper dive into the combat, the player, wearing the Dark Arts cosmetic set, walks through the Forbidden Forest before riding a Thestral to the Dark Arts Battle Arena. The player immediately casts an Avada Kedavra spell to show the enemy’s health bar instantly goes to zero. Tools such as potions and plants from the Room of Requirement can be brought with the player into combat to help defeat enemies more efficiently.
In the final video, the player visits the Room of Requirement. The entire space can be personalized and the architecture can be changed as the player conjures objects into the space. Conjurations can be found at Tomes and Scrolls in Hogsmeade or rewarded for completing various activities throughout the game. Utility items like planting pots and brewing stations can also be customized. Over the course of gameplay, the player will be able to conjure the Loom which can be used to customize and add magical properties to their gear. And finally, the player walks to the Vivarium where beasts are cared for. A Graphorn, Niffler, Kneazle, and Mooncalf are revealed. By petting and feeding a beast, they will give the player the magical ingredients needed to customize and upgrade their gear. A toy chest is also available to play with the beasts and the beasts can be given individual names.
They really gave us so much content and detail to unpack, but after watching the Hogwarts Legacy gameplay showcase, I am more pumped for this title than ever! Not to mention the recent concert they showed us to display the wonderous music we can expect in this game.
Hogwarts Legacy is set to release on February 10, 2023, for PC via Steam and Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, then on April 4th for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, and then on July 25th for Nintendo Switch. If you plan to pick this one up, be sure to check out all the great pre-order details. Don’t forget to set up your official fans account so you can connect it to your account and have a personalized setup when you begin school!
