New iOS game brings players the Hogwarts acceptance letter the owls never could
By Clare Driscoll, ’19
Growing up in the 2000’s meant spending days longing for a letter from Hogwarts to whisk you away. Now, thanks to Werner Brother’s Online Entertainment and Portkey Games, it’s time to dust off wands and head to the wizarding world. The new iOS game “Hogwarts Mystery” can take every witch and wizard at heart to their dream school.
The plot of “Hogwarts Mystery” takes place in 1984, the period between Voldemort’s initial rise and Harry Potter’s time at Hogwarts. Because of this gap in time, players can attend school with many of the students and teachers from the series such as Bill Weasley and Professor Snape.
In most mobile games of this genre, players are stuck with a default character, but in “Hogwarts Mystery,” there are almost infinite customization abilities. Players can change small details from head shape to eye color. This may not seem like much, but this feature really enhances the gameplay because it allows the player to step right into the game.
This game also brings to life the majesty of Hogwarts. From dining in the great hall to taking potions class in the dungeons, players get the full school experience. There are many small details such as finding Nearly-Headless Nick in the halls that really make the game feel like a step into the wizarding world.
With many different missions, the game can be an enjoyable way to live the wizard lifestyle if you’re willing to pay. While the game is free, in order to finish quests faster or with better scores, extra energy points must be bought. Without buying extra points, players are stuck checking phones every few minutes to see if there is enough energy to finish the missions.
But all in all, “Hogwarts Mystery” is a great way for fans to continue their love for the wizarding world in an interactive way.