Per wiki policy, Spoilers Off applies here and all spoilers are unmarked. You Have Been Warned.
You're not the Boy Who Lived, but you definitely carved your own legacy.
General
Voldemort could never.
- The protagonist is likely one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful witch/wizard in recent history despite only having just manifested their magic.
- They are able to hold their own against experienced Dark Wizards/Witches, armored trolls, hyper enhanced goblins, and more, sometimes all at the same time, by themselves. They are likely on par with the likes of Dumbledore and Voldemort (maybe even more), and this is not even taking in their affinity for Ancient Magic. And yeah, they're only fifteen years old. Just wait 'til they're a little older.
- Unlike Isidora, who had Rackham as her Ancient Magic mentor, and Rackham himself, who had years of experience, the protagonist had to learn most of their Ancient Magic abilities on their own. Despite this they are able to manipulate spells in strange ways (via the Talent tree), adding additional effects to make the spells more powerful. Most notably, they are able to turn simple charms like Stupefy and Expelliarmus into Dark Arts-like curses, applying the same affect as if they cast something like Crucio. They even managed to somehow manipulate the Unforgivable Curses, making already powerful and deadly spells even more deadly.
- Even moreso if the protagonist decides to absorb some of the Ancient Magic in the repository at the end of the game. Considering how powerful Isidora had gotten and she had barely scratched the surface of the power, it's only fair to assume they will grow just as powerful, if not more. And this time, there's no one to stop them.
- Hogwarts and the surrounding area is finally explorable in an open world in modern day graphics is one of the best things to have come from this video game.
Story
Main Story- The first battle against the troll in Hogsmeade. The protagonist has only just started their school year and they had only just manifested their magic, yet they and their companion (Sebastian or Natsai) were able to hold off a troll from destroying Hogsmeade. If that's not already impressive, the stress of the fight causes them invoke Ancient Magic and disintegrate the troll, finally defeating it.
- In the same way as her successor, Rosmerta, managed to reign in even the most rowdy clients in the present day, Sirona is able to do the same during her time. When Victor Rookwood attempts to abduct the protagonist, she puts herself face to face with Rookwood to protect them, riling up the rest of the patrons to take a stand as well. This intimidates Rookwood enough that he decides to leave. Apparently Rookwood has been trying to exhort the Three Broomsticks for ages, but Sirona never once gave into the pressure. It's no wonder she's so well liked by her patrons.Sirona: Perhaps you didn't hear me. (all the other patrons stand up with wands out) I said my friend is busy.
- During Beasts class, the protagonist intimidates a Slytherin and Ravenclaw student into stopping their torment of a Kneazle and heckling Poppy with four simple words: "It's really not funny.". It's clear that they recognize the protagonist (likely as the student who stopped a rampaging troll in Hogsmeade) and with Professor Howin nearby, they decide to abandon their pursuit. Compared to what the protagonist faces (Dark Wizards, Goblin Loyalists, dangerous killer beasts, and more), two bullies are nothing.
- How the protagonist tames the Lord of the Shore:
- Attacking it causes the protagonist to stop and intimidate the Graphorn with sheer power alone.
- The other option is aruably more awesome as the protagonist puts away their wands, kneeling with their hands up, even as a Graphorn literally ten times their size charges straight at them. This act of respect actually does get the Lord's favor and allows the protagonist to tame him.
- The battle confrontation with Rookwood ends up with him whisking the protagonist away and trapping them in an arena where he throws the full force of the Ashwinders at them in an effort to kill them. The protagonist is able to hold their own against wave after wave of enemies, with Rookwood occasionally making an appearance to lock the protagonist into a linked wand duel when attempting to kill them with Avada Kedavra. The protagonist ends up winning the entire fight by causing their third linked wand duel to backfire on him, disintegrating and ending Rookwood's life for good. The fact that Rookwood feels threatened enough by a 'mere child' to enact this sort of plan in the first place. After spending the entire game single-handedly slaughtering Ashwinders, Poacher, and goblin camps by themselves, it's no wonder even one of the most proficient Dark Wizards of this generation is rightfully terrified of this 'mere child'.
- The final battle between the protagonist and Ranrok is definitely one of the greatest set pieces in the game:
- In a crumbling environment, they battle the goblin who has turned himself into a magical dragon, making you face off in a series of battles until you finally end him.
- Before that part, when it's clear the goblin are beginning to overpower the protagonist and Professor Fig, the other Professors (except Black) appear in a Big Damn Heroes moment to fight off the incoming goblins. Cue an entire section battling alongside your all your professors in a mad dash to get to the repository before Ranrok does. It's no Battle of Hogwarts, but it's pretty close to that. Professor Sharp, the crippled Auror, is the one that joins the protagonist and Professor Fig on the front lines and turns the last goblin encounter into a cakewalk.
- The scenes following, which are just as awesome, depends on the choice the player made previously:
- In the Secret-Keeper ending, the protagonist manages to hold up the collapsing rocks by themselves before Professor Fig comes to support them. Afterwards, they manage to use their own power to contain the volatile magic despite never having done so before. with their Professor's encouragement, they power through it all and manage to contain it all.
- In the darker Earn Your Bad Ending, the protagonist ends up following in Isidora's foosteps taking in some of the corrupted ancient magic (whether it is for themselves or to help others), inhaling it and flashing an evil smirk as their eyes light up with power. With just that little boost, they are able to contain the magic with less effort than they would have otherwise.
- In the postgame, the player ends up singlehandedly winning their House the House Cup due to their bravery and heroism in defending Hogwarts, much to the excitement of their peers. They all rush the protagonist, cheering them on with glee as matching fireworks light up the Great Hall.
Companions
- Somehow, Sebastian managed to figure out not one, not two, but all three of the Unforgivable Curses on his own. And not only that, he was able to teach the protagonist to cast it as well (if they choose to learn it from him), even though he isn't at all experienced in any of them.
- When Natty gets captured by Ashwinders during one of her sidequests, the protagonist mounts a solo rescue effort, sneaking into the heart of the hideout, either cleverly sneaking past or straight up murdering everyone there. She is then able to rescue both Natsai and Isko Rabe, the husband of Daisy Rabe who had been kidnapped to exhort her. At the end of it all, when word gets back to Natsai's mother, she apparently spreads the protagonist's heroics among the student body and is being regaled as a hero.
- Unlike the protagonist who seems quite intimidated by the mother dragon, Poppy virtually shows little to no fear to a beast that could swallow her whole. In fact, she's absolutely smiling with glee being this close to a dragon, just ecstatic to finally return her egg.
- Poppy's backstory reveals how she and Highwing the hippogriff became best friends. Poppy used to be raised in a poacher camp, Forced to Watch as her Abusive Parents exploited and killed magical creatures for profit, and Highwing was next on their camp's chopping block. Poppy, finally hitting her Rage Breaking Point, freed Highwing and ran from her home to her grandmother and never looked back. Judging by the fact that she, like the protagonist, is a fifth year, she was only 10.
- Natsai Taking the Bullet for the protagonist at the end of her questline, acting on instinct to save her friend, just as her father had done for her.
Sidequests
- Due to the nature of some of the quests, many of the quest givers tell the protagonist not to do their quest for their own safety, as they are only a student after all. However, the protagonist will embark to do the quest anyway, facing against trolls, acromatulas, and even entire camps of enemies by themselves. Most quest givers are absolutely shocked by the fact that a fifteen year old student is capable of such feats.
- In the quest to rescue Adelaide's uncle, the protagonist ends up breaking into a literal fortress of Goblin Loyalists, in which case they can sneak on by with none of them ever the wiser or straight up slaughtering them. Either way, Rowland is floored by the fact that his savior is a student the same age as his niece. Adelaide can't quite believe it herself either.
- The whole of "Minding your own business" timed exclusive sidequest. A mid quest Genre Shift into a horror escape quest. With brand new mechanics and enemies not seen anywhere else in the game. Things constantly changing around you sometimes in an instant or as you turn your camera around, taking cues from Silent Hill and Resident Evil of all things! It'll stick with you long after you've finished it.
Gameplay
- The fact that the Unforgivable Curses are all totally learnable and you are free to use them as much as you like throughout the many battles and story. You can't cast them willy-nilly on random people, but it is awesome to be able to use these spells in general when in previous games it was barely even considered.
- Avada Kedavra works just as intended. It is a One-Hit Kill move that always works, no matter if it's a huge armored troll or a boss with multiple phases* . The curse has an unbelievably long cooldown, but it's definitely worth having around if you decide to dabble in the Dark Arts. There's a special mastery for the infamous Killing Curse that makes an already broken spell even more broken. With this mastery, when casting Avada Kedavra, the spell will chain and kill any and all opponents who are cursed. Pair this up with the Crucio mastery that allows you to curse multiple opponents at the same time, and well, Voldemort could only dream of having this kind of power.
- Imperio works on almost any target, even trolls and some bosses, turning these opponents against your enemies, even if for a short time. In fact, this spell even works from stealth, allowing you to cause some chaos even before you step in.
- The Ancient Magic finishers are oftentimes even more brutal and vicious than the Unforgivable Curses. In fact, all enemies will cower in fear the moment the protagonist starts casting it, sometimes even voicing their terror.
- One finisher involves taking a humanoid opponent and repeatedly smashing them onto the ground, to their death.
- The protagonist calling down a magical lightning strike that will literally disintegrate the target. In fact, they have several attacks that do just that, whether it be via an explosion or not.
- Only usable against spiders, the protagonist draws in the poor arachnid, shrinking it to a regular muggle-size before stomping on it with their foot.
- One of the finishers for Pensive Guardians is ripping their weapon away from them and decapitating them with it.
- A sillier example, but just as awesome, one of the finishers involves transforming a human enemy into a chicken. Or a mongrel into a sheep. Yup.
- One of the Ancient Magic abilities you can unlock in the talent tree upgrades the dodge roll into a magical dodge that turns you into a fast traveling wisp of magic, which is just as cool as it sounds. It looks like a variation of how Dark Wizards are able to travel in wisps of dark smoke via apparition. The fact that the protagonist figured it out themselves is even more impressive.
- All cats in this game are pettable, no matter if they are found outside or inside Hogwarts.
