After the successful release of Hogwarts Legacy in 2023, gamers were desperate for a game dedicated to the Wizarding World sport of Quidditch. Come September 2024, that dream would become a reality.
Developed by Unbroken Studios and published by Warner Bros. Games, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions is a game that will set fans of the Wizarding World apart. Although sometimes, developers, publishers and fans alike should stop and think, just because they can, doesn’t mean they should. For the purposes of this review, I played on PlayStation 5.
For the uninitiated, Quidditch is a sport played within the Harry Potter universe. Each team consists of four different positions. Chasers attempt to score by shooting a ball called a Quaffle through one of three hoops at either end of the pitch. Each successful score is worth 10. Beaters attempt to knock the opposing players off their broomsticks in an attempt to slow them down. Keepers protect the goals from the Chasers’ attempt to score. And of course there is the Seeker, arguably the most important role of a Quidditch team. They must chase down the Snitch, a tiny winged-gold ball worth the most points. However, unlike the books and the films, the Snitch is not worth 150 points and will instantly win the game, instead it is only worth 30 points, with the required points for a win being set to 100.
The beginnings of the game allow you to setup and customise your character. If you have played Hogwarts Legacy, then your house is carried over and set for Quidditch Champions. All the standard customisations are present including hair, skin, eyes etc. After a quick introduction, the tutorials begin. Each tutorial is hosted by a member of the Weasley family where you learn how to play the different Quidditch positions and how to master the flight controls.
Once all the tutorials have been completed, you enter the first tournament and get a feel for the gameplay as a whole. I found it very overwhelming and overstimulating when everything came together. Switching between positions is relatively easy, but there is just so much chaos happening! I actually found it easier to focus on being a Chaser and a Seeker. Even then, the flight controls and chasing after the Quaffle become rather exhausting to the point my hands were hurting from using the controllers.
Playing as the Seeker is not as exciting as you might think. Any Harry Potter fan will know that it is the most important role of the team and catching the Snitch instantly wins the match. So, imagine my disappointment when I tirelessly chassed the Snitch around the pitch, running through each of these coloured rings to get closer and closer to catch it, and once doing so, only receiving 30 damn points. So, in order to win the match by catching the Snitch, not only do you have to wait for it to spawn, but you then have to repeat the tiresome chasing process FOUR times to win.
The game also has a range of upgrades and collectibles to earn. But I couldn’t see how easy or hard it was to obtain them because I couldn’t bear the thought of grinding through to unlock them. I played through two tournaments, Hogwarts House and Tri-Wizard events and I was done. The visuals and designs are great, but the over-stimulation was just too much for me, the inaccuracies of the book and films were frustrating, and by the end of my gameplay, my hands were killing me, and my head was hurting.
I can see how Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions may be appealing. Especially to those gamers that like Rocket League and those like it. I can also see it becoming a great multi-player game and potentially even an eSports game. But I for one, will never play this game again.
If you are curious, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions is available now on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S with a Nintendo Switch release scheduled for early November.
For more information and details, visit:
https://www.quidditchchampions.com/en-au