Harry Potter: Wizards Unite a must-play for Potter fans

Remember Pokemon Go, the juggernaut game that took the world by storm and had kids begging their parents to take them for walks? Well Harry Potter: Wizards Unite leverages everything from PoGo and makes it bigger and better.

Remember Pokemon Go? The juggernaut game that took the world by storm, and had kids begging their parents to take them for walks outside.

Pokemon Go had the most successful launch in mobile game history, and even still attracts tens of millions of players every month.

Harry Potter: Wizards Unite is the next game from Niantic, which leverages everything they learned making Pokemon Go and is even bigger and better prerelease.

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The plot of the game is that Grim Fawley has turned evil and is enchanting objects and creatures to attack in revenge for the death of his wife.

You, as the player, are deputised into the Ministry of Magic and need to return these “confoundables” by casting spells (drawing shapes on the screen).

On the way, you collect stickers and a wide assortment of currencies to level up and discover more of the mystery, interacting with old and new characters from the Harry Potter world.

Like PoGo, players still need to walk around collecting things from Inns and instead of Poké Balls, they get “spell energy”.

Harry Potter Wizards Unite is the latest game from the developers behind Pokemon Go. Picture: Niantic

I’m not usually a fan of using “energy” in games, as it’s normally a naked way to gate fun behind either micro-transactions or time, but in this case it works.

Some establishments provide 1-2 energy lightning bolts, while others have given out up to five. These Inns are located pretty much anywhere you’d see a Poké Stop, and you can store up to 75 energy at a time.

As well as that, you have greenhouses that provide ingredients for spells, and Fortresses, which are like Gyms.

As you visit Fortresses, you progress in the story, encountering fancier foes and levelling up. Five players can quest in a Fortress at a time, making them easier to take down.

Unlike Pokemon Go, you’re not collecting creatures, and your only interactions (so far) with other players are cooperative. You’re all in this mystery together.

As well as the enticement of finding more exotic ingredients and collecting more energy, Portkey Portmanteaus unlock cool AR experiences after 2, 5 or 10km walks.

Just keep in mind that it doesn’t offer adventure synch, yet, so you have to have the app open for your walking to count.

While players are still likely to turn off AR for the confoundable encounters, it can’t be turned off for Portkeys, and actually works really well, making the experience magical, particularly for kids.

Fans of the Harry Potter series will be disappointed by some inconsistencies in the story — some characters who died in the Battle Of Hogwarts are fine with no explanation offered, for example.

It almost certainly won’t reach the same levels of hysteria and excitement that Pokemon Go did in its heyday. But as a long-time Harry Potter fan, this is already one of my favourite mobile games ever, and getting me out and walking almost as much as PoGo does.

Bottom line: Even in beta, Wizards Unite is remarkably stable, and an absolute must play for Harry Potter fans of all ages.

Harry Potter: Wizards Unite beta

****

Available now on: iOS, Android

Price: Free+

Reviewed on: iPhone XS Max