Reviews of "Hogwarts Legacy" have been released, and it turns out that many people like open-world wizards. The game has been in development at Avalanche for years and is a major attempt by Warner Bros. to establish the Harry Potter game world. While there have been games with movie tie-ins before, this one is completely separate and distinct from the ongoing movie franchise.

The review codes for this game arrived only a few days before the ban was lifted, so some sites have not yet posted reviews, but those that have have are almost universally positive. Hogwarts Castle was particularly praised, and nearly everyone appreciated the game's recreation of the iconic wizarding school, but everything from the imaginative missions to the quick spell combinations in combat seemed to impress; PC Gamer's review is ongoing (opens in a new tab).

IGN: 9 (opens in new tab)

"Hogwarts Legacy is, in almost every respect, the Harry Potter RPG I've always wanted to play. Its open-world adventure captures all the excitement and wonder of the Wizarding World, with memorable new characters, challenging and nuanced combat, and wonderfully directed Hogwarts raw fantasy that kept me glued to my controller for dozens of hours. Sure, technical issues, a lackluster main storyline, and a small variety of enemies weigh heavily, but that didn't stop it from breaking the spell that kept me enthralled.

Evening Standard: 4/5 (opens in new tab)

"The game is bursting at the seams to pick up hobbies. People like potions. Spend hours creating new potions by collecting and growing ingredients from all over the game's vast world map (the Scottish Highlands around Hogwarts cover quite a bit of ground). If animals are your thing, try taming more exotic animals like thestrals, hippogriffs, or even mooncalfs. For those who like combat, you can also find a camp of bandits and wipe them out.

Metro: 4/5 (open in new tab)

"The combination of lush landscapes and the seemingly endless things to do in them brings a sparkle to the Harry Potter game that has long been missing. Unbound by the source material, we meet the Weasleys and their various ancestors from the modern era of Hogwarts, but the story is never tied to them.

Gamerant: 4/5 (opens in new tab)

"The developers have brought Hogwarts Castle to life and perfectly captured the aesthetic of the Harry Potter franchise. Coupled with the Harry Potter musical score that everyone knows and loves, Avalanche has created a special atmosphere that will completely enthrall franchise fans. You could spend hours just walking around the school and sightseeing."

Tom's Hardware: 4/5 (opens in new tab)

"If you have any appreciation for the Harry Potter franchise, I can easily recommend The Hogwarts Legacy, a labor of love from Avalanche Software's development team. It is clear that this is the work of the development team at Avalanche Software, and their respect for the source material shines through. The chance to explore Hogwarts as recreated in this game is worth the price of admission for Pottermaniacs.

GamesRadar+: 3.5/5 (opens in new tab)

"Like many modern action role-playing games, The Hogwarts Legacy suffers from bloat outside of the core (and often highly imaginative) mission sets suffers from the same problem. The deeper the adventure, the emptier the sidequests, the more monotonous the activities (magic unlocking is not one of them), and the sparser the environments: in "Hogwarts Legacy," an entirely new area, the Poydosia Coast, is not only beautiful but also barren. "

VGC: 4/5 (opens in new tab)

"Avalanche Software's game is to 'Harry Potter' what 'Middle Earth Shadow of Mordor' is to 'Lord of the Rings. Both giant franchises had to wait decades to get huge, excellent video game adaptations, each almost exactly what fans have been asking for since the early 2000s. They are nostalgic without being nostalgic. It pays homage to the franchise without playing the hits, and there's no disputing that it's the strongest piece of Wizarding World media since the film was completed over a decade ago."

GameReactor: 8/10 (opens in new tab)

"It's the game we Harry Potter fans have long dreamed of and deserve. You can delve into different aspects of the adventure and play it your way. If you prefer stealth over action, you can level up your character to excel at stealth, and if you like magical Rambo, there are tools for that as well."[8

Gamespew: 8/10 (open in new tab)

"Hogwarts Legacy is the closest any of us will ever get to actually attending Hogwarts, and what a magical experience it is. It was obviously created with love and the attention to detail is phenomenal. It's not without its problems, of course, but very little gets in the way of the overall experience. It's gorgeous to look at, it's fun to play, and being a wizard is just as much fun as I'd hoped it would be."

CBR.com: unrated (open in new tab)

"For better or worse, Hogwarts Legacy feels like the ultimate chance to explore and tour the wizarding world from scratch. At its best, it's reminiscent of The Ring of Elden or The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, allowing players to simply explore the wide world, discover who they want to be, and learn more about the setting in the process. Even when the game slows down, it still feels like a fun, open-ended tour of a well-constructed fantasy world, and the solid gameplay and impressive overall graphics do a great job of immersing the player in the world."[17

GodisaGeek: 9/10 (opens in new tab)

"'Hogwarts Legacy' does something that few games do these days and kept me thinking about it while I wasn't playing. Even as I write this, I want to go back to Hogwarts to solve puzzles and explore. The exploration was very satisfying, as was the combat, and the way it captured my imagination with its originality, freedom, and characters is nothing short of remarkable. Avalanche nailed everything about this game.

PushSquare: 8/10 (open in new tab)

"Hogwarts Legacy has made the hopes and dreams of Harry Potter fans a reality. You can create your own students, attend classes, and explore the vast landscape outside. It is not without its problems, such as side quests that are too basic, poor menus, and annoying timers that detract from the player's experience, but they do not get in the way of the overt love for the original work. Nearly 26 years after "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone" hit bookshelves, video game fans finally have a magical title to be proud of. It has everything we've dreamed of."

PureXbox: 9/10 (open in new tab)

"'Hogwarts Legacy' always seemed to struggle to live up to the hype, but somehow Avalanche Software has managed to make a game based on the 'Harry Potter' franchise so far succeeded in delivering an absolutely stunning open-world adventure that will undoubtedly go down as the best of the bunch"