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FEATURE GAMING

important to note that everything was meant to sound like it belongs in the same

We’re most excited to give players a fresh ’new student’ experience at Hogwarts

universe of themes you’re already familiar with. The

furthest we stretch that is where we deal with concepts and magic that

fans have not seen before, to make sure we bring something new to your own experience.” With so much to explore and discover, we wondered whether Tew could single out any personal favourite areas in Hogwarts Legacy . “It sounds like an easy answer, but I adore Hogwarts itself,” enthuses Tew. “It has this way of unfolding for you over the course of not only the game, but multiple playthroughs. I’m on something like my fifth recent playthrough of the game and I’m still discovering new things about the school that I hadn’t realised before. The team has really done a massive job with the most famous school of Witchcraft and Wizardry.” What about a favoured spell? “I swear that also changes every time I play the game,” Tew laughs. “Lately, I’ve been enjoying Glacius more than in prior playthroughs. It has a few ’secret’ uses in the game that are less obvious on first playthrough, and after spending talents on it, I’ve found a really juicy combo with it that’s a joy to exploit on the battlefield.” As well as enjoying the fruits of many years of toil, Tew also hopes that players who get deeply into Hogwarts Legacy may rediscover their love for all things Wizarding World. “More than anything else, I look forward to players returning to the books and movies after having explored the game. It really changes your relationship with the source material when you’ve been to the locations that it references or you’re trying to find locations that were mentioned or seen. When I watch the movies or read the books now, they feel like they’re about places I’ve lived in, and it’s a remarkably nostalgic experience that only sweetens my relationship to a world I was already in love with.”

HOGWARTS LEGACY 101 Tew was delighted to share some hot tips for budding witches and wizards. Generally, I’d say that exploration really pays off. Try to get lost as often as you can. More specifically, make sure you have some money saved up when the broom unlocks because you’ll want as little time between it being accessible and purchased. Finally, pay attention to the fine print in some of our menus. There’s some extremely useful functionality that doesn’t take centre-stage in a game with as many features as we offer, but small things—like being able to summon a beast on command in your Vivarium—come in extremely handy and reward attentive players.

• Hogwarts Legacy is out on Feb 10

options that have unfolded before them, over time.”

Being a game set in the Wizarding World we can look forward to casting spells and cooking up potions, but there are also clever combat elements to master. “In Hogwarts Legacy it’s more about manipulating an enemy into a state of invulnerability, for example by striking with a specific spell when an enemy attacks in a specific way. Also central to your combat consideration is how you defend yourself, either with dodges or Protego. This combination of defence and opportunistic offense means the combat is about maintaining a defensive dance while looking for opportunities to capitalise on moments of weakness, which makes it feel a bit more like long-range fencing,” Tew explains. “From that foundation, talents start building on spells you learn and over time create a specific approach to the battlefield that better suits your specific playstyle. Things like potions and combat plants act almost like an override in this schema, where players who decide to make an investment crafting magical tools before battle are heavily rewarded by their impact in battle.” A lot of time was spent nailing this balance. “The balance was difficult to get right,” admits Tew, “but we’re quite proud of where we landed, and we look forward to hearing from fans about their experience with it. We hope everyone feels it successfully captures the feeling of a Wizarding duel.” Beyond gameplay, naturally graphics and sound can make all the difference to a gaming experience. With several established orchestral thtmes courtesy of the Harry Potter movies, some of what we’ll be hearing will be familiar. But there’s much that's new to discover, too. “There are already-established themes that you will hear in the game, but most of the music is original,” says Tew. “However, it’s

YOU’VE GOT HEAD ON YOU! Shaun of the Dead legend Simon Pegg finally gets to join

the Wizarding World in Hogwarts Legacy , giving voice to the not particularly popular headmaster Phineas Nigellus Black .

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