Hogwarts Legacy

Potential-Monke

I wouldn't say it takes away from it. In fact, I really enjoy the combat, its very fluid and just works when you get it right. Just weird to go from potions class to dark wizard killing.

Vicxas

Im not a fan of Harry Potter and know sweet FA about it. If you're not into the lore and setting is this a good game?

OptimusTractor

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120282969#Comment_120282969

The game isn't part of the HP universe more the wider Wizarding World.

It's a completely separate story starting from scratch. You'll be fine.

Retr0gamer

Definitely would have preferred a take on bully myself. That's by far my favourite rockstar game. I've heard the class room stuff is very basic. Again they should have drawn on maybe a persona schedule system.

wotzgoingon

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120283500#Comment_120283500

Funny you should say that game Bully. I remember hearing about it and looking forward to playing it and was let down. I never finished the game and I have no idea how far I got into it but I wasn't enjoying myself so just stopped playing it. Little things like passing out once you go passed a certain time in the evening really annoyed me.

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120282969#Comment_120282969

IMO if you're not into the HP universe then it's nothing special. The lore is a big part of this game.

awec

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120283500#Comment_120283500

The classroom stuff is just filler really.

You need to learn spells, so they decided that those quests should start in a classroom. That's about the height of it.

Underground

I couldn’t get into this at all. Just another by the numbers open world game as far as I can see, nothing glaringly wrong with it but it is just a very tired formula at this stage.

Potential-Monke

You're not wrong. I've nearly 30 hours clocked, reckon I'm in the last third of the game story wise. It doesn't do anything new, but what it does it does well. It's like Immortals Fenyx Rising doing the AC thing, but in a fun way. This is the same. There's nothing new, but everything is just fun, if that makes sense. Liking the world/lore will definitely play into peoples enjoyment of it.

The combat is enjoyable though, and it can be a panic switching between spell trees to get the right one to complete the dueling challenges. Some of the spells are amazing to watch, specifically the old magic powers, predetermined as they are. The graphics are stunning at times, and they really nailed the broom/mount flying. Hogwarts is a maze and fun to navigate. I just know there are more secrets left to uncover. Not sure if I got a hint about getting into the kitchen, but it was cool to just discover it and see how the tables work (kinda), and the Elves sleeping arrangements!

Most characters are ok, I'd imagine will be personal preference if you like them or not. But they're not often annoying, which is good. They need to speak with the Horizon FW team on how to make conversations/interactions more life like, but they do a good enough job. "Classes" are basically cut scenes before you speak to the professor to get a new quest, which is probably better than trying some quick time/class engagement game. Quests, for the most part, are enjoyable, but again will probably depend on how much you like the world. Enemies are "varied", insofar as they wear slightly different clothes, but you will be facing more or less the same ones over and over, with a few unique "bosses".

Heard there's an arachnophobia mode, which I thought I'd use but they're not the worst. Can't imagine what it's like with it on, because they're everywhere! With some missions specifically about spiders. The world is huge, and no doubt full of stuff you'll never encounter if you don't go exploring. Map isn't over saturated with icons until you zoom right in, but the zoom levels keep it somewhat tidy. Not sure if you can disable them on the map.

It does have issues. Not being able to skip the Merlin cutscene after every trial. The only hard part about his trials were it requires ancient magic! But watching that same scene every time, even though it's a few seconds, grates. There's some moments of loading, but only in Hogwarts if you're moving around too quick between areas. There's no animations for leaving tombs, just black screen and you're back outside. Which is strange considering they have that Merlin cutscene every time. It is a repetitive game, everything is basically a fetch quest. There's a lot of busywork, which is required if you want to upgrade gear, but there's also so much loot that it may not be necessary till end game. So. Much. Loot. And no quick way to sell things, you have to sell individually. And because of constantly changing stats, you're constantly changing the looks and there's no preset options you can quickly choose.

But even with all it's issues, it's still fun to play a murdering psychopathic 15 year old. People thought child protection in Hogwarts was bad during the HP phase? Yeesh, them kids is soft by these 1800's standards!

TheValeyard

In the winter season at the moment. Really liking this game. Kind of like a PG Skyrim. Its stunning and loving the open world adventures.

Potential-Monke

Nearly forgot to post about this. So after many, many hours (over 30 at that point) of copy/paste fetch quests, or general busywork that is all basically the same, I was getting a bit tired of the game. Then I met a house-elf called Penny in Hogsmeade, and the quest you get comes out of nowhere! WTaF? That was amazing! At least, initially. Out of nowhere, completely changed the feel of the game, was borderline horror at one point, a decent attempt at messing with the mind, and some amazing sound effects and gameplay instances. Why are there not more of these types of missions!!! Was not expecting it, and it was fantastic to play.

Makes me hopeful for the last stretch missions, but seeing as it was a side quest that is not in any way necessary to play, I'm not sure anything will match it. Actually, with a bit of Googling I've discovered it's the PS exclusive quest (until next Feb). It was brilliant and by far the best part of the game so far. It also makes me 100% that they wanted to make an "adult" game. There's just too many things adding up pointing towards that. The thirsty wan who runs the beasts shop is another indicator. Oh, and the mass multi-species murder.

MillField

I'm loving this game so far. I'm about 20 hours into it. I like how it has all the elements of an open world RPG without being too heavy on any particular aspect of it.

recyclops

I was the same, now I am at the the 35 hour mark I just want it to end, I think I spent too long cleaning up the pointers on the north map, have that cleared now and the story is pushing me to the south map.

if its as full of "hoho Merlin Trial" they can all get F***ed as its on thin ice for finishing as the story is wafer thin, that being said the art work on one of the trials was sensational

ceadaoin.

I've finished the main story and am at 88% completion. Don't know if I can be bothered to keep going at this stage, it's way too samey after a while. It's annoying that every goblin battle still has multiple comments about ranrok, despite the fact that I defeated him. Also, I wish you could turn off speech for spells so that I don't have to hear "revellio" anymore lol.

MillField

Played it to death. Really enjoyed the game, but yeah - no way I'm gonna hunt down all collections, breed all beasts etc etc. Would welcome something new down the line in a DLC (*cough* Quidditch).

Glebee

After a really slow start and with about 20hours played Im really enjoying this. Would not count myself as a massive HP fan but they have done a fantastic job with this, way better than I was expecting.

Glebee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121596237#Comment_121596237

That's me done with Hogwarts Legacy, got to about 90% complete and not chasing down all the rest of the stuff. Really enjoyed that game, developers done a fantastic job and its well worth a play through. Did I see something about DLC being released in Feb?

Potential-Monke

Technically, yes. The Haunted Hogsmeade Shop questline exclusivity with PS is up, so likely to be released on other platforms. In fairness, of the 70ish% of it I played, that quest stood out by a mile and was a fantastic example of what they could do.