Not big into the Harry Potter story myself, but this one had me hooked. I read beforehand, and agree, one does not need to follow the HP story to enjoy this game. I was able to pick it up and enjoy it having just about no frame of reference into the Wizarding world. It seems to me to be the full Hogwarts experience, minus HP.

The game itself seems fairly detailed and well thought out. The story/missions are well written, fun, and engaging most of the time...though they can also feel a bit drawn out and repetitive at other times. The graphics are great. The controls are intuitive and work well, despite the odd flying controls. Combat is a pretty fluid experience overall. Casting magic has never felt more fun and intuitive, after you pin down your favorites.

Hogwarts Legacy is a game that presents a huge living world to get lost in, and provides plenty of fun to keep the player occupied for a "spell". Well worth the cost of admission, even for a non-Rowling fan such as myself.