On the weekend, the first players had a chance to take a look at Niantic’s new mobile game – Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. Our author Leya was among the first players. She especially loved the RPG elements in “Harry Potter GO.”
On Friday (March 8), I was in England to play Harry Potter: Wizards Unite for the first time. This augmented reality mobile game is the new creation from Niantic, the developers behind Pokémon GO. The developers invited various media representatives to test the mobile game in a demo.
While playing “Harry Potter GO,” I immediately noticed one thing: This game goes deeper with various RPG elements than Pokémon GO. The gameplay also demands more from me as a player than it does in Pokémon GO.
Did I hear skill tree and jobs?
Niantic gave us a presentation where the developers guided us through various features of the game. If you want to know all the details about Wizards Unite, check out:
I perked up particularly when it was mentioned that Wizards Unite has a skill tree.
Jobs and skills, like in RPGs: Players choose one of three jobs and can collect experience points to become a stronger wizard. Gradually, new abilities or improvements like stamina and health are unlocked.
The jobs are:
- Auror (specialized in spells, more aggressive)
- Magizoologist (strong for magical creatures and support)
- Professor (a jack of all trades)
Thanks to jobs, there are tactical group battles: The three jobs have their advantages and disadvantages in fighting monsters and other wizards. I can fight with a team of 5 in a dungeon and have to think strategically here. The Magizoologist has an advantage against magical creatures. The Auror is good against “evil wizards.”
I played as a Magizoologist during the demo, which is why I could observe this role more closely. As a special ability, I can heal allies in dungeon battles. My support skills can also be found in the skill tree and can be refined.
The potions are brewed in greenhouses that I find on the map. I can collect them from anywhere.
The various recipes require different ingredients. In the demo I played, I could brew a healing potion that took two hours to make. I could shorten the process with in-game currency called Coin. I earn it by playing through things like daily challenges or buy Coin in the shop.
So there are paid elements in the game that offer me a shortcut. How significant these will be, I cannot assess right now. But it seemed mild to me, as I could earn Coins fairly quickly.
The comparison to Pokémon GO: Here there are no crafting elements. I can find various items at PokéStops or obtain them through microtransactions. The potions add a new level of engagement and planning in Wizards Unite that is not present in Pokémon GO.
Is Wizards Unite the better game?
No. Rather, it appeals to a different type of player who enjoys RPG elements.
It already seems to me after the demo that Wizards Unite offers deeper gameplay than Pokémon GO. This gives it a high chance of keeping me entertained for a long time. Because I love to experiment with my skill tree.
I can imagine that other players feel the same way. A few of my friends stopped playing Pokémon GO because it was a bit too “casual” for them, meaning it lacked depth. That may be exactly what is right for other players to enjoy gaming while walking.
What is different about Wizards Unite? Harry Potter: Wizards Unite takes a stronger RPG route and seems to want to distinguish itself from Pokémon GO with it. The developers at Niantic confirmed to me that they were thinking more along MMORPG lines, and you can feel that in the game as well.
I simply have the impression that I have more to do in Harry Potter: Wizards Unite than in Pokémon GO. The framework is also such that these RPG elements can be expanded upon in the long term.
Don’t miss any news about “Harry Potter GO”? We have a Facebook page for Wizards Unite where we will post all news. We will keep you updated as soon as there is something new.
The job can be changed at any time. I just need to unlock the skills in the skill tree that I still lack to perform a job.
Battles and spells require some skill: When I fight or release magical beings, I have to use spells. This works by a rune appearing on my smartphone. It can look like a jagged line or a swirl.
I have to trace the rune with my finger and also hit the line well. If I draw completely outside the line, I mess up my spell. If I trace the line particularly well, my spell becomes stronger.
Wizards Unite seems more tactical than Pokémon GO
The comparison to Pokémon GO: In Pokémon GO, there are also battles. Trainers can participate in raids or battle against other trainers. There is some level of strategy in the battles.
Pokémon are categorized into different types that have weaknesses and strengths against each other. You should know these and take the “right” Pokémon into battle. To execute an attack, you have to tap the screen repeatedly.
This quick tapping movement with the finger never appealed to me much in Pokémon GO. The tracing of runes in Wizards Unite requires a bit of motor skill, which I find quite cool.
Similarly, the battles in the dungeons seem significantly more complex due to the various jobs and skills. I can decide whether to heal a team member between battles, whether to use a potion to strengthen my spell.
At least at this point, I have the impression that this will keep me entertained longer than in Pokémon GO. I’m already excited to try out different skill paths and change my job.
Potions as a crafting element
Potions are crafted: What I really like is the crafting of potions. These help me enhance my spells or heal team members. At the launch of Wizards Unite, there are supposed to be 10 potions in the game.
The ingredients for the potions can be found in greenhouses or simply scattered on the map as I wander around. I collect them simply by tapping with my finger. A funny detail is that my environment affects the ingredients. Weather, time of day, or even moon phases determine which ingredients I find at any given moment. We don’t yet know how this will work in detail.
The potions are brewed in greenhouses that I find on the map. I can collect them from anywhere.
The various recipes require different ingredients. In the demo I played, I could brew a healing potion that took two hours to make. I could shorten the process with in-game currency called Coin. I earn it by playing through things like daily challenges or buy Coin in the shop.
So there are paid elements in the game that offer me a shortcut. How significant these will be, I cannot assess right now. But it seemed mild to me, as I could earn Coins fairly quickly.
The comparison to Pokémon GO: Here there are no crafting elements. I can find various items at PokéStops or obtain them through microtransactions. The potions add a new level of engagement and planning in Wizards Unite that is not present in Pokémon GO.
Is Wizards Unite the better game?
No. Rather, it appeals to a different type of player who enjoys RPG elements.
It already seems to me after the demo that Wizards Unite offers deeper gameplay than Pokémon GO. This gives it a high chance of keeping me entertained for a long time. Because I love to experiment with my skill tree.
I can imagine that other players feel the same way. A few of my friends stopped playing Pokémon GO because it was a bit too “casual” for them, meaning it lacked depth. That may be exactly what is right for other players to enjoy gaming while walking.
What is different about Wizards Unite? Harry Potter: Wizards Unite takes a stronger RPG route and seems to want to distinguish itself from Pokémon GO with it. The developers at Niantic confirmed to me that they were thinking more along MMORPG lines, and you can feel that in the game as well.
I simply have the impression that I have more to do in Harry Potter: Wizards Unite than in Pokémon GO. The framework is also such that these RPG elements can be expanded upon in the long term.
Don’t miss any news about “Harry Potter GO”? We have a Facebook page for Wizards Unite where we will post all news. We will keep you updated as soon as there is something new.
