Still, the sights are breathtaking as you ride high in the sky while the sun sets behind the spires of Hogwarts castle.

Although, perhaps stay out of the Forbidden Forest if you’re not fond of spiders. Then venture out into the highlands and dive into treasure-filled caves, puzzles that will put your magical knowledge to the test, and encampments full of dark wizards and dastardly poachers. Or, if you’d rather get the authentic British pub experience, pop into the Hog’s Head and get drooled on by a living pig head trophy hung on the wall. Head over to Honeydukes sweet shop and you wolf down a whole treacle tart in one bite and then take some candy that makes you levitate. Clothing stores with magical moving mannequins – and not the scary Skyrim kind – pose gracefully in the windows. Step into said shops and the wonder continues. Hogsmeade is there in all its glory, a fairy-tale village with crooked buildings, magical street performers, and an overabundance of colorful shops. Then I realized just how far the open world extends beyond the castle, and the level of detail never lets up. Students chatting away, playing games, and eating meals in the Great Hall while various magical props do their job never ceases to amaze. When I was first allowed to explore Hogwarts, I was overcome by the intense detail in every corner. The wizarding world has never felt more alive than in Hogwarts Legacy.

Polygon hogwarts legacy review