New mobile game - Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery

[Arianna Stonewater]

Pottermore has announced yet another development from the Portkey games label.

This time it will be a role playing game for your phone! You will get to create your own character and play as a student going through the years... It sounds just like HOL!

Will you try this or would you prefer another game playing as Harry Potter and going through the story written in the books?

Learn more here


*NOTE* This topic has been moved from the Pottermore forum to the general Harry Potter Talk as it has evolved to be more about the game than the info on Pottermore for it

[Resyarrina Elora]

I'm excited about this, can't wait for the games to launch. I will try, i like any kind of harry potter games and always give a shot, even tough many times i do gave up some.

[Shiloh Adlar]

I am terribly excited about this! Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I am already playing a HP Universe game, but I don't think it's through those creators even though it's based on Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. It's a hidden objects type game that I wrote about in the Serpentimes a while back.

I think anything that gets me closer to the Harry Potter world will be so much fun, and I can't wait until it's released to try it out. I wonder if it will be based off energy like most of the other mobile games I've seen where you can only do so much until your energy restores or if it will be a console like game where you play it whenever you want to play it for as long as you want to play it. I kind of like that the Fantastic Beasts game is energy based only because it keeps me from playing it all day. It's really fun.

[Resyarrina Elora]

I am terribly excited about this! Thank you for bringing this to our attention. I am already playing a HP Universe game, but I don't think it's through those creators even though it's based on Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. It's a hidden objects type game that I wrote about in the Serpentimes a while back.

I think anything that gets me closer to the Harry Potter world will be so much fun, and I can't wait until it's released to try it out. I wonder if it will be based off energy like most of the other mobile games I've seen where you can only do so much until your energy restores or if it will be a console like game where you play it whenever you want to play it for as long as you want to play it. I kind of like that the Fantastic Beasts game is energy based only because it keeps me from playing it all day. It's really fun.

Hi, i'm playing it too.. Really easy to attracted by Harry Potter's theme, just like anything, books, movie, games! Can't wait for the game!

[Arianna Stonewater]

Official release date is April 25!!

[Shiloh Adlar]

Yay! Thanks Arianna for keeping us updated! I can't wait. Coming up so quickly!

[Prof. Zoki Phantom]

Alrighty, so I've been playing this for the last few days so I figured I'd put in some thoughts on it.

In general I like the concept and the game can be entertaining. I was rather disappointing on registration that they have a weird naming filter so variations of what I wanted to name my characters were not possible, but that was easy to forgive. Next up was the fact that there was no actual Sorting ceremony, instead they just let you select your house. After some thinking on the subject I realised this works better than sorting ceremonies, because from what we've seen people generally are *NOT* happy with what house they're put in.

Once I got through that part, the game actually has an interesting plot, your character has a nice little story that you can somewhat tweak (have not figured out how much yet, would need to re-play with picking other options to see if the results will be vastly different). The classes are nice, the NPC character interaction is cool, etc. The main "issue" of course is the patience trap. As a freemium mobile game, the business model is to ask you to wait for stuff, or pay for energy/time. If you could complete whole classes / actions with the given energy and then wait till starting the next one, I believe I'd have a better experience playing it. Currently I end up halting mid-way through a class or an action as I have to wait for my energy to refill. It's quite frustrating to be honest.

There are also parts of it which are yet to be "clear" to me, but I guess that will need further playing. For example do my house points really matter, and how it is that these other students gain points compared to my own progress. Currently I'm way ahead of everyone else, despite having lost a total of 30 house points so far because of Merula and Snape. A quick search on the internet tells me that these "competing" students are in fact other players, and we've been grouped randomly. If that's the case, my competition does not seem to be up to the task yet. lol

Anyway, will keep playing, let's see what else it holds in store.

[Bull J. Johnson]

We are playing against other people? That is not what I was told. Thanks for the update. Maybe I'll try playing it again. Also I wish the game had a multiverse where you can play with other people. Oh well.

[Arianna Stonewater]

Further update:

I'm still frustrated by the energy levels, but I've worked out a pretty good system I think to get tasks done. I always do the 8hr classes so I have more time, I don't start until I have full energy and once I use up the energy I just go do some other task until my energy is mostly full again.

I have been more careful about watching when I'm close to growing another level since it refreshes your energy and several times i was at like 28/29 energy when i got the experience points to gain another level and so really only got one extra energy. When I see i'm close to a new level I just keep using my energy as soon as I have it to maximize the refill. Also, here are some places in the game you can get an extra energy:

-East Towers: First picture frame on the left when it's empty (this one takes a long time to refill, 6-8hrs), Peeves by the ladder to the Divination Classroom (refills ~every 4-6hrs)
-West Towers: Picture frame next to Prefects' Bathroom (this one is available most often, I'd say every 4hrs or so!)
-Lower Floor-West: Unlit torch to the right of the Great Hall (~5-6hr refill time), Middle Solider statue to the right of the Great Hall with the leaning sword (also a long one, 5-7hr refill time)
-Dungeons: Sleeping House Elf to the left of the Potions Classroom (~5-6hr refill time)
-Castle Grounds: Stick on the ground by the path to Hagrid's Hut, Hello baby Fang!! (~5-6hr refill time)
-Lower Floor-East: Scattered books on the bench between the Library and the History of Magic classroom (~5-6hr refill time)
-Hogsmeade: student located in the alley between Honeydukes and The Three Broomsticks (~5-6hr refill time)
-Pets: You can get 1 energy from the pet you keep with you while in any corridor, and if you visit your dorm you can collect 1 energy from each pet you have (good incentive to have more than one pet! ~4-5hr refill time)
-Diagonally (not unlocked yet so i'm not sure where it comes from)
Did I miss any?


But enough about that. I do still really like the graphics, and the gameplay is getting better. I'm invested in what's happening (I want to find my brother!!! and now that Bill Weasley's helping me, how can I stop?) Plus, even though I've been playing for a while now, it still doesn't use much battery or take up much storage space (note, i do mostly play on WIFI but my phone has unlimited data so I'm not sure how it's doing on that aspect)

[Prof. Amy Lupin]

I started playing the game today, and I'm enjoying it so far.

While I understand the game developers' decision to do so, the gameplay is far too linear for my liking. I suppose I may have been spoiled by some of the RPGs I’ve played in the past (looking at you, Skyrim, in particular).

I do feel the dialogue could do with more work. Also, talk of the fabled Cursed Vaults feels better suited to some magical universe other than Harry Potter.

Some of the interactions in classes are amusing, like talking to Madam Hooch about her hair or glaring at Merula in order to gain experience.

[Arianna Stonewater]

Some of the interactions in classes are amusing, like talking to Madam Hooch about her hair or glaring at Merula in order to gain experience.

Yes! I love those, and the background characters doing things, especially in flying class like when they get hit in the face with the broom! The questions for enhancing your friendship with someone to "make them feel better" are also pretty funny

[Prof. Arielle Lemoyne]

Haha about the flying class getting hit by the broom -- I was just commenting that people should be able to summon their broom by now, seeing as we're in 3rd year haha. The commentary throughout is fun though! My favorite one so far is when Penny's boggart is revealed to be a werewolf, Tonks asks why someone would be afraid of werewolves, and your character responds "Well, Tonks, I assume it's because werewolves are terrifying, murderous creatures."

I'm also really invested in the story now, even though I do wish we had a bit more control over it. I'm not a huge fan of Ben, but I love being friends with Rowan and Penny! The lunch and gobstones interactions are a lot of fun!

[Arianna Stonewater]

The commentary throughout is fun though! My favorite one so far is when Penny's boggart is revealed to be a werewolf, Tonks asks why someone would be afraid of werewolves, and your character responds "Well, Tonks, I assume it's because werewolves are terrifying, murderous creatures."

Yes! I also love when we find out Tulip's Boggart is Merula, especially after Riddikulus is cast haha!

[Arianna Stonewater]

I've reached the point where I've run out of story and can only level up my character/attributes/friendships until more is released. Here are my thoughts:


-The art design is still amazing, very well done!
-The storyline actually does get better and I'm pretty happy with the direction it's going
-I love the extra dialogue from random characters that has little easter eggs for the books/movies we already know and love
-as a mobile game, i like that it has limited impact on my battery
-the energy situation is still annoying, but i've been able to adjust to it
-Overall, HIGHLY recommend!

[Prof. Amy Lupin]

I'm a little bit less enthused about the game now that I've been playing it for a while, but as a Harry Potter fan, I'll continue playing it, as it's great to learn more about the HP universe and some of the characters in it.

The need to unlock classes before you can actually take them gets a bit tedious, but I suppose at least you're able to level up some of your stats in the process.

I also wish there was a bit more attention to detail and/or continuity. For example, while Rowan was in the Hospital Wing, I took a Charms class, yet she was sitting right beside me. Also strange was that in the same lesson I could tap on a Gryffindor student to ask about Rowan (rather than Ben, from an earlier part of the storyline. I should also mention that I'm in a different House to Gryffindor, so that interaction makes even less sense).

One thing I really do like though is that your character has a hand in shaping the HP universe as we've come to know it — from giving Bill Weasley a taste of curse-breaking to helping Hagrid name Fang.

I also came across a useful trick while reading up about the game. Whenever you earn a star in a class and you're not happy with the reward options, you can close the app and reopen it to get a different selection (this is especially useful if you're trying to get the +40 XP bonus in a particular stat). This doesn't always work though, as sometimes the options remain static. Also, sometimes your progress towards that star is lost and you have to redo certain steps (but any used energy will be returned to you).

[Arianna Stonewater]

One thing I really do like though is that your character has a hand in shaping the HP universe as we've come to know it — from giving Bill Weasley a taste of curse-breaking to helping Hagrid name Fang.

Yes! I think JKR actually put a decent amount of thought into house this game works, as well as foreshadowing it as early as Chamber of Secrets!! I mean, look what i found while skimming my copy for a Lockhart quote:

I also came across a useful trick while reading up about the game. Whenever you earn a star in a class and you're not happy with the reward options, you can close the app and reopen it to get a different selection (this is especially useful if you're trying to get the +40 XP bonus in a particular stat). This doesn't always work though, as sometimes the options remain static. Also, sometimes your progress towards that star is lost and you have to redo certain steps (but any used energy will be returned to you).

I had no idea! thanks for that!

[Prof. Amy Lupin]

That's really impressive. Thanks for sharing the excerpt!

[Silas Hipolito Crist]

I have been just playing this game for some time and so I can tell some my opinion.
First of all the game is great on first look. I really like the design and functions, graphics are good enough and effects are pretty. As we all probably guessed after playing it, that it is more like a story than a game. It was fun being a part of total new story, but I missed the real game stuff, because the game realay very much on a storyline and only a little on the playing game. So every choise that is given to you lead to the same event and everything you do is already determined without playing.

But other than this it was quite enjoyable and good way to enjoy "reading" Harry Potter on a little different way.

[Arianna Stonewater]

Newest update: Pets! I haven't been able to get any yet since I don't have enough diamonds, but I'm excited! Plus now you get to see your dorm room!

[Arianna Stonewater]

I am loving the Halloween quests!! I do wish that with each new quest where help Dumbledore with the party is available the activities were different, but it was still fun!!

and the newest storyline for year 5!! it's so cool meeting Chiara, and finding out that Lupin has not been the only werewolf! dealing with someone from the ministry on werewolves has also been interesting. I imagine working with him was how Snape felt working with Lockhart.....infuriatingly annoying.

I think I've really gotten into a groove with energy. If my energy is full, I can do a 1hr event/class without a refill, a 3hr class with 1 partial refill, and an 8hr class with 2.5 refill (a refill means using up all my energy, collecting all the extra energy available at all the locations and using that up, and then waiting for my energy to refill)