Hogwarts Legacy is one of the best open-world games of all time, and one of its greatest achievements, other than restoring fans' love of the Wizarding World, is its beauty. Every aspect of the game is beautiful from the serene music to the wondrous Scottish Highlands and of course the illustrious castle of Hogwarts itself.
However, even with the entire game being a treat for the eyes and ears, there are a handful of small details that stand out, and take Hogwarts Legacy's aesthetic to a whole other level.
7 Magical Artists
Hogsmeade and the hamlets which surround Hogwarts have a certain charm about them. In fact, one could say they are like something out of a storybook. Evidently, magical artists must agree as they can be seen painting certain scenes on floating canvases, with wands instead of paint brushes.
With all the chaos going on in the main story, it's rather refreshing to see tranquil hobbies such as this continue. Furthermore, the creative side of the Wizarding World has rarely been seen, so watching wizards or witches paint out in the sun is a pleasure.
6 Students Sitting Casually & Naturally
Something that one of the best Harry Potter films, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, did better than its predecessors, was to have the students act and dress more casually, which gave a more natural feel to life at Hogwarts.
In many ways, this philosophy has been carried over into Hogwarts Legacy, especially with how students relax in between lessons. Students can be seen sitting on desks while leaning over their friend's homework or found lounging on the floor when there isn't enough room on a sofa. This is how real people act, and it makes the game more beautiful and immersive.
5 Kites
While Hogwarts Legacy draws many details from the books and films, some of the best features are unique to the game. One of these is to have students or wizards and witches of the surrounding countryside engage in some relaxing kite flying.
The kites themselves are absolutely stunning and while they appear to be ordinary muggle kites, they seem magical. Hogwarts students can often be seen flying kite depictions of the animals associated with the four Houses, while adult kite enjoyers fly a variety of creatures including phoenixes.
4 Shiny Floors And Walls With Ray Tracing
For players lucky enough to play on a PC with a graphics card that supports ray tracing, the visuals of Hogwarts Legacy are even more beautiful to behold. In particular, the marble or varnished wooden floors and walls of Hogwarts reflect the sunlight perfectly, creating realistic views.
One of the best places this is showcased is in the Defence Against the Darks Arts Tower, which happens to be one of the most elegant parts of the castle with rich dark red marble everywhere to be seen. Ray tracing also makes the water in the game look amazing, especially shallow bodies of water.
3 Crumpled Rugs
One very small detail that helps make Hogwarts Legacy truly beautiful is how many of the rugs found in the corridors of Hogwarts are crumpled instead of perfectly flat. Although this may be a safety hazard, particularly for those students running late for class, it makes the castle feel more lived in.
The rugs themselves are beautiful too, especially when paired with the tapestries and paintings that adorn the walls of the castle. Thankfully for players, these rugs and other forms of decoration are also available to place in the Room of Requirement.
2 Magical Watering Cans, Teapots, And Spades
While powerful spells for combat are all well and good, sometimes it is the more subtle forms of magic that remind fans why they love the world of Harry Potter so much. Dotted around Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, and the surrounding open world of Hogwarts Legacy, players will constantly stumble upon everyday objects that have been magically enchanted to perform their function.
From magical watering cans that keep gardens and bushes lush to teapots that pour their own cups of tea, these small details provide players with the warm fuzzy feeling that places such as the Weasley's Burrow are famous for. In mines and other places usually associated with physical labor, players will also find spades and pickaxes going about their work methodically.
1 Christmas And Halloween Decorations
As players progress through the school year and the main story of Hogwarts Legacy they will notice that the seasons change, which itself is a great feature for beauty and immersion. However, even more amazingly, as the seasons of Autumn and Winter progress, iconic locations such as Hogwarts and Hogsmeade will slowly gain more and more Halloween and Christmas decorations.
These seasonal decorations make the Wizarding World feel like home again, rekindling the magic of the books and films. They also give players more reasons to keep exploring and revisit their favorite places time and time again.
Hogwarts Legacy is out now for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X with PS4 and Xbox One versions coming May 5 and a Switch release dropping July 25.