Hogwarts Legacy — will kids enjoy the latest Harry Potter game on PS5?

Hogwarts Legacy is now out on PS5 and Harry Potter fans are by and large loving the new game — but is it a game you could recommend to kids? We've been playing Hogwarts Legacy on PS5 to find out.

Between collecting Hogwarts Legacy trophies and reminiscing over the best Harry Potter games, we've been having a great time playing Portkey Games' big console debut. That said, while we adults might be satisfied with the game — enough to consider it one of the best PS5 games so far — a question has been brewing in the back of our minds: is Hogwarts Legacy on PS5 a game that kids would enjoy playing? We went back and forth, but we think we have our answer.

You might play as kids in Hogwarts Legacy, but will kids actually enjoy the game?

Is Hogwarts Legacy a good game for kids to play?

It's very easy for Harry Potter fans, whether they grew up alongside the franchise or found it as an adult, to get swept up in Hogwarts Legacy's PS5 trailers as they blast that nostalgic John Williams score and tug at your heartstrings with stunning vistas overlooking the Hogwarts Express. You might instantly believe "this is it, they have finally made a big Harry Potter game," and for some of us, that means an opportunity to introduce Harry Potter to your kids and make it more real than ever with the magic of video games.

That said, some parents and child guardians who have watched gameplay footage of Hogwarts Legacy might find themselves a little wary of the game — especially when they see Hogwarts Legacy's combat. While multiple critics in our Hogwarts Legacy review round-up mention how fun the game's combat is, these systems can sometimes overwhelm kids who don't play games all that regularly. After booting up the game and having gone to the effort of designing their own personal witch or wizard, nobody wants to be the one responsible for having built up such a magical experience, only to find out that the game's way too hard for kids to play.

There are also other factors that can make a game generally unpleasant for kids to play. Sometimes a game is too scary; other times, it's just too easy to get lost and find your way around. So, to help get to the bottom of this we've taken the time to play around with the game, and in our estimation, we think Hogwarts Legacy is a great game for kids to play on PS5 and a safe recommendation for any Harry Potter fan looking to introduce someone younger to the series.

Hogwarts Legacy's easy combat and light tone are suitable for kids

For one thing, while the game's combat can be made difficult if the player desires, Hogwarts Legacy comes with two excellent difficulty modes for beginners: story mode and easy mode. Story mode is recommended for absolute beginners and any kids who would rather bash buttons and feel amazing than worry too much about 'beating' the game. Easy mode is a little tougher — a good pick for kids and adults who have played a few big games before but could still use a little practice breaking in that snazzy Hogwarts Legacy PS5 controller.

Alright, if their hands are big enough to hold the PS5 controller, that's a good start.

While the story can get a little broody and dramatic, there's very little in the way of genuine scares in Hogwarts Legacy — except for one important exception, which we'll get to in a moment. There is at least one "jump scare" of sorts involving a dragon, but it's not really any scarier than your average surprise in an animated movie. Beyond that, most of Hogwarts Legacy rides that 'mildly perilous' line that makes for a good action adventure without putting too many players off.

Hogwarts Legacy's accessibility make it a great kids game

Finally, getting around in Hogwarts Legacy is very easy, and the game does a great job of ensuring no kid gets left behind. While adults might want to turn some of these features off and immerse themselves in the challenge of navigating Hogwarts by sight and sense alone, the game places a prominently-displayed minimap on the screen by default. On the map, a dotted line will direct the player to the next objective, so that even if they stray off the beaten path and explore their wizarding school, they'll always be able to pick up where they left off.

All-in-all, Hogwarts Legacy goes to a lot of lengths to ensure it's suitable for children. It's accessible, it can be made easier to play, and the tone remains generally whimsical and melodramatic throughout. If you've been looking for that perfect Harry Potter experience to share with the kids in your life, then you're not likely to find much better than Hogwarts Legacy.

Just one exception.

Be careful with the PlayStation-exclusive Hogwarts Legacy Hogsmeade mission

One exception to our recommendation which we suggest maybe looking into before playing is the Hogwarts Legacy PlayStation-exclusive DLC —The Haunted Hogsmeade Shop. While most of the game isn't all that scary, this PS5 and PS4 exclusive side mission does have a genuinely creepy vibe to it, including a dark basement, some weird magical moving walls, and — most galling of all — a bunch of creepy faceless mannequin enemies.

Now, one might argue that spooky imagery is part and parcel of the whole Harry Potter experience. Who wasn't terrified by the book that grew a face and started screaming in the restricted section of Hogwarts Library? What child wouldn't be creeped out by any number of appearances by Lord Voldemort in the series — especially in the first two books and films? Harry Potter has always had a spooky air to it, and the Harry Potter games have been no exception with their own memorably frightful moments.

Come on, this does seem genuinely terrifying.

Still, if your kid really can't handle being even a little frightened, then make sure you're around when they start heading to Hogsmeade to make sure they steer clear of the haunted shop mission while playing. It's an entirely optional part of the game and should be easy to avoid, but that's your warning just in case.

Otherwise, we're sure kids will love delving into Hogwarts Legacy on PS5, and we hope you enjoy sharing that experience with them. Let us know in the comments if you're looking forward to checking out this game, and if you're looking for more recommendations, here's another article on how PS Plus kids games might be a surprisingly smart use of your PS Plus Extra subscription.

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Written by Lee Brady

News Editor Lee covers the latest upcoming PS5 games like Ghost of Yotei while making sure PlayStation Plus’ classic PS1 and PS2 games are given enough respect. Lee leads the charge on our original data analysis courtesy of Game Lens. His 25 years of PlayStation experience compliments his love of Final Fantasy, Kingdom Hearts, and Sonic the Hedgehog.