Harry Potter: Wizards Unite could be played for the first time. The augmented reality mobile game is from the creators of Pokémon GO. It features some deeper RPG mechanics that set it apart.
Until now, it has been a big mystery what the creators of Pokémon GO are up to with the Harry Potter universe.
Last weekend, Niantic (Pokémon GO) and Warner Bros Games invited various media representatives to England to finally unveil Harry Potter: Wizards Unite.
We from MeinMMO were also there and were able to test the new AR mobile game.
What is Harry Potter: Wizards Unite about?
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite takes place in the present, after the great battle of Hogwarts has already occurred and Voldemort has been defeated. Harry Potter and his friends are grown up but still protect the magical world and assist us in the game. The characters in the game are fully voiced and tell us more about the game’s background.
Find all further facts in detail about gameplay and features here:
This is what the story is about: A large, mysterious catastrophe causes magical creatures and items to appear suddenly all over the world. The wizarding world could reveal itself to non-magical people.
This is our role in Wizards Unite: We, as wizards and witches, join together to find the magical traces and remove them from the Muggle world. For this purpose, spells and potions are at our disposal.
Some creatures must be freed, and other monsters must be fought. It is even possible to encounter Harry Potter himself, who is currently being attacked by evil Dementors.
The magical encounters occur in the “real world”. We see the interplay of both worlds through augmented reality technology with our smartphones.
No one knows what caused these magical anomalies. Wizards Unite is supposed to remain in development forever, and what the origin of the problems is will gradually be revealed.
There is a skill tree and jobs
In Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, we sometimes have to fight against evil creatures like werewolves, but also other wizards. However, these are AI wizards in the game. There is no PvP.
To defeat creatures and wizards, we need spells and potions. How strong we will be and which spells are available to us depends on our level and which skills we have already unlocked.
This should please MMORPG fans: There is an RPG progression system to become a stronger wizard. At launch, we can choose from three jobs, each with its own skill tree. This system gives Harry Potter: Wizards Unite an exciting depth.
This is how the skill tree works: We choose a profession. At launch, there will be three jobs available in the game:
- Auror
- Professor
- Magizoologist
The various jobs have individual advantages in combat and also their own skill trees. For example, the Auror uses aggressive spells, while the Magizoologist takes on a support role. The author took on the Magizoologist job during testing and was able to heal her teammates during battles.
As we gain experience points in the game, by freeing magical creatures or defeating monsters, we can eventually unlock new skills or bonuses in the skill tree. This includes things like more stamina points or more health.
The job can be changed at any time and skill points can be redistributed.
Fights take place in dungeons and in the open field
When we duel against monsters or witches and wizards, we summon spells to attack them.
This is how fighting and casting works: A circle appears on the screen. We need to synchronize it on the opponent’s circle. For opponents that move a lot, this can be tricky.
Now if a bar fills up in the circle, we may use a spell to attack. A specific line appears on the screen that we must trace with our finger. This can be a zigzag line, a swirl, or a combination thereof.
The better we trace the line, the stronger our spell is. If we fail to do this, our spell fails, and we must defend ourselves with a quick swipe across the screen.
How do battles in dungeons work? On the map, there are various dungeons that have multiple chambers. Here we can enter with a group of 5 wizards and witches to fight the monsters and wizards inside.
It is advisable to have wizards with different jobs, as they can provide advantages. For example, the Magizoologist is stronger against animal opponents.
Everyone in the group selects an opponent and fights against them. All opponents must be defeated within a certain time to advance to the next chamber.
This is how fights take place in the open: Evil wizards and monsters can appear everywhere. These are simply considered magical threats and are indicated on the map with a specific symbol. Here, each player fights alone. Group fights only occur in the dungeons.
What about potions? On the map, there are greenhouses where potions can be brewed. The ingredients can be found all over the map, and you can casually pick and collect them along the way.
Especially cool: The weather or even the phases of the moon influence which ingredients the player finds. Ingredients can also be earned through daily challenges.
Everyone lives out their inner wizard
This emphasizes the RPG aspects: In Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, role-playing is emphasized. Every player should be able to live out their inner wizard or witch.
On the map, we can observe a little wizard, but that is not us. It only indicates where we are located.
We receive a wizard identification card. With our mobile camera, we take a photo of ourselves, which is shown in animated form. This is our avatar in the game.
Over our photo, we can apply filters similar to those in Snapchat or Instagram. Here we can wear hats, funny glasses, or decorate ourselves with other items from the Harry Potter universe.
On the card, we can also find our house (Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw) and the wand we choose. As we progress in the game, we can also earn titles that are also found on the card.
“Harry Potter GO” could be a mobile game for MMORPG fans
Wizards Unite leans more towards the MMORPG direction. The developers at Niantic say this themselves.
The progression system, collaborative play, the skill tree, and also the roleplay are among the pillars of Wizards Unite. These elements are indeed deeper than one might expect if they know Pokémon GO.
Especially the battles in the dungeons require a certain tactical thinking as you want to optimally utilize your job advantages and complement each other within the group.
Players who enjoy these aspects in MMORPGs should take a look at Harry Potter: Wizards Unite.
When is the release of Wizards Unite?
An exact release date is still unknown. However, we know that Harry Potter: Wizards Unite will be released in 2019. According to the developers, the game is nearly finished and just needs a little polish.
This release date is likely: Harry Potter’s birthday is on July 31. In summer, a release for a game played outdoors would be ideal.
What better day for a release than Harry Potter’s own birthday, which falls on July 31 in the height of summer? But this is just speculation and not confirmed.
