Hogwarts Legacy meets Stardew Valley in Hogwarts Harvest

This brand new update looks like its blending elements from both Stardew Valley and Hogwarts Legacy for the Harry Potter game Hogwarts Mystery.

Hogwarts Mystery is an officially licensed Harry Potter game that I, somehow, have never heard of.

In some sense that should be too surprising, as I don’t really care for the franchise personally, but it’s just kinda weird that there’s a game for a property as big as this that is in no way on my radar.

Well, I’ve heard of it now, because they’re adding a new feature to the game in an update titled “Hogwarts Harvest” that is sure to delight fans of… plants? Farm stuff? I’ve got nothing.

“Magic is in full bloom at Hogwarts! We all know that plants play an important role in the world of Harry Potter – they are significant in the ecosystem, serving as key ingredients in potions, magical creature care, and the subject of study in Herbology”, developers Jam City revealed in a post on the official Hogwarts Mystery site.

“This month, we are introducing a brand new, plant-focused feature called Hogwarts Harvest. It offers a unique new way to engage with Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery on a daily basis as the caretaker of an all-new environment and magical plants to nurture for exclusive rewards!”

Huh. Sounds cool, but still… how come this game is never talked about online?

Oh. Nevermind, I just found the answer: it’s terrible.

First off, it’s a mobile game. Not making fun of mobile games, just probably goes someway to explaining why I’ve never heard of it.

More importantly however, the reviews for it are absolutely awful. It’s got a 43 on Metacritic, a score that’s usually saved for the likes of buggy, barely playable slop.

So what exactly is everyone’s issue with this game? Well, the monetisation elements are scummy.

According to reviewers, the microtransactions in Hogwarts Mystery are so prevalent and necessary that it makes the game borderline worthless, unless you fancy paying some money.

Yeah, no thanks. I’ll stick to Stardew Valley, a game that’s actually good.