Hogwarts Legacy review — 1890s-set prequel is a step forward for ...

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You’re several days into your first term at Hogwarts. You’ve already had a run-in with a dragon, a surprise trip through a portkey and a dramatic encounter deep in the vaults of Gringotts Wizarding Bank. And now you’ve got charms homework to do.

It is to the credit of Hogwarts Legacy, the open-world role-playing game set within the Harry Potter universe a century before the events of the books, that none of these engagements feels less exciting than the previous ones. In a title where action and adventure can be found around most corners, there is much to be said for simply exploring the hallowed castle, attending lessons and putting yourself in the shoes of a normal student.

There’s nothing entirely normal in the wizarding world, of course. You’ve arrived at the school as a fifth-year pupil in the 1890s, apparently the first to be admitted at so late a stage. Before term started, you’d been under the care of the mysterious Professor Fig (rather loose care, if the dragon is anything to go by), but your background is otherwise something of a question mark. Oh, and you just happen to be able to wield powerful, ancient magic that others cannot.

Your exploits do not go unnoticed by the forces of evil — in this case, the goblin Ranrok and the dark wizard Rookwood, who seem determined to harness the magic for themselves. Their never-ending army of goons — along with all manner of fantastic beasts — will put your wandwork to the test as you make use of a growing arsenal of spells to defeat your foes, from mainstays such as expelliamus and stupefy to the topsy-turvy flipendo and the fiery confringo.

The books’ “unforgivable curses” are there too, if you’re feeling the call of the dark side. How exactly using avada kedavra differs ethically from hurling an explosive barrel at someone’s head is presumably for the Ministry of Magic to decide. On the whole, however, the game manages to ride a difficult line between offering meaningfully punchy combat and telling a sympathetic story from the perspective of a teenage student.

The castle and grounds are faithfully rendered and expanded (devoted fans may sort themselves into Hufflepuff just to see what the common room looks like), and there is no shortage of fan service. The Weasleys are there in the form of a deputy headmistress and an explosion-prone pupil, while Potterish round-rimmed glasses are conspicuously available. But it’s all sufficiently adorned in late-19th-century styling to feel novel, and there’s also the whole of Hogsmeade and the wider Hogwarts Valley to explore.

You’ll need a time-turner just to stay on top of everything the game throws at you. Completing assignments for professors unlocks new spells, which are both required for future quests and just part of the fun. Skills and apparel will improve your abilities, even if you look increasingly as if you’ve had an altercation with a dressing-up box, the more you layer on the latter. Then there are magical plants to be tended, constellations to be compiled, riddles to be solved courtesy of Merlin himself, and brooms to be ridden — though, fair warning, the hapless headmaster (voiced by Simon Pegg) has banned Quidditch when you arrive, much to the outrage of the students.

Greater controversy lies outside the game. Whether as a result of JK Rowling’s views on transgender people (the author did not write the story, but developers “collaborated closely” with her team on it) or perceptions of antisemitism in the universe’s characterisation of goblins, some gamers have promised to boycott the title altogether.

For many others, it seems safe to assume, the lure of a Hogwarts homecoming will prove too strong. Hogwarts Legacy is a polished and prolific return to the Wizarding World, underpinned by the charm of a familiar universe but advanced by an original story. Minor annoyances, such as occasionally staccato cutscenes, or an awkward-to-navigate map of the castle, do little to break the spell.

Forget Lego tie-ins or gimmicky PlayStation Move integration that forces you to flail your wingardium leviosas across the living room — this is the most ambitious game ever to emerge from the series. Just when the franchise seemed to be flagging, Hogwarts Legacy proves there’s magic yet in the Wizarding World.

★★★★☆

‘Hogwarts Legacy’ is available now for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S