Summary
Games set in the world ofHarry Potteraren’t normally known for being difficult and instead focus on offering players a fun and magical time at their favorite school of witchcraft and wizardry. However, thanks to adjustable difficulty levels, complex puzzles, and some rather dangerous duels against dark wizards, someHarry Pottergames are harder than others.
Furthermore, as wizarding world games areaimed at younger audiencesjust as much as adults, players may have nostalgic memories of struggling with certain missions or puzzles as a child, especially if the experience predates the widespread ability to look up a guide on YouTube.
While old and outdated in the graphics department,Harry Potter: Quidditch World Cupis a nostalgic classic, and untilHarry Potter: Quidditch Championscomes out, it remainsthe only real way to play Quidditch. It is not known for being a particularly hard game, but this may be because most players don’t play for long enough to unlock the two harder difficulty modes, aptly named Nimbus 2001 and Firebolt.
To unlock these modes, players must unlock 35 and 50 Quidditch Cards respectively, which in itself is no easy task. On Firebolt mode, in particular, players will have a much tougher time scoring, defending, and ultimately catching the Golden Snitch. There are multiple game modes, including the World Cup itself, which is a knockout tournament, meaning players must win every game. Additionally, as players can play against their friends in offline multiplayer, the game is technically as hard as how good the opponent is.
Despite its age,Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secretsis still one of the better Potter games and has been praised for its balance and steady progression. While this may not seem like a hard game, it is still harder than some other entries in the franchise, which are generally known for being fairly easy.
In the game, players are able to freely explore Hogwarts and all its mysteries, including secret areas, and then are even able to attend theirfavorite Hogwarts classes. However, this freedom could cause younger gamers to get lost.
TheLEGO Harry Potter Collection, which is made up ofLEGO Harry Potter Years 1-4andLEGO Harry Potter Years 5-7, is first of all, quite a long experience to beat, given that it is two games in one. However, even though the game is primarily aimed at a younger audience, there are several times when even experienced gamers can get stuck on certain puzzles or problem-solving activities.
One of the difficulties is working together and synchronizing actions, as even thoughLEGO Harry Pottercan be played solo, it isbest played with friends or family. The occasional duels, which are more frequent in the later years, are also pretty hard until players get the hang of them.
The video game version ofHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1is far from being considered a good game. Unlike previous titles that follow Harry’s time at Hogwarts, this is the first game where the Boy Who Lived is out in the real world, and as such there is more emphasis on combat and stealth, as players must take down or avoid dozens of Death Eaters and dark creatures.
In some ways, the game plays out like an action shooter game with magic instead of guns, and players will need to utilize a cover mechanic similar to those that are found inGrand Theft Autogames. On hard mode, enemies will deal more damage to Harry, and completing all the challenges in this mode, such as saving Muggle-borns, is quite difficult. Additionally, while not an intended feature, the game’s poor camera controls can make the whole experience harder and simply frustrating.
Hogwarts Legacyis the latest and arguably the bestHarry Pottergame, and with four difficulty settings, it can also be one of the hardest. Set in the year 1890, players start at Hogwarts as a newly enrolled 5th-year student who has recently discovered their magical abilities. This means all spells must be learned from the ground up, and yet fairly soon into the game, players will be tasked with defeating the best duelists the school has to offer.
This mission and other bouts of combat can be quite challenging on hard mode, but rewarding too once players have figured out the intricacies. There are also plenty ofintriguing puzzles inHogwarts Legacy, and some of these, especially the Depulso puzzles, can be super tricky, although they are often optional. There are even a fewways to makeHogwarts Legacyeven more difficultfor those who like a challenge.
