19 Moments From "Hogwarts Legacy" That Made Me Miss The Magic Of The "Harry Potter" Films

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In perhaps the most emotionally rich story in Hogwarts Legacy, your character (known as the “Fifth Year” throughout the game) is embroiled in the family drama of Sebastian Sallow, whose devotion to curing his sister’s curse sends him down an unthinkably dark path. It’s a critical story that tests the morals of the player and showcases that Hogwarts Legacy can offer narratives worthy of standing next to those of the Harry Potter books and films.

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One of the more iconic creatures from the Harry Potter franchise, players can interact with Hippogriffs in many ways throughout Hogwarts Legacy, whether it's saving them from poachers, riding them around the Wizarding World, or even learning to bow in their presence. In fact, players can even breed Hippogriffs in their Room of Requirement, which allows you to see baby Hippogriffs which are just the cutest.

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Of all the families in the Wizarding World to prominently appear in this prequel game, it feels incredibly fitting to see two ancestors of Ron Weasley, named Matilda and Garreth, respectively, appear throughout your adventures in Hogwarts Legacy. Much like Rupert Grint in the Harry Potter films, both characters sport the family’s trademark red hair and pale skin, though Garreth has more of a penchant for mischief, and Matilda is far more “by-the-book.”

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In one of the best scenes from the Harry Potter films, a young Harry selects his wand from Garrick Ollivander, an eccentric wand shop owner who pairs the wizard with his perfect spell-casting tool. Of course, Hogwarts Legacy offers each player the opportunity to recreate this scene in the comfort of their own home, watching their Fifth Year as they obtain and customize the wand of their dreams.

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Another direct relative to a prominent figure in the Harry Potter universe is Phineas Black, the strict and thorny headmaster of Hogwarts in Hogwarts Legacy. While the character himself bears a resemblance to Gary Oldman's take on his descendent, Sirius Black, in the Harry Potter films, Hogwarts Legacy brings in another esteemed performer to voice the wary administrator in Shaun of the Dead actor Simon Pegg.

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Harry Potter fans were all very curious about how Hogwarts Legacy would portray unforgivable curses, with some skeptical that the game would even allow you to use such spells given the weighted nature of their consequences. However, the game not only lets Wizards use multiple unforgivable curses, including Crucio and Avada Kedavra, but the latter curse even replicates the green magical lightning as portrayed in the film series.

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The films in the Harry Potter franchise never were afraid to get scary at times, from evil imposters to giant spiders to the murderous Voldemort all getting their chance to disturb viewers. Hogwarts Legacy lives up to that promise as well, with legions of terrifying giant spiders, re-animated corpses, and even a Playstation-exclusive quest that's literally nightmare fuel ("Minding Your Own Business"), so it's best to not play at night if you're easily scared.

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Throughout Hogwarts Legacy, you'll be tasked with collecting and safeguarding various beasts across the realm, including several you may recognize from the film series. In fact, you even have the opportunity to collect a Phoenix, which is certainly the spitting image of the one you may have witnessed in Dumbledore's office in previous Harry Potter movies.

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Even though you can sandbox the hell out of Hogwarts Legacy, you still have to attend your classes, from Herbology to Potions to, yes, Defense Against the Dark Arts. The latter absolutely comes in handy when duking it out with malevolent wizards and creatures you'll encounter throughout your journey, but even sparring with classmates evokes some of the more memorable sequences in the Harry Potter films.

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Though Hagrid is not yet present in the Harry Potter universe during Hogwarts Legacy, you can still find the instantly recognizable Groundkeeper's Hut at the edge of the forest outside of Hogwarts in the game. Sadly, his creatures aren't anywhere to be seen either, but if you're really missing Hagrid's beasties, you can still stream the movies anytime or even see them live and in-action on the unbelievably fun Hagrid's Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure at Universal's Islands of Adventure in Orlando.

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Any die-hard Harry Potter fan will absolutely lose it at the chance to delve deep into the Forbidden Forest, which is stunningly recreated and expanded upon in Hogwarts Legacy. Including aggressive centaurs, spider's dens, unicorns, and plenty of other interesting (and dangerous) secrets, be prepared to spend a lot of time venturing into the Forbidden Forest within the game, especially outside of the main quests.

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So we have good news and bad news; the bad news is that you cannot play Quidditch in Hogwarts Legacy, as the competition is banned at Hogwarts during this period of the past. The good news is the legendary Hogwarts Quidditch Pitch is still on the property, which you can explore and fly around at your leisure, although you might find yourself seeking out the Harry Potter films soon thereafter to quench your thirst for high-flying Quidditch action.

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The appearance of trolls in Hogwarts Legacy shouldn't surprise most Harry Potter fans, given the creature's prominence in the property's lore. But this writer would be lying if he said his encounters with the formidable foe throughout Hogwarts Legacy didn't immediately remind him of the bathroom skirmish in the inaugural Wizarding World picture.

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We all remember the first time we heard the wretched cries of the Mandrake Plant in Chamber of Secrets, which is probably why Portkey Games made sure to include the ear-splitting creature prominently in Hogwarts Legacy. But while the developer could have easily utilized them as obnoxious environmental threats, they actually allow players to weaponize Mandrake Plants against enemies in a rather inspired decision.

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Hogwarts has always had several secrets behind its walls, and in the later Harry Potter films, one of the more advantageous secrets came in the many forms of the Room of Requirement, where Harry helped prepare his peers to battle Voldemort's loyalists and, later, to find one of Voldemort's Horcruxes. The Room of Requirement is equally essential in Hogwarts Legacy, as the Fifth Year utilizes it to create potions, grow plants, provide sanctuary to beasts, and upgrade one's gear for various types of offense and defense maneuvers.

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You could likely spend hours of gameplay in Hogwarts Legacy going through the castle and interacting with the many living portraits adorning the walls. You may even notice a few familiar faces, even if the bigger characters from the films may be notably absent, but the game's creative license to additionally use these portraits for world-building is a true gift to lifelong Harry Potter fans.

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Few moments set the tone for the Harry Potter extended universe better than the Hogwarts Sorting Ceremony, which doubles as the perfect introduction to Hogwarts Legacy following a prologue that throws you in the thick of it. In an even more fun twist, your decision for your respective House even affects moments throughout the game, from character interactions to interactive house common areas to even hard-to-find easter eggs, such as the Basilisk slithering around Slytherin's common room at night.