It seems like Harry Potter games nowadays are a dime a dozen. There have been multiple mobile games having released already, and many console releases as well. And with Harry Potter Magic Awakened being a gacha game, this begs the question ‘is Harry Potter Magic Awakened worth playing?’ Here are factors to consider.
To put it simply, the game is worth playing for Harry Potter fans. It provides a fantastical escape from reality through multiplayer play. And as a whole, the game plays very well. Harry Potter Magic Awakened’s world is relatively big, providing a solid MMORPG experiences. The different locales, especially in the beginning, are incredibly fun to explore. But once players grow accustomed to each nook and cranny of Hogwarts, there isn’t that much long term exploring to be had.
[Related: Harry Potter Magic Awakened PC]
Quick story review (no spoilers)
In addition, the story mode is a little lackluster. Harry Potter Magic Awakened takes place after the main story of Harry Potter, and follows a noncanonical cast of new characters as they enroll in Hogwarts. Players create their own custom character, choose their own house, and even have access to their own dormitory alongside real player roommates.
During the initial experience, the game’s story and premise is very exciting. But similar with the exploration, the more time players spend progressing with the story, the more shallow the world seems. Quests are repetitive, dialogue is a chore to read, and the story lacks exciting moments which characterized the canon series. Considering J.K. Rowling had no involvement in the story, the lackluster story makes sense.
Excellent Gameplay
Harry Potter Magic Awakened makes up for its lackluster aspects with its excellent multiplayer gameplay. For those looking to play a game with a friend, and who love the world of Hogwarts, Harry Potter Magic Awakened is definitely worth a try.
There are various multiplayer game modes: 2v2, 1v1, partying with a team of three to clear dungeons, and a bit of a shallow, yet entertaining, rhythm game.
Harry Potter Magic Awakened PvP
The combat (duel room), put simply, is an action card game. Players use spell and companion cards, which synergize with echos, which are essentially passive buffs catered to various play styles. Though it appears very gacha, and pay to win, in the beginning, the game actually does a solid job of providing players resources to create powerful decks without the need to pay money.
Therefore, the PvP game mode is definitely skill based — although paying can definitely help skip steps and allow players to acquire slightly unfair stat advantages, more on this later.
Playing 2v2 with a friend is a whole different kind of fun, since synergizing decks and finding out what works best with what is super rewarding. But going in alone can be a mixed bag, since a random ally may not synergize well with the player’s play style. Regardless, the 2v2 mode appears to be one of the main attractions for the game.
As for the 1v1 mode, it is not nearly as chaotic as the 2v2 mode. There is far less going on, but it makes counter picks all the more noticeable. But similarly to the team mode, the Harry Potter Magic Awakened 1v1 mode is very much worth playing.
Multiplayer raids and dungeons
Also known as the Forbidden Forest, the multiplayer dungeons in Harry Potter Magic Awakened can be a lot of fun, but can also be incredibly frustrating. Teams of three explore dungeons, where they’re given random power ups.
These dungeons become excessively difficult. With proper teamwork, skill, and luck, players can complete these dungeons. But for those who don’t have the proper cards, such as Crucio during the late game, these dungeons become near impossible. This rings especially true when playing alone, as the CPU aren’t nearly skilled enough to keep up with the late game levels.
In addition, its in this game mode where Spellbook level becomes increasingly important. For those who don’t know, Spellbook level is essentially the level of the player — which is determined by the level of their cards. And the level of their cards is determined by the amount of times they pulled the same card, which is very much the biggest gacha element of the game. This thereby determines damage output alongside maximum HP, which
Rhythm mini-game
The dance room, where players have the opportunity to experience the rhythm game element, isn’t very impressive. Players can invite another to a dance, where the two participate in what almost always looks like a waltz. Rhythm cues appear on screen, requiring well timed taps to acquire points.
Though a unique idea, the shallowness of the Dance Room lacks music variety and rewards to distinguish itself as anything other than a gimmicky mini game. There are various other game modes like this in Harry Potter Magic Awakened, disguising themselves as classes and tests. But it’s the existence of these little gimmicks that provides a nice sense of variety for players between PvP matches.
Gacha elements
Free to play players will have no problem building a powerful deck with the tools that the game provides. But it’s undeniable that there is a certain degree of pay to win build into the game. The level up system for cards rewards microtransactions a good deal.
By acquiring the same cards over and over, players are able to level them up. This increases the damage dealt with the cards alongside the base stats gained from using them. To compound, Legendary cards are very powerful, and quite rare. Being outclassed by a Legendary card players don’t have can be relatively infuriating.
But what the game does do a good job of is allowing free to play players to eventually acquire Legendary cards on their own — without the need for microtransactions. In the coin shop, where players can purchase the visible cards using coins, Legendary cards cycle through. This means players can buy a specific card that they want with a currency that is relatively easy to farm within the game — thereby making free to play far more bearable.
In conclusion
For those looking for an in-depth Hogwarts story and exploration of the world, they may be better off looking into Hogwarts Legacy rather than Harry Potter Magic Awakened. But for those looking for a multiplayer experience with friends, especially for fans of the series, Harry Potter Magic Awakened is very much worth it.
The cards within the game are love letters to the franchise, immortalizing some of the iconic moments from the story. Deck building is immense fun, and the PvP is a fulfilling, skill based experience rewarding smart deck building, skilled movement and prudent spell timing.
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