Hogwarts Legacy Switch 2 Review

Hogwarts Legacy Switch 2 Review
Version Reviewed: Nintendo Switch 2

When Hogwarts Legacy arrived on the original Switch, it defied expectations, not because it ran flawlessly, but because it ran at all. A sprawling open-world RPG in the Wizarding World, squeezed onto ageing hardware, was always going to be a stretch. But against the odds, the team delivered a magical experience, which landed it a 90/100 here at What’s it Like. Now, with the Nintendo Switch 2, Hogwarts Legacy is giving witches and wizards a second term at Hogwarts, not through a full re-release, but via a smartly priced upgrade path, offering a generous discount for returning owners, making the Switch 2 version not just a technical upgrade, but a consumer-friendly one too. What’s it Like? Put on your house robes, grab your broomstick, and prepare to go back to the school with the most negligent teachers I’ve ever seen as we review Hogwarts Legacy on Nintendo Switch 2.

Even if you’re only vaguely familiar with the Wizarding World, Hogwarts Legacy stands on its own as a compelling, self-contained adventure. While there are some references to ancestors of your favourite characters, this story is set long before the events of the Harry Potter series. It introduces new characters, a fresh magical mystery, and an entirely original storyline that’s incredibly well-written, with enough mystery and intrigue to keep you pressing forward. The early hours are deliberately paced, but once you unlock the ability to fly, the world opens up in a way that makes exploration feel exciting and rewarding. This is an action-RPG at heart, and the mechanics are far deeper than you might expect from a licensed game. The combat is a standout. It’s fast, flexible, and surprisingly challenging, especially if you experiment with spell combinations. Disarming an opponent, then flinging their own axe back at them, never gets old. There’s a real rhythm to battles, and as your spell set grows, so does your strategic freedom. Beyond combat, there’s an entire school year to live out. You attend classes, learn spells, tame magical beasts, brew potions, and unravel secrets hidden across Hogwarts and its surrounding areas. It’s a dense, but well-paced open world that has a bit more structure than a lot of free-roam games that overwhelm the player with icons and filler after letting them off the leash.

From a technical standpoint, Hogwarts Legacy runs impressively well on Switch 2. Load times are significantly shorter than the original Switch version, environments load in more cleanly, and both handheld and docked modes hold up visually. There’s no loading between the world around Hogwarts and Hogsmead now, and the framerate is smooth throughout. That said, it’s not without its issues. While performance is stable overall, the game still has its fair share of bugs. There are moments where physics misbehave, carriages bounce unexpectedly, or items twitch oddly on the ground. Audio can sometimes sound muffled during the opening seconds of a scene, and you may walk through doors before they’ve opened. In one instance, I was defeated in combat… but kept casting spells for a few more seconds before the game finally caught up with a game over screen. These are the kinds of issues that will likely be patched in the weeks ahead. Still, for all the magic on display, you might hit the occasional hiccup at Hogwarts.

The Switch 2 version of Hogwarts Legacy benefits from a noticeable engine upgrade over the original Switch release. Lighting and shadows, which were almost entirely absent before, now help bring the world to life. Foliage sways gently, wildlife scurries around, and the surrounding wilds of Hogwarts feel genuinely alive. There’s a density and richness to the world that was missing the first time around, and it makes a big difference. Characters are equally impressive. They’re animated with small, believable mannerisms, a tilt of the head, a flick of the wrist, that add charm and personality to every scene. There’s a polish to the presentation that feels like it matches the scale of the game. Combat, too, has been given room to shine. Spells erupt in dramatic flashes of light, colour, and motion, making every duel feel dynamic and explosive. But it’s not all perfect. One area where this version falls short compared to other Switch 2 launch titles is image clarity. There’s noticeable pixellation around moving objects, especially characters, which can give the impression that the game is not even hitting full 1080p, even when docked. It doesn’t ruin the experience, but I hope it’s something that will be changed or updated soon, now that we can see what the Switch 2 is capable of. While Hogwarts Legacy is still a fantastic game, these small blemishes make it feel like it’s not 100% optimised for the Switch 2 at the moment. The world of Hogwarts Legacy is elevated by its fantastic score, led by Composer Chuck E. Myers, who expertly manages both excitement and intrigue with the orchestral score. There’s something magical about the soundtrack that adds to the immersion and ambience of the world, making you feel like you’re a part of your own Harry Potter movie.

Beyond visuals and performance, the Switch 2 version of Hogwarts Legacy simply feels better to play. Load times are noticeably faster, which makes everything from fast travel to entering buildings feel more seamless. Areas that previously felt disjointed, like the bridge out of Hogwarts and travelling to Hogsmeade, are now seamless and connect more smoothly, helping the story and exploration flow more naturally. Asset loading is more reliable, with fewer pop-ins or missing textures compared to the original Switch version. Even though there can still be instances of assets popping in, it feels like you no longer have to wait for the world to catch up to you, whether you’re flying across the highlands or weaving through the halls of Hogwarts. Even something as simple as moving between quests or transitioning into cutscenes feels cleaner and more polished, making it a smoother, more cohesive experience overall. One new feature exclusive to the Switch 2 is Joy-Con mouse support. While it’s an interesting addition, in practice, it doesn’t quite improve the experience. Combat becomes unnecessarily difficult, since the button inputs remain unchanged… holding R2 in mouse mode while tapping Y felt uncomfortable and awkward. Flying also lacked responsiveness, making it harder to enjoy the sense of freedom the broom usually brings. It’s an option worth exploring, but in my opinion, the traditional controls still offer the best experience.

For my witches and wizards looking into accessibility options, I’m very pleased to report that Hogwarts Legacy offers a plethora of settings, including colorblind modes, audio visualizers, scalable visual options, and even arachnophobia modes for people who don’t like Spiders. Here’s hoping more developers follow suit to make wonderful games accessible for all, something I have noticed Warner Bros. Games seems to be investing heavily in. At $90 AUD for new players, or $15 for those who owned the original, there’s plenty of game on offer. The main story will take around 25 hours to complete, and completionists can pad that all the way out to 70. The upgrade cost is a no-brainer, and well worth the point of entry; the full retail might sting compared to the price on other formats, which offer a better experience. Still, the idea of attending Hogwarts on the go is a hard opportunity to pass up, and if you want an open-world adventure on your Switch 2, it’s a great game to add to your library.

Hogwarts Legacy on Switch 2 is a fantastic step forward. It retains all the magic and mystery that made the original release so compelling, but now presents it in a much more stable, immersive way. The world feels alive, combat is as satisfying as ever, and the improved visuals and faster load times make the experience feel far more cohesive. It’s not perfect, as there are still some bugs, and the image quality doesn’t quite match other Switch 2 titles, but those issues don’t overshadow what this version gets right. For returning players, the discounted upgrade path is a welcome gesture, and for newcomers, especially those who only play on Nintendo hardware, you will be able to experience a truly magical game that I can still highly recommend.

So, What’s It Like? Hogwarts Legacy is like Skyrim mixed with a dash of High School.

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