Hogwarts: Legacy

[Dragon Lord]

So I got far enough into the game to start encountering the spooders. They are lovely. I should get my sister to play this game, she would love them.

I have to say I'm really loving the combat in this game. Chaining spells and doing all sorts of fun combos is just really satisfying. I don't even have half of the spells unlocked yet and it's already really fun, gonna be nuts once I have access to everything.

I also finally unlocked broom flying, so now I can explore the world! Though I might wait until I unlock my beast to really start digging in to the exploration.

[Ravenfreak]

My spouse is a die hard Harry Potter fan and has been dreaming of a game like Hogwarts Legacy for years now. They've been enjoying HL so far! I'm not much of a Harry Potter fan, so I've been watching them play HL here and there. I did make my own character and checked out the Ravenclaw dormitory just to see what it looks like. They're about 49% done with their challenges and they're at level 29. They are a Slytherin btw.

[Dragon Lord]

So I don't know how I've missed them for the last five days, but according to articles around, Hogwarts Legacy has sold over 12 million copies in its first two weeks, generating over an estimated $850 million USD.

This is without the PS4 and Switch versions as well, so those will add some good numbers on top of it all, especially the Switch version.

Apparently the game continued to stay hot and beat out Atomic Heart's sales in its debut as well.

Look forward to seeing it break the $1 billion mark soon.

[aerodynamik]

After hearing news about the delay on PS4, I decided to go buy a PS5 today. So, I'm installing as we speak. I figured the delay to May will probably be extended again.

[Dragon Lord]

Honestly, a pretty good buy. PS5 is an awesome console. Even with my beastly computer, I still play my PS5 a hell of a lot. You definitely won't regret getting it to play HL either, it's been an amazing game and so much fun to experience. Hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think once you've sunk your teeth into it a little bit.

[Moonface]

After hearing news about the delay on PS4, I decided to go buy a PS5 today. So, I'm installing as we speak. I figured the delay to May will probably be extended again.

I hadn't heard about the last-gen versions being delayed, but it doesn't surprise me. If they're having troubles with the PS4 and XBO versions though, it doesn't bode well for how the Switch version will turn out.
Congrats on the PS5 by the way! At least when you decided to get one the shortages were over so you didn't need to wait who-knows-how-long to get your hands on one.

[aerodynamik]

After hearing news about the delay on PS4, I decided to go buy a PS5 today. So, I'm installing as we speak. I figured the delay to May will probably be extended again.

I hadn't heard about the last-gen versions being delayed, but it doesn't surprise me. If they're having troubles with the PS4 and XBO versions though, it doesn't bode well for how the Switch version will turn out.
Congrats on the PS5 by the way! At least when you decided to get one the shortages were over so you didn't need to wait who-knows-how-long to get your hands on one.

Thanks! I waited until the console was available with an extra controller and no games that I didn't need in a pack. It was only 509€ and I had some coupons from the store so only paid 300€. Bargain.

[Moonface]

After hearing news about the delay on PS4, I decided to go buy a PS5 today. So, I'm installing as we speak. I figured the delay to May will probably be extended again.

I hadn't heard about the last-gen versions being delayed, but it doesn't surprise me. If they're having troubles with the PS4 and XBO versions though, it doesn't bode well for how the Switch version will turn out.
Congrats on the PS5 by the way! At least when you decided to get one the shortages were over so you didn't need to wait who-knows-how-long to get your hands on one.

Thanks! I waited until the console was available with an extra controller and no games that I didn't need in a pack. It was only 509€ and I had some coupons from the store so only paid 300€. Bargain.

Huh, for some reason I was under the impression you lived in the US and not Europe. No idea why.
I assume you've played the game to some extent by now, so how are you finding it so far and what house did you pick?

Also has anyone opted to take the dark route available in the game at all? I'm curious if it really makes any difference to the overall game/plot at all or if it's yet another case of false player choice.

[Dragon Lord]

I'm not sure what the "dark route" is yet, as I've avoided any spoilers about the story and I still have a ways to go myself, but I do have one of the forbidden curses (Crucio), and can confirm that using the spell around other characters in the game has no effect. They have no reaction to it one way or the other.

I'm sure some people are disappointed by it, but I like it better that way. If it some how negatively affected anything, then that would lock players out of using the best spells in the game. Dark Arts break any type of shield and there's some really awesome combinations you can do with them + the talents you can learn for them. Like for example, you can learn the perk that causes Crucio to curse its target, then there is a talent that lets you spread that curse to other enemies by normal attacking, and finally there's a talent that will let the Killing Curse (forgot the name) kill all targets who are cursed at the time of casting. So you can just instantly fuck an entire group of enemies instantly.

Oh, I suppose "going down the dark route" could be when you're asked if you want to learn Crucio, in which case, of course I did! There's no way I'm not getting and using the absolute hell out of the killing curse.

[Moonface]

I'm not sure what the "dark route" is yet, as I've avoided any spoilers about the story and I still have a ways to go myself, but I do have one of the forbidden curses (Crucio), and can confirm that using the spell around other characters in the game has no effect. They have no reaction to it one way or the other.

I'm sure some people are disappointed by it, but I like it better that way. If it some how negatively affected anything, then that would lock players out of using the best spells in the game. Dark Arts break any type of shield and there's some really awesome combinations you can do with them + the talents you can learn for them. Like for example, you can learn the perk that causes Crucio to curse its target, then there is a talent that lets you spread that curse to other enemies by normal attacking, and finally there's a talent that will let the Killing Curse (forgot the name) kill all targets who are cursed at the time of casting. So you can just instantly fuck an entire group of enemies instantly.

Oh, I suppose "going down the dark route" could be when you're asked if you want to learn Crucio, in which case, of course I did! There's no way I'm not getting and using the absolute hell out of the killing curse.

Crucio I believe is the spell used on Neville's parents in the books/movies, while the killing spell you're looking for the name of is Avada Kedavra (I can't believe you forgot it! XD).

Seems like a missed opportunity to not have any cons to using the dark arts though. I feel like it could have at least been handled in a way where it changes the ending you get and some of the story beats, so that players aren't locked out of anything too much. I only really have issue with its handling though because I dislike it when games fluff up the idea of "choice and consequences" and then nothing actually matters. It's a cheap way of trying to appear like a game offers choice when it really doesn't; using forbidden curses meaning less than picking your house is just nonsensical.

How far into the game are you at this point DL?

[Dragon Lord]

I actually finished the platinum for the game on... Wednesday morning, I think?

Overall I really loved the game. It has its issues and weaknesses like any other game does, but over all I felt that there was a lot of quality with this game. It has the same issues that every other open world game does, but I felt like the world of Hogwarts Legacy was more... I'm not really sure how to put it. Even though it does suffer from the same problems as other open world games, it just felt like everything else about it was of a higher quality. The only other open world game that I actually truly fell in love with the world was Ghost of Tsushima, so to have played that not too long ago and then follow that up with Hogwarts Legacy's world has been an absolute treat. By suffering from the same problem as any other open world game, I mean lack of enemy variety, same-y dungeons, and the same handful of puzzles copy/pasted across the land.

There's definitely some improvements I'd like to see in a potential sequel though. While HL was amazing, it never hurts to go further and make the next one even better. I'd like to see more enemy variety, there's tons of other creatures in the HP world that they could have used, like the Basilisk. While it gets mentioned in the game, you never actually get to encounter/fight one and I found that a little disappointing. The second thing I'd like to see improved upon is better puzzle variety. I understand that it'd be asking for a lot to have every single puzzle in the world be unique, but I just felt that the puzzle variety in HL was too limited.

I'd like to see some expansion to the combat as well. Not sure if this would be with more spell variety, or if by just revamping the system to make spell combos feel more fulfilling. I felt like eventually I just stuck to the same spells instead of making use of most of my arsenal. It didn't help that high tier enemies were immune to the effects of things like the floating spells, the slow spell and the freezing spell. So instead you just stick to the big boi damaging spells. At least until you unlock Avada Kedavra and you can do the OP Cruxio > normal attacks to spread the curse > Avada Kedarva to instantly kill all cursed enemies.

The equipment system could used a complete overhaul as well. There's an upgrade system that I never even made use out outside of trophy requirements just because I felt it was completely pointless. Due to equipment dropping constantly, of varying rarities, and most of the time when you find something good, you're going to find something better about 10 minutes later, just made collecting and using the resources to upgrade absolutely pointless.

As for forgetting the name of the spell: I'm not a huge HP fan so I don't know/remember most of the spells and such like that, haha. Prior to playing HL, I wouldn't have been able to give you the names of any of the forbidden magics. As for cons using the dark magic, I can understand why they didn't. It'd be a lot of work to code the entire game to have every NPC in the game act different towards you for using the dark arts. Also, with how the game's story plays out, there's no room to have different endings, so that would make it complicated as well. I think they could probably use the reason that nobody reacts too badly to you using dark magic is that the game taking place so far in the past, perhaps people weren't as adverse to those spells then as they were after the Voldemort events. I believe I had one of the characters that I had with me during a quest comment like, "Oh, so you're not afraid to use those spells?" or something of that nature, but that was it. Your house choice doesn't have much effect on the game over all either, aside from what dorm you have access to and the first half of one quest will change depending on the house you're in, but the second half of the quest is the same across all houses.

Perhaps in a potential sequel, they could add more story routes that change depending on what you do. They'll have more experience then and perhaps more confidence after the success of HL to go bigger and better with all the content in the game. They can use this as a stepping stone to making something even grander. I saw someone say they'd like a sequel to not follow a student in Hogwarts, but instead perhaps play the role of an Auror working for the Ministry of Magic, which I agree with. While it was fun exploring Hogwarts, it'd be cool if a sequel went beyond that and we got to see so much more of the wizarding world. Maybe even make it so that you're technically playing as the HL protag, but after they graduate Hogwarts and have become an Auror. Be able to go and explore more places like Diagon Alley and Azkaban.

My biggest fear for a sequel would probably be them being too afraid to push the boundaries and change things up too much because of how successful HL was. Hope they don't just settle for trying to strike gold with the same product a second time.

[Dragon Lord]

So the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game are set to release next week. We haven't heard an updated sales figure from WB after they announced the game sold 12 million copies and made $850+ million in its first two weeks (I'm assuming that's over $1 billion by now), but I expect to see a massive spike to the game's numbers with the PS4 version. That's a huge userbase that hasn't been able to play the game yet.

Apparently WB will release a financial report on May 8th, so we should learn more about the game's numbers from that prior to the PS4/XBox One versions. I could see it having reached the 15 million mark since, and the PS4 version could easily boost that over the 20 million mark.

Then of course we still have the Switch version to come which will be a boost in sales once again (pending they can get then game running well on such weak hardware). It's going to be very interesting to see what the numbers for this game are going to be by the end of it all. I read something that the game has already sold like 250% better than WB expected, and that's just in the first three months with half of the versions of the game not being released.

One benefit of having purchased the game digitally on PS5 is that I get the PS4 version for free, so I can double dip on that platinum trophy at some point. Though too bad there's no PS5 > PS4 file transfer so I can't auto-pop all of the trophies like you can do with PS4 > PS5 transfer, haha.

[Moonface]

Warner Bros. announced today this game has surpassed $1 billion in sales. Not surprising given the size of the IP, and today is when the last-gen versions release so I don't even know if this milestone is even including any sales of those copies or not.

The main reason I wanted to post in here though was to share the notes for the newest patch that released yesterday: https://portkeygamessupport.wbgames.com/...4407055251
I wanted to share them because I checked them out randomly because I was bored and have to say this is how patch notes should be for a game. Can't remember the last time I saw patch notes that had "General Bug Fixes" and actually broke down in detail what was actually fixed rather than just leaving details of that sort of stuff out except for major bug fixes and leaving players to figure out for themselves what was and wasn't changed.

[Dragon Lord]

Yes, those sales numbers are all from just the PS5/XSX/PC versions of the game. Now they are going to have a MASSIVE PS4 userbase dipping into the game and that's going to skyrocket these numbers. Then the crazy thing to think is that they still won't be done, as they'll still have the Switch version and another MASSIVE player base there to dip their toes in.

The numbers for this game should be pretty crazy come the end of the year.

Man, these devs just don't miss. Those patch notes are wonderfully detailed, and I love that they broke them all down between general and then system specific things. Not surprised to see them add an Arachnophobia mode either. I kept saying to people when playing the game myself that anyone with even mild arachnophobia probably wouldn't be able to play the game because of of the spiders. I don't even have it myself and there were times in the game where I got the willies from the spiders, haha. Out of all the games I've ever played with giant spider enemies, this game's ones were definitely the most... unsettling? Definitely not a game my sister would be able to play, haha.

These devs and the game just keep racking up the Ws. You. Love. To. See. It.

[Dragon Lord]

Hogwarts Legacy breaks 14-year streak, beating out Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 as the best selling game in the US in 2023.

For the first time since 2008, a game other than Call of Duty or a game from Rockstar has ended the year as the #1 best selling game in the United States. The last non-CoD/Rockstar game to be the #1 best seller was Rockband way back in 2008.

Warner Bros. also announced a week or so ago that Hogwarts Legacy earned another 2 million copies sold in December of 2023, putting it over the 22,000,000 mark for the year.