Hogwarts Legacy Hands-On Previews – First Impression Round Up

After months of hype and speculation, some gaming outlets finally got their hands on Hogwarts Legacy for a gameplay preview. The preview, which lasted about an hour and a half, took journalists through much of the early game, including character creation, the opening cutscene, a quest later in the game, and quite a few mechanics. It gives us the first look at what outsiders think of the game, and the first impressions seem to quite positive on first blush, though some of the more cautious players voiced some reservations due to the limited scope of the preview.

Here are all the outlets which previewed the game, and a quote summarizing their overall feelings so far, when relevant:

Articles

• IGN (The Final Preview): “I can say with confidence that the Wizarding World has rarely looked better. The lilting charm, cockeyed whimsy, and high fantasy hijinks of Hogwarts Legacy in rendered with dogmatic servitude with the books, while the combat and exploration… is robust enough to rope in more casual fans of the fiction.”
• GamesRadar: “Great spell-casting and staggering scale could make this the ultimate wizard fantasy.”
• ScreenRant: “One of the most impressive things about Hogwarts Legacy is that keeps the player busy and feeling like they’re attending Hogwarts themselves.”
• GamesHub: “This is the game that long-time fans have waited several decades to see – an open-world adventure buoyed by modern technology advances, and a loving attention to detail.”
• The Loadout: “When it comes to the game, Hogwarts Legacy’s gameplay, world-building, and authenticity is incredible.”
• ComicBook.com: “Luckily, even if Hogwarts Legacy will end up having some of those growing pains in certain areas, based on what I’ve already played, the game seems poised to meet the lofty hopes that many fans have had for multiple years.”
• GamingBible: “It’s fair to say Hogwarts Legacy is the game Harry Potter fans have been waiting for their entire lives.”
• PSU: “Not that it really mattered during my hands-on with Portkey Games’ ambitious fantasy-RPG Hogwarts Legacy, as regardless whether you’re a Potter aficionado or casual fan, you feel instantly welcomed by this sumptuously-realised recreation of the Wizarding World.”
• PCGamesN: “As with public demos, it’s in the nature of game previews that we only see a slice of the game, and I enjoyed what I did see of Hogwarts Legacy… However, this one felt more restrictive than most, especially for an open-world game, and has left me with many unanswered questions.”
• GameReactor: “The Hogwarts we got to explore during the preview session felt at the same time impressive and, if not downright lifeless, then at least a little sterile.”
• VideoGamesSN: “I needed the freedom to do it my way, and that’s exactly what Hogwarts Legacy provides.”
• Player2.net: “This feels like a title put together by a highly talented team of developers who have set out to make a massively ambitious experience. All signs are positive so far, with my time with the game showcasing that there is a lot of potential here.”
• Press Start: “Hogwarts Legacy is set to be a very fresh and entertaining instalment in a rich world we’re already quite familiar with.”
• The Sun: “Hogwarts Legacy is the Harry Potter game fans have always wanted – it’s really that simple. It understands that fans of this universe just want the freedom to explore and live in it as much as they can.”
• Power-Up Gaming: “The possibility of living in a world that I could only dream of as a child is as enchanting as it sounds.”

Videos

• IGN (The Final Preview): “I can say with confidence that the Wizarding World has rarely looked better. The lilting charm, cockeyed whimsy, and high fantasy hijinks of Hogwarts Legacy in rendered with dogmatic servitude with the books, while the combat and exploration… is robust enough to rope in more casual fans of the fiction.”
• The Potter Collector: “I knew it would be good, but I’m very impressed. And I’m also impressed with my ability to pick it up so quickly, as a non-gamer; it’s very intuitive.”
• JorRaptor: “This feels like the Harry Potter game we’ve dreamed of for years, but I don’t think we should expect them to reinvent the wheel.”
• GamesRadar: “They are doing something different, and it looks great!”
• Caboose: “I think, all-in-all, this is going to be a pretty solid game.”
• GameRiot: “I need this game in my life.”
• Arekkz Gaming: “So overall, there’s a bunch of things to find and explore and all kinds of details hidden throughout.”
• XpectoGo: “It’s not only a fine addition to the Wizarding World, but also to the gaming community.”
• WizardPhD: “As a fan of the Wizaridng World and all its magic, I am completely in love with what I saw… I can see myself getting lost for hours. As a gamer who loves open-world exploration, there were a few moments where I bumped up against the limits of what we could do.”
• The Collecting Wizard: “Be ready for this game, because it is going to be amazing… This game is going to be off the charts.”
• KhrazeGaming: “For now, really solid impressions… I had a ton of fun playing it.”
• RetroReconteur: “So, all-in-all, I absolutely cannot wait to play more Hogwarts Legacy. I was particularly impressed, honestly, by the visuals… This truly felt like a new story, right up there with watching a new film.”
• PlayStation Access: “I left wanting more. Hogwarts Legacy is shaping up to be the open-world video game Harry Potter fans have been wishing for.”
• Aztecross Clips: “Overall, we very much enjoyed our experience with Hogwarts Legacy.”
• ESO: ESO becomes a dark wizard. Comedy video.
• Hollow: Early Walkthrough Gameplay
• JackFrags: Live Gameplay and Impressions
• AndyReloads: 10 Things You Need to Know

Overall, then, the first impressions most reviewers had were very positive. While quite a few noted just how little of the game they got to experience, leaving some room for issues to crop up, there is nearly a universal consensus that the game is at least pretty good, with some previews even going so far as to call the game a “perfect experience”. We will have to wait until the game releases on February 10th for PC, Xbox Series S|X, and PlayStation 5 to be sure, but, so far, things are looking pretty positive.

What do you think? Have these positive impressions helped win you over, or do you have some reservations about the game until release? Let us know in the comments below.