For millions ofHarry Potterfans, it has long been their dream to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a dream that can finally be realized inHogwarts Legacy. As Avalanche Software’s open-world RPG takes place in the 1890s,players can immerse themselvesin the previously unseen 19th-century wizarding world.
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To truly feel like there are in the shoes of a Victorian witch or wizard, players can change certain settings within the game and set rules of their own. All of this should help players with immersionand hopefully help themforget they are playing a game at all.
6Choose An Authentic Name
AsHogwarts Legacyis set in the late 19th century, a Victorian name would be most apt, however for players looking for an authentic name, there are plenty of other options.Many wizards and witchesfor example have first names taken from ancient Rome and Greece as well.
Names found throughout theHarry Potterseries are naturally great too, and the books are the perfect place to look for more obscure family names that players could choose to take on. All of these options and more will help make the main character really feel like part of the world.
5Play With Minimal HUD
It’s safe to say that there is a lot on the screen inHogwarts Legacy, from spell damage to notifications and icons for everything a witch or wizard needs. For those who want a more immersive and cinematic experience, disabling certain aspects of the HUD can help playerslose themselves in the world.
Thankfully by going into the settings, every single aspect of the HUD along with subtitles can be turned off. How much of the HUD players want to turn off is completely up to them, as at the end of the day it is there to help them on their journey. One option is to leave it on while learning the game and slowly remove UI elements as confidence is gained.
4Play Without The Minimap
One shared experience that all new Hogwarts students go through is getting lost in the castlein their first few days, weeks, or even years. The castle inHogwarts Legacyis massive, just as it is in the books. Exploring it could be a game by itself, an experience that is made all the more fun by disabling the minimap.
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Without the minimap, players have to think for themselves and try to remember key landmarks, which is helped by each nook and cranny of the castle having its own distinct aesthetic. Along the way, players will get lost, but by doing so they will discover more of Hogwarts' secrets.
3Lower The Population On PC
Based on the information from the books, the wizarding population just isn’t that large, and as the aesthetics of the nameless NPCs inHogwarts Legacyare one of the game’s few weaknesses, having less of them can help with immersion on multiple levels.
To do this, PC players can go into the settings and set the global population to low or medium. Doing this will also have the added benefit of improving the performance of the game for those struggling with FPS issues.
2No Running In The Corridors!
Running in any corridor is a safety hazard, a danger that is no less prevalent in Hogwarts with its vast collection of rugs and students in long robes. More importantly, as people don’t tend to run in real life unless they have a reason, it is more immersive to walk around the castle. Walking also has the added benefit of allowing the player more time to take in their beautiful surroundings.
Of course, if players are late to class or find themselves being chased by a troll, then of course that is a good time to run. Additionally,once players have learned the Disillusionment Charm, going invisible can help with immersion when sneaking around parts of the castle they shouldn’t be in.
1Wear Appropriate Clothing
Hogwarts Legacyfeatures a wide array of fashion options and thanks to its transmogrification system, players can keep their most overpowered gear on while choosing how it appears.As outfits can be changed at any timeregardless of where the character is, players can constantly change clothes depending on the scenario for a more immersive experience.
For example, when attending class, players should make sure to have their school robes on, and if your character is a dark witch or wizard, consider only wearing Dark Arts-themed clothing while out in secret. Weather is also an important factor and as the seasons change throughout the year at Hogwarts, think about different clothing options for the time of the year and also the time of the day. Hoods can also be worn up or down, which is perfect for when it starts raining.
Hogwarts Legacylaunches February 10 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X, April 4 for PS4 and Xbox One, and July 25 for Nintendo Switch. Game Rant was provided with a PS5 code for this review.
