Hogwarts Legacy is the first game based on the Harry Potter series to hit consoles in quite some time. It is a combination of many genres wherein players create a character who is then sent to attend Hogwarts as a Fifth Year student. They will attend classes, learn spells, explore the castle, take on quests, and so on.
Eventually, the grounds of Hogwarts will also open up to explore. Hogwarts Legacy dips its toe into the open-world genre at this point, but the world in question is not that big compared to some other RPGs. There is a lot more to learn, so let’s get to the tips.
7 The Difficulty Options
There are a few different difficulty settings in Hogwarts Legacy, ranging from Story to Hard to make life easier for budding witches and wizards. The best thing about it is that players can change their minds at any time. Most RPG experiences allow players to switch their difficulties mid-game but it’s not a feature to be taken for granted.
The game takes a while to get going as far as combat goes, so it’s best to start in the upper middle of the pack with Normal. If it’s too hard, crank it down a notch and if it’s too easy, do the opposite.
6 Explore The Castle ASAP
As soon as players get to Hogwarts and get settled in with their two classes, they should explore the school as much as possible. Not every classroom and corridor will be available at the start. However, at least half of the castle can be explored.
Look at the map and head towards every Floo Powder Network node to unlock fast travel. Doing this early on will alleviate the headache of trying to unlock these links later for quests. It will also allow players to explore one of fiction’s most iconic castles dutifully rendered in 3D.
5 Spam That Revelio Spell
There’s another reason why exploring the castle early on is a good idea. Professor Weasley reveals that using the Revelio spell around school grounds will expand the guidebook. This will unlock bonuses such as cosmetic changes via Challenges.
Uncovering secret paintings and notes about magical artifacts will also level up players. This is a good way to grind early on without battling goblins, trolls, or dark wizards. It’s also another way for fans to see more of their favorite world unfold before them.
4 Wear Headphones
This might be a weird tip to offer in a game like this but there are a lot of sound cues worth listening in on. For example, various pages and keys are floating around the castle. These two examples each make a noise. If players wear headphones then they can detect these objects in the vicinity.
The Revelio spell can only do so much to reveal objects of interest. Adding sound to the mix will help players find things easier. There are certain side quests where sound can be useful as well.
3 Explore The Grounds
After a few story missions, the game will lead the player on a mission in the forbidden section of the library. After this, the grounds of Hogwarts will open up more. Like the advice earlier with exploring the castle, players should take this opportunity to stretch their legs a bit.
They can take on quests like one that helps a goblin retrieve some carts from bandits. There’s also one involving getting an item out of the lake. There are a lot of choices in this open area, but the most important reason to explore is to get more attuned to the combat.
2 You Can Transmog Your Outfits
On the subject of cosmetics, players can find or buy gloves, hats, robes, and so on for equipment in Hogwarts Legacy. They will increase stats like in a normal RPG. This will also change the look of the player character, which can often make them look goofy in a bunch of mismatched clothing. The nice part about this game is that it supports transmogrification.
On the equipment screen, players can highlight each category and choose how they want to display their items. Gloves, for example, can be worn to gain stats but removed cosmetically so that it looks like players aren’t wearing them at all. It’s a nice feature that more robust RPGs like this should take advantage of. Also, selling items will not remove the cosmetic choices gained, so be sure to get rid of unwanted equipment.
1 Remove The HUD
The best piece of advice to give to anyone playing Hogwarts Legacy is to relinquish the HUD. It’s not hard to remember the button combinations to get the spell or potion wheel open. Players can also hit the Revelio button to clue them in on objects of interest in the environment or use the guidebook to point their way in the right direction of a quest. So, the HUD is a bit irrelevant.
This is the first time players will be able to play a non-Harry Potter-focused game on a console. The game allows them to attend Hogwarts as a student of their crafting which is a big deal. Removing the HUD should help players immerse themselves more in this giant world of witches, magic, monsters, and more.
Hogwarts Legacy is available now on PS5, Xbox Series S|X, and PC. PS4, Xbox One, and Switch versions are currently in development.