Playing Hogwarts Legacy is a reminder that few fictional worlds are as bewitching as Harry Potter's. In 1998

my Mum handed me a copy of Philosopher's Stone -- Sorcerer's Stone in the US --

and that first chapter sucked me right in its magical universe. I was hooked for life.

Or so I thought. After the core book series wrapped up and there were no more movie adaptations coming,

my emotional connection diminished.

my emotional connection diminished.

All that baggage fell away as soon as I started Hogwarts Legacy, which hits PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, ).

Series S and PC on Friday (it's available in early access from Tuesday, and arrives on other consoles in the coming month

Having played the PS5 version for 10 hours, it captures the wonder of the early books, with an intriguing original narrative, engagingly varied gameplay and intricately designed world to explore.

Having played the PS5 version for 10 hours, it captures the wonder of the early books, with an intriguing original narrative, engagingly varied gameplay and intricately designed world to explore.

The development team's love for Harry Potter is apparent in every aspect of Hogwarts Legacy, but shines most brightly in the world and its characters

Each character is richly written, cleverly voiced -- Simon Pegg plays the unpleasant headmaster -- and visually diverse, so talking to them and learning about their backgrounds is fascinating.

The world is sumptuously designed too, particularly in the beautifully gothic Hogwarts, with its moving paintings, chatty gargoyles and fascinating student banter.

The multifaceted nature of your wizarding unfolds gradually through Hogwarts Legacy's early hours.

ou block incoming attacks with a magical shield and dodge bigger ones. The combat is similar to that seen in the Batman: Arkham and Spider-Man games, but with a sorcery aesthetic.