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A new Harry Potter game has hit the global market and is available for download as of today, June 27th, 2023. Harry Potter: Magic Awakened is a collectible card role-playing game where players take control of a new student at Hogwarts as they encounter beloved characters and locations from the books and movies. It seems the Harry Potter IP is here to stay and as popular as ever with the recent release of Hogwarts Legacy and a TV show reboot in the works. With that said, here’s everything you need to know about Harry Potter: Magic Awakened.
Is Harry Potter: Magic Awakened Fun?
Let’s get the most important question out of the way—is Harry Potter: Magic Awakened fun? Yes, it is. We personally weren’t expecting much when we first loaded it up, but we can safely say that it managed to hold our attention for the better part of the day, even with work looming overhead (don’t tell my supervisor).
The controls are pretty easy to grasp and reminded us of Honkai: Star Rail, another popular role-playing game that you might want to check out. The combat is intuitive, and blowing up monsters with spells like Incendio or calling a thunderstorm from the heavens is definitely fun. Easily the best part, though, is exploring the castle and other parts of the Harry Potter universe. It’s not as detailed as Hogwarts Legacy, but you’ll still have a blast running around.
Harry Potter: Magic Awakened Gameplay
One of the first things you’ll notice is the art style. Magic Awakened has a distinct art design that definitely feels Hogwartsy and magical. The game begins with Hagird picking you up from your house and taking you to the fabled Diagon Alley. At Diagon Alley, you’ll customize your character and pick an outfit for them to wear before heading off to Olivanders to pick up a wand and learn the basics of combat.
Combat in Magic Awakened is relatively straightforward. You can hit enemies with basic attacks or use cards to cast spells. Casting spells costs MP, which regenerates throughout the fight. It’s pretty easy to pick up how combat works in Magic Awakened, and we found ourselves getting into the groove of things after just a few fights.
After picking an owl from the Postman, you head off to Hogwarts on the train to choose your house and settle into your new home away from home. If you’re worried about which house is best to pick, you should know that it won’t affect your gameplay all that much. The game does warn you that you can only share a dorm with students of the same house, so if you’re trying to share a room with your friends, then it might be best to pick the same house as them.
The last bit of Magic Awakened we will talk about for now is the Dueling Club, which is exactly what it sounds like. You can test your deck and face off against opponents, both NPCs and real players. Test your might and adjust your deck as necessary to become the best witch or wizard in Hogwarts. If you feel yourself struggling, remember that you can upgrade your cards to deal more damage and be stronger.
Does Harry Potter: Magic Awakened Cost Money?
No, Harry Potter: Magic Awakened does not cost money. That said, there are microtransactions within the game that can help speed up your progress. They are completely optional, however, and you can easily enjoy the game as a free-to-play player.
When Does Harry Potter: Magic Awakened Take Place?
The game takes place after the events of the dynamic trio. There are even references to Harry, Ron, and Hermione throughout the game. For example, your first class is Charms with Filus Flitwick, who teaches you Wingardium Leviosa and tells the story of how Ron Weasley defeated a troll with the same spell. We don’t know exactly how long after the events of the books Magic Awakened takes place, but Hagrid, McGonagall, and Ollivander are still alive, so it can’t be too long after.
Where to Play Harry Potter: Magic Awakened
You can play Magic Awakened on your iOS or Android mobile device. It is a 2.5-gigabyte download, so make sure you have space available. If you’d rather play it on your computer, you can download a PC version from the official site here.
We suggest playing on a PC for the best experience, but it definitely runs smoothly on mobile devices if you’d rather play on the go or from the comfort of your couch. As of right now, Magic Awakened isn’t available on console.
If you’re a fan of Harry Potter, definitely give this game a shot, especially if you haven’t played Hogwarts Legacy, as it might just scratch that semi-open world Hogwarts itch.
