Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery
Video game information
Developer	Jam City
Publisher	Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Released	25 April 2018
Genre	Narrative role-playing

Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery is a video game developed by Jam City, part of their Portkey Games label, that was released for mobile devices on 25 April 2018.

In this game, the player creates their own character, and takes on the role of a Hogwarts student. The character experiences all seven years, and takes part in classes as well as extra activities such as the Duelling Club.

Several actors voiced characters that they had played in the Harry Potter films before, including Warwick Davis, Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, Gemma Jones, Zoë Wanamaker and Sally Mortemore.

About

The player creates a character and follows the story of a student at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and throughout the game will have to make certain choices which determines the path their character will be placed on, including the kind of relationships they build with other characters. Along with the story side told through each chapter, they have the opportunity to achieve rewards by learning spells and potions.

Beginning in 1984, the story follows the character for seven years of education. In that time, the game will feature characters known from the books during their student years, including Bill Weasley, Charlie Weasley and Nymphadora Tonks. The game also features teachers who were working at Hogwarts during that time including the characters of Rubeus Hagrid, Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall, Albus Dumbledore, Filius Flitwick and Rolanda Hooch.

Chapters

Year One

Chapter 1: Your Journey Begins

The player begins by creating the appearance of their character before arriving at Diagon Alley where they are introduced to Rowan Khanna. Rowan advises the player to purchase their books from Flourish and Blotts. The player later rejoins Rowan and names their character and establishes a friendship with Rowan.

Finally, the character purchases their wand from Ollivanders. The player finds out their character has a brother who went missing and depending on the answer the player selects in response, they will receive one possible wand wood and core out of three possible ones.

Chapter 2: Welcome To Hogwarts

The player arrives at Hogwarts where they gather in the Great Hall. The Sorting Hat will ask the player which house they were hoping for and then place the character in their house of choice, which will be the same house Rowan was placed in. They will then head to their common room where they will talk with Rowan before attending Charms and Potions where they will encounter bully Merula Snyde and have the choice of how to deal with her.

Chapter 3: Dealing With Trouble

The player will be introduced to Ben Copper and the Prefect of the house the player chooses. The player and Rowan depending on whether the player wants Rowan to join them, will be tricked by Merula and attacked by Devil's Snare. They are rescued by Rubeus Hagrid and then attend their Flying class where the player received another opportunity to create a friendship with Ben.

Rowan then invites the player to play gobstones and the player's choices in the game determines how it works out. Later Merula finds them. Merula taunts the player with research she found about the player's brother who people think run away to join the Death Eaters. Depending on the choice of the player, they can respond with information which reveals Merula's parents were Death Eaters. Merula then challenges the player to a duel.

Chapter 4: Revenge is Best Served Magical

The player reports to their house Prefect who offers to teach the player to duel when they have learned a duelling spell. They find the Duelling Book in the Artefact Room and the player receives information about the cursed vaults their brother went looking for. The player then has an opportunity to talk with Rowan about what the player found out and build their friendship with Rowan depending on their choices.

The player will then begin improving their duelling in preparation for the duel with Merula. Professor Flitwick was known to be a duelling champion, and Flitwick agrees to help the player improve their skill at duelling by teaching them one spell. Flitwick then tells the player they can only use the spell for self-defence and they should ask Ben for help in order to learn another spell.

The player finds Ben in the Great Hall where they have the chance to cheer Ben up and improve their friendship. However Rowan finds a spell in the Duelling Book and the player learns the new spell. Rowan then let's the player try the new spell on them and it works, and they agree to report their findings to their house Prefect.

Chapter 5: The Duel

The player reports their new skills to their house Prefect and they tell the player and Rowan to duel each other. The game offers three choices for how to duel: Sneaky, Defensive and Aggressive. Both Rowan and the player choose one of the three, and depending on the choices, one will defeat the other. Sneaky defeats Defensive, Aggressive defeats Sneaky and Defensive defeats Aggressive.

Having won the duel, the player finds Merula bullying Ben in the courtyard. Merula attacks Ben with a spell and the player feels they have no choice and have to decide on the way they will intervene. They have the choice of attacking before Merula, or defending when Merula attacks them. Merula and the player then duel and the player will win. Snape and Flitwick then arrive and Snape blames the player for beginning the duel.

However, depending on the earlier choice of the player Flitwick will ask the player whether they were the one who began the duel. If they had not Flitwick will defend the player and Snape will demand the player receives detention anyway for learning defensive spells.

Chapter 6: A Curious Corridor

The player meets Penny Haywood who says thank you to them for dealing with Merula. Penny offers to help the player when they need it. The player and Merula then find Snape who tells them he would make them leave the school for their actions but Albus Dumbledore would want them to receive detention. They are then interrupted by Argus Filch who mentions a vault in a corridor to Snape, who then leaves to investigate.

Merula deduces they are talking about the cursed vaults and follows them and the player then decides to follow Merula. Snape asks Filch who else knows about the vaults and ice and then decides to inform Dumbledore and deduces it may be connected to the player's brother. The player wonders why Merula would be looking for the vaults and then tells Rowan what happened.

The player has the choice of how to tell Rowan what happened, and persuade them to join the plan the player created to find out more about the cursed vaults and Cursed ice. They then head to the corridor where they search for any clue which may lead them to the vaults. They eventually decide to open a door leading off the corridor.

Chapter 7: Class Matters

The player meets with their House Prefect who asks them to focus more on school work for a while and make up for the House points taken from them through their rule-breaking. The player agrees and talks to Rowan who tells the player perhaps they could help Ben improve his Flying class skills. The player finds Ben and helps him study in the Great Hall.

Ben continued to feel worried about flying which gave the player the idea to help Ben feel okay with flying by using the Levitation Charm on him. They tell Ben to find them in the Courtyard later. They use the Levitation Charm on Ben but he is still nervous about flying so the player agrees to help Ben at Flying class.

The player has the choice of how to help Ben and encourage him throughout the class. Ben finds a new-found confidence for flying and thanks the player for their help. Ben tells Madam Hooch and they both receive ten points for their house. Part of the chapter was to learn the spell Flipendo. However Flitwick taught the player a duelling spell already and tells them they cannot learn it. The player can respond with a choice of three possible answers which determine whether they can persuade Flitwick to let them learn Flipendo.

Classes

Charms

• Year 1
  • Lumos
  • Expelliarmus
  • Rictusempra
  • Wingardium Leviosa
  • Alohomora
  • Flipendo
  • Nox
• Year 2
  • Engorgio
  • Incendio
  • Episkey
  • Reducio
• Year 3
  • Petrificus Totalus
  • Finite Incantatem
  • Depulso
  • Riddikulus

Potions

• Year 1
  • Cure for Boils
  • Wiggenweld Potion
  • Sleeping Draught
  • Herbicide Potion
• Year 2
  • Fire-Breathing Potion
  • Strengthening Solution
  • Fire Protection Potion
  • Swelling Solution

Flying

• Year 1
  • Summon Broom
  • Mount Broom
  • Liftoff and Landing

• Year 2
  • Fast Laps
  • Weaving

Transfiguration

• Year 2
  • Revelio
  • Reparifarge
  • Reparo
  • Porcupine to Pin Cushion
  • Spongify

Characters

Students

• Jacob's sibling, whom the player controls, and whose name, appearance and house are determined by the player
• Rowan Khanna, a friend of the player who will be placed in the same house
• Ben Copper, a potential Gryffindor friend in the same year of the player
• Merula Snyde, a Slytherin school bully in the same year of the player who becomes an enemy of the player
• Chester Davies, a Prefect of Ravenclaw
• Felix Rosier, a Prefect of Slytherin
• Angelica Cole, a Prefect of Gryffindor
• Jane Court, a Prefect of Hufflepuff
• Penny Haywood, a potential Hufflepuff friend in the same year of the player, who's skilled at potions
• Nymphadora Tonks, a potential Hufflepuff friend in the same year of the player
• William Weasley, a Gryffindor in an above year who teaches the player a spell
• Charlie Weasley, a potential Gryffindor friend in the same year of player
• Tulip Karasu, a potential Ravenclaw friend from third year onwards
• Barnaby Lee, a Slytherin in the same year of the player
• Jacob, a former student and brother of the player who went missing when he was made to leave Hogwarts

Professors

• Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster
• Minerva McGonagall, Transfiguration Professor
• Severus Snape, Potions Professor
• Filius Flitwick, Charms Professor
• Pomona Sprout, Herbology Professor
• Rolanda Hooch, Flying Instructor
• Silvanus Kettleburn, Care of Magical Creatures Professor (mentioned)
• Septima Vector, Arithmancy Professor (mentioned)
• Aurora Sinistra, Astronomy Professor (mentioned)
• Unidentified 1984-1985 Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher (mentioned)
• Unidentified 1985-1986 Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher (mentioned)

Support staff

• Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of Keys and Grounds
• Argus Filch, Caretaker
• Poppy Pomfrey, Matron
• Irma Pince, School Librarian

Other

• Garrick Ollivander
• Unidentified house-elf near the Hogwarts kitchens
• Mrs Norris
• Fang
• Peeves

Areas

• East Towers
  • Charms Classroom
  • Astronomy Classroom, entry available in Year 6
  • Astronomy Tower, entry available in Year 6
  • Divination Classroom, entry available in Year 6
  • Defence Against the Dark Arts Classroom, entry available in Year 5
• West Towers
  • Dumbledore's Office, entry available in Year 2
  • Gryffindor Common Room, Gryffindor only
  • Prefects' Bathroom, entry available in Year 5
  • Ravenclaw Common Room, Ravenclaw only
  • Filch's Office, entry available in Year 3
• Lower Floor - West
  • Great Hall
  • Hospital Wing, entry available in Year 2
  • Grand Staircase, entry available in Year 5
  • Courtyard
• Dungeons
  • Hufflepuff Common Room, Hufflepuff only
  • Kitchens, entry available in Year 5
  • Potions Classroom
  • Slytherin Common Room, Slytherin only
• Castle Grounds
  • Training Grounds
  • Whomping Willow, entry available in Year 6
  • Hagrid's Hut, entry available in Year 4
  • Owlery, entry available in Year 6
  • Care of Magical Creatures, entry available in Year 4
• Lower Floor - East
• Hogsmeade

Features

The player

The player will receive choices to make throughout the game. The answers they give from a number of three possible answers can determine which wand they receive, how strong their friendship with another character will be or how to deal with a situation which could have an impact on them later in the story. They have the choice of rewards which help contribute to the Courage, Empathy and Knowledge level of the player. The rewards can be earned in classes or by completing pieces of the story.

Energy

The player completes each chapter for both the classes or the story by using energy to complete tasks. The initial full limit of the player's energy is 24, though it can be broaden throughout the game. When the player uses one energy it will take four minutes for the energy to be added back to the game. The number of energy one task will take varies between 1 and 5.

Throughout the game, there are hidden opportunities to gain energy by clicking on a certain character or item. They are known to include:

• Clicking on the unidentified house-elf near the Hogwarts kitchens when it appears to be asleep so that it will run back to the kitchen
• Clicking on the empty portrait placed next to the Charms Classroom so the Girl with Flowers will reappear
• Clicking on the still-life painting in the West Towers that contains white flowers in what appears to be a tree trunk so that three oranges will reappear and the white flowers bounce
• Clicking on the middle of the three suits of armour on the right of the Great Hall entrance when the middle suit is holding a sword and the right suit a shield, so that they will switch what they are holding
• Clicking on the unlit torch on the right of the Great Hall entrance so that it will relight
• Clicking on the twig on the path between the Whomping Willow and Hagrid's Hut so that Fang will fetch it and run down to Hagrid's

In-App purchases

The game offers a reward or purchase of coins and diamonds which can be used to buy in-app purchases including more energy or even clothes, hairstyles and accessories for the character. The coins will also need to be used to complete a certain part of the chapter including 100 coins to build a relationship with another character or learning to duel.

House Cup

The player will win or lose House points throughout the game which could depend on their choices. Their ranking will be placed on the Leaderboard for how many points they have earned overall for the House. They will be placed in a list of randomised students and their choices could have an impact on the House placement in the rankings overall. The winner of the House Cup at the end of the year will be rewarded with an increasing number of Gems beginning with 100 Gems for first year and increasing to 125 Gems for second year.

Classes and story

The game-playing takes places in two sections: the story and the classes aspect. The player will not need in each chapter to complete a class and then move on to the story. They can complete both in the order they decide and the pace they decide. However, the game will not allow the player to move on to the next chapter or part of the chapter unless the player completes both the story and class.

To complete a class, the player earns stars within a time limit choice of either 1hr, 3hrs or 8hrs which effect the number of stars they can earn and therefore the rewards. In each class, they will have to trace spells or rotate potions in an identical way to an old Pottermore feature. The player could be asked a question about the subject during the class, and providing the right answer will reward the player with their choice of energy, points, coins or diamonds.

Behind the scenes

• The following characters were attending Hogwarts or would have begun attending Hogwarts during the years the player attended from 1984 until 1991. However, they have not been mentioned in relation to the game or are known to appear in the game: Gwenog Jones (graduated 1986 or 1987) Marcus Flint, (Sorted 1986) Penelope Clearwater, Percy Weasley and Oliver Wood (Sorted 1987). Roger Davies, Cedric Diggory, Angelina Johnson, Lee Jordan, Adrian Pucey, Alicia Spinnet, Patricia Stimpson, Kenneth Towler, Fred and George Weasley (Sorted 1989), and Donaghan Tremlett (graduated 1990 or 1991).
• There were a few other characters from Harry Potter's early years at Hogwarts who would have attended around the same time including Quidditch players and Prefects like Terence Higgs and Robert Hilliard.
• Based solely on their birth year (though it is not known if they attended Hogwarts), these characters could also have attended Hogwarts during that time: Dunbar Oglethorpe (b. 1968), Myron Wagtail (b. 1970), Kirley Duke (b. 1971), Heathcote Barbary (b. 1974), Herman Wintringham (b. 1974), Stanley Shunpike (b. 1974/1975), Gideon Crumb (b. 1975) and Orsino Thruston (b. 1976).
• The additional Hogwarts staff from 1984 would have been composed of: Quirinus Quirrell (Muggle Studies, at least in the late 1980s), Sybill Trelawney (Divination), and Cuthbert Binns (History of Magic). It is unknown if Bathsheda Babbling already taught Study of Ancient Runes.
• Even though the Duelling Club has been confirmed to feature in the game, it was originally created by Gilderoy Lockhart in the 1992–1993 school year. It is possible that several different Duelling Clubs were founded and dissolved throughout the history of Hogwarts.
• On the leaderboard, the majority of the names of other students and their appearance are randomised for that player, and the only names which are the same for everyone will be for game-playing characters like Merula Snyde or Ben Copper. The randomised names are similar and can even be the same, with popular surnames being Nguyen, Hernandez, Miller, Young and Carter.
• The player may create their own name if they wish but there are player names which are banned for an unknown reason, including the name Roland. However, the name Jacob is not banned, meaning that both the player and his/her brother can be named Jacob.
• The player will be asked to answer a question during the classes. Everyone will receive the same question but the order in which they are asked throughout each chapter will be randomised. For example, one player could answer the same question earlier in the game than another player who will receive another question instead at that point.
• It was released on the 24th of April in some countries.

Mistakes

• The world-class broomstick Firebolt was released in 1993, yet during the Flying Class in 1984 a question along the lines of "what is a Firebolt" could be asked. It can be asked at different chapters in the story depending on the player.

Media gallery

Harry Potter- Hogwarts Mystery - Official Teaser Trailer

Sneak Peak of Harry Potter Hogwarts Mystery A Celebration of Harry Potter 2018

Library

Hogwarts acceptance letter

External links

• Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery official website
• Official Facebook page
• Official Twitter profile

Notes and references

J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter series
Philosopher's Stone	book	film	games	film soundtrack	game soundtrack
Chamber of Secrets	book	film	games	film soundtrack	game soundtrack
Prisoner of Azkaban	book	film	games	film soundtrack	game soundtrack
Goblet of Fire	book	film	games	film soundtrack	game soundtrack
Order of the Phoenix	book	film	game	film soundtrack	game soundtrack
Half-Blood Prince	book	film	games	film soundtrack	game soundtrack
Deathly Hallows	book	film 1	games 1	film soundtrack 1	game soundtrack 1
		film 2	games 2	film soundtrack 2	game soundtrack 2
Cursed Child	script	play
Fantastic Beasts film series
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them	book	screenplay	film	game	film soundtrack
The Crimes of Grindelwald		screenplay	film		film soundtrack
The Secrets of Dumbledore		screenplay	film		film soundtrack