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Hogwarts Legacy is a name Harry Potter fans have been eager to learn more about since its announcement two years ago. The upcoming AAA open world entry, set in the Wizarding World IP crafted by author JK Rowling, is being handled by Avalanche Games (not to be confused with Avalanche Studios of Just Cause fame).
However, no release details are clear yet, aside from a vague, 2022 promised window. Whether players are newcomers to the popular wizards and magic series, or hardcore Potterheads - here are five of the best Harry Potter games you should check out while waiting for Hogwarts Legacy:
The best Harry Potter games to date
5) Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (PS2/XB/GC)
The third entry is visually and mechanically the most ambitious of the "Trilogy"; moving forward, future games in the franchise took a realistic turn (minus whatever Goblet of Fire was). There are different versions of the game for each main platform, but the console version made by EA UK is where the intrigue lies.
Narratively, it follows the third year of Harry Potter's adventures, with the main plot centering around the escape from Azkaban of the infamous criminal Sirius Black. Gameplay-wise, the player's progression is tied to obtaining new items (or rather spell books in this case) by completing dungeons, followed by grandiose boss fights.
Players can also control Harry's partners-in-crime Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, who each have unique puzzle solving abilities. The game also lets players fly throughout the game's open world environments using Hedwig, Harry's owl, and Buckbeak the Hippogriff.
4) Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (PC)
After a disappointing fourth entry, EA UK returned their sights to something truly ambitious with Order of the Phoenix. The fifth year in Hogwarts follows the gang as they rebel against Dolores Umbridge's diabolical rule over Hogwarts.
Calling themselves Dumbledore's Army, the gang finds themselves pulled into a storm brewing in the background that expands into the next three entries.
This entry is a departure from the others in the sense that Hogwarts is the main entity that players interact with. Harry (often with his partners in tow) can explore every nook and cranny of the intricately designed Hogwarts.
Harry can execute learned spells by waggling the mouse in specific directions - useful to find secrets, which grant Discovery Points to level him up. NPCs around the school can also be interacted with to undertake missions, including duels and matches.
The downside is that the game is ultimately little more than a chore simulator. Unlike previous entries, traversal, exploration and even combat is fairly mundane. The game lacks a sense of excitement with most quests involve Harry running around the castle doing menial tasks; even "secrets" consist of trivial tasks like mopping floors or repairing broken statues.
It's still worth checking out for the experience though, it isn't a bad game by any means. Just a note: avoid the PlayStation Portable rendition; despite how faithful it tries to be to the original version, Rebellion Development's cutdown for Sony's machine is one of the worst ports to exist on the handheld.
3) Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (PC)
Developer KnowWonder's take on JK Rowling's first tale about the Boy Who Lived tells the story of a neglected young boy who is whisked away to attend the magical school of Hogwarts.
The game is an action-adventure puzzle game, setting the foundation for the next couple of PC entries in the franchise. Harry attends classes to learn new spells and tackles numerous challenges in the form of intricate dungeons. Gameplay can be a tad basic with tank-like controls and any spell-casting pins Harry in place.
As for magic, each spell serves a different purpose: Flippendo is used to push objects, Lumos lights up gargoyle statues that highlight hidden platforms and Alohomora unlocks chests and doors. To make things tougher for Harry, there are a number of foes ranging from potato-esque gnomes to flame spewing fire crabs.
Visually, the game possesses an exceptionally vibrant art style that still holds up wonderfully despite its age. The vast array of colors are expertly melded together to make an eye-catching scene out of any screenshot.
Add in a beautiful soundtrack composed by Jeremy Soule (of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim fame), and this game becomes truly magical.
For a no-name developer, the amount of care put into this rendition of the Sorcerer's Stone is apparent through their attention to detail and the faithfulness with which set pieces are rendered. It might be the clunkiest entry on this list, but it's still well worth a play.
2) LEGO Harry Potter Years 1-4 & 5-7
LEGO games are often overlooked because of the stereotype that they cater to a younger audience. However, a handful of games produced by developer Traveler's Tales have achieved the status of cult classics. Harry Potter Years 1-4 and 5-7 can also be added to that list.
Together, both collections offer some of the best bang-for-your-buck experiences out there, and not just among its LEGO peers. They do contain 8 movies worth of content after all.
Shiny studs to collect? Over a hundred playable characters? Nostalgic yet humorously re-enacted movie/book set pieces? Simple but fun 3D platformer gameplay? Free-roam across vast levels? All the LEGO staples are accounted for.
Years 5-7 even improves upon its older brother, featuring enhanced visuals and a more streamlined combat/dueling system. LEGO fans know what to expect from these games, but even Potterhead newcomers will enjoy these games.
1) Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (PC)
Fans who have kept up with the many video game renditions of the Harry Potter series could have seen this one coming. The 2002 video game adaptation of the Chamber of Secrets is easily the best.
Harry Potter eagerly returns to Hogwarts for his second year, only to face many dangers in the form of a disembodied voice and numerous mysterious incidents involving petrified individuals.
Note that, like the first and third entries, this game has different versions depending on what platform it's played on, all made by different developers. That's the PS1, PS2/XB/GC, PC, Gameboy Color and Gameboy Advance, to be precise.
With that being said, the PC version is the best of the bunch. Also developed by KnowWonder, Chamber of Secrets is an all-around improvement over their work on Sorcerer's Stone, both mechanically and visually.
Akin to its predecessor, Chamber of Secrets is all about navigating 3D platforming environments, progressively learning new spells to solve puzzles, beating enemies, and collecting vibrant beans littered around Hogwarts. The castle also boasts an impressive number of secrets to uncover.
The visual presentation, while simple, is charming and effective. The dungeons are wonderfully crafted, striking a perfect balance between fair and challenging. Other mechanics like mini-games (Quidditch and Dueling), potion crafting, trading, etc tie into the exploration aspect.
Chamber of Secrets is a shining example of a perfect sequel. It not only improves upon its predecessor's mistakes, it does so with a confident flourish, resulting in a charming game that's deserving of more attention than a mere movie tie-in should get. That's why it's also the best Harry Potter game to date.
Hogwarts Legacy will be coming sometime this year for PS4, PS5, XB1, XSX|S and PC.
