Warner Bros. Games is back with one of the most anticipated games of the year, immersing you in the universe of the Harry Potter books. Hogwarts Legacy will see its gameplay unveiled in an event presentation, we take stock.
[Mis à jour le 14 décembre 2022 à 18h02] Having just missed out on the most anticipated game prize of 2023, Hogwarts Legacy still remains one of the most dizzying projects of the coming months. Warner Bros. Studio’s game promises to be an immersive experience, with grandiose technical ambition, and intends to immerse fans and players in the prolific universe of JK Rowling. But the adventure will be completely new and will take us long before the birth of our dear brunette with glasses, in an open-world containing all the elements of the magical universe. Small bad news, the release date of the game on PS4, Nintendo Switch and Xbox One has been postponed by a few months, an announcement made just before the presentation of gameplay of the game live.
Originally announced for 2022, Hogwarts Legacy was finally pushed back to February 2023. A release that will take place on February 10 next on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series, and a little later on Nintendo Switch, PS4 and Xbox One. This decision was taken recently by Avalanche Software, justified by the desire to offer a solid experience on the oldest generations of consoles. The game is therefore planned for the April 4, 2023 on PS4 and Xbox One, and the July 25 on Nintendo Switch.
Given the collusion between Warner Bros Games and Sony, we suspected that Hogwarts Legacy was going to offer some form of exclusive content for Playstation 5 and Playstation 4 players. So no, the game will in no way be a Playstation exclusive, and will be released also good on Xbox consoles and PC, but amputated from a tiny part of its content. This small part will therefore be the quest “the haunted shop of Hogsmeade”, an adventure located in the famous village adjoining the castle of Hogwarts. Our protagonist will have to elucidate the mystery of a store like no other, an epic both fantastic and horrifying, which will delight fans of Sony consoles.
Pre-orders for the PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series and PC versions are unfortunately sold out, but you still have the PS4 Collector’s Edition still available for sale:
Hogwarts Legacy Collector’s Edition PS4
As a reminder, the Collector’s version of the game is as loaded as it is expensive, including for €299.99 (€323 on Amazon)
- A collector’s box
- The game
- 72 hours of early access (February 7 instead of February 10, 2023)
- The Black Magic cosmetic pack
- The contents of the Deluxe Edition
- The Black Mage’s Cap
- Kelpy’s Coat
- Access to the Dark Mage battle arena
- A life-size magic wand floating above a book
- A steelbook
The most European of video game fairs returns for a 2022 edition for the first time in physics since 2019. Gamescom marked its opening on August 23 with Gamescom Opening Night Live, a great evening presented by Geoff Keighley and dedicated to future video game releases. However, among the prestigious exhibitors installed in Cologne, we were able to find a certain Warner Bros Games, which presented us with two of its next creations, Gotham Knights and especially Hogwarts Legacy. The latter was once again teased to us through a trailer dedicated to the Legacy of Sebastian Sallow, or more specifically, to the use of black magic in the wizarding world. Enough to satisfy our little budding Tom Riddles who would have the unforgivable spell easy.
Of course, it is the next-gen features of the Playstation 5 that are in the spotlight in this brand new trailer. The Sony console, which is always talked about because of its permanent stock shortages, presents the contribution of its accessories to the game. We find there the mention of the haptic feedback (vibrations) of the DualSense controllers, but also the importance of the 3D surround sound offered by the Sony Pulse 3D headphones. Of course, next-gen consoles will be the best way to enjoy Hogwarts Legacy, offering technical capabilities that can support the graphical demands of a triple-A RPG.
Gameplay-wise, it’s clear that Hogwarts Legacy: Hogwarts Legacy leans towards the popular action-RPG formula. It will therefore be an open-world action adventure game set in the universe that has made us all dream so much since the release of Harry Potter at the School of Wizards a little over 24 years ago (which does not make us any younger). Of course, it will be difficult for this game to take up exactly the plot of the works of JK Rowling, which is why it will be held in the 19th century, an era hitherto unexplored in the various works associated with the wizarding world.
On the side of the plot, the player will be immersed in the heart of the rebellion of the goblins, these little fellows that we are more used to seeing at Gringotts in books and films. Although little has been said on this point, we can only applaud the initiative to create an original story. The character will therefore face different types of opponents, from monsters to wizards, thanks to different combat techniques involving casting spells, potions, dodges and rolls. A bit like The Witcher but swapping the two swords for a magic wand. He also has the ability to combine his spells into different combos and finishers offering a bit of variety to what might have looked like, in our worst nightmares, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows gameplay. Except that Avalanche Studio knows its subject, and has been able to integrate different elements that can allow the player to diversify his style of play. We can thus use a whole range of pets and plants to help us in combat, in addition to casting spells and potions.
In terms of the environment, of course, the walls of Hogwarts will be familiar to us, but not its occupants. Our character will be able to meet new teachers there, and will have to catch up since he joins the prestigious school directly in the fifth year. His particuliarity ? His ability to understand dark and ancient forms of magic propels him on a quest against those who seek to destroy the wizarding world. An original and refreshing epic, which does not hesitate to wink at the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films.
By adopting a role-playing aspect, Hogwarts Legacy naturally adopts gameplay elements of the RPG genre, especially in terms of player progression. The protagonist therefore gradually gains in power as his adventures progress, in particular by learning new spells in court or by making new potions. There are also hidden treasure caches all over the map, containing equipment of varying rarity that the player can use to level up their character. A little loot hunting side that will delight all RPG lovers.
Speaking of the famous British author, Avalanche Studio, the developer of Hogwarts Legacy, specifically clarified that JK Rowling did not participate in the development of the game. The game is a unique creation started in 2017, based on the very effective Unreal Engine from Epic Games. This graphics engine will be the perfect way to portray the famous castle, as well as the Forbidden Forest and the village of Hogsmeade, all three of which will be present in the Hogwarts Legacy universe. There will also be courses in sorcery, potions, fantastic beasts to tame and much more.