Jam City launched its new Harry Potter game — ‘Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery’ globally yesterday, and naturally, I checked it out. How could I not, being a lifelong Harry Potter fan?
If I had high expectations due to all the hype Jam City had created, the game promptly disappointed me in several ways.
The game started off well, with a cutscene showing Minerva McGonagall in her office, while a voiceover read a Hogwarts acceptance letter. Then, I found myself in Diagon Alley, with a boy named Rowan guiding me through purchasing books and a wand. That’s where I realized the game fell short of my hopes.
Despite not being truly open-world, I hoped for the freedom to explore the places I’ve been put in. However, the game only provides marked areas to tap on and clear objectives to proceed.
By the end of Diagon Alley, boredom set in.
Choosing my Hogwarts house, Ravenclaw, was the sole highlight amidst numerous missed opportunities within the game.
Every action within the game is predominantly a tap-tap experience. Conversations? Tap on desired dialogue. During lessons? Tap on highlighted objects to complete tasks and, consequently, the lesson. In Charms class, I spent a minute or two tapping to fill the star meter and complete the lesson.
The energy meter in Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery is crucial. Every action hinges on it. While it refills over time, its purpose is clear: to encourage purchasing extra energy for progression. This becomes especially frustrating during classes or encounters with Devil’s Snare, where running out of energy means either buying more or waiting for a refill.
Regrettably, monotony sets in swiftly. Unless money is spent on energy, the gameplay experience suffers due to poorly executed microtransactions.
People’s reactions to specific dialogues often fall short of expectations. In my first Charms class with Flitwick, when asked if I intended to follow the rules, I bluntly replied “No.” Flitwick’s response? A simple directive to take my seat. A first-year’s audacity met with such a lackluster reaction? But that’s not all.
In Potions, my cauldron exploded due to Slytherin sabotage. When Snape questioned my failure, I boldly accused him: “It’s your fault.” Severus Snape, confronted with my assertion, docked 10 points from Ravenclaw, end of story.
That’s laughable. Severus Snape doesn’t tolerate cheek, especially not from a first-year who can’t brew a simple cure for boils. If this is a choice-based game, it fails miserably. Maybe once I’ve unlocked most of Hogwarts I can roam freely, but I’m not willing to waste time hoping it improves. Gameplay-wise, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery falls flat. There are better uses for your time, but if you’re a Harry Potter fan, you might find it irresistible. The game is available on both Android and iOS.
Download Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery on Android or iOS (Free)
Pritam Chopra is a seasoned IT professional and a passionate blogger hailing from the dynamic realm of technology. With an insatiable curiosity for all things tech-related, Pritam has dedicated himself to exploring and unraveling the intricacies of the digital world.
