Hogwarts Legacy will be giving long-time Harry Potter fans and gamers something they’ve been wanting for over two decades. Though the franchise has branched out in different directions such as films and stage plays, when it comes to video games, the Harry Potter books have only seen 1:1 adaptations without really expanding on the lore. Hogwarts Legacy, on the other hand, will allow fans to live out their magical fantasies by allowing them to create their own character and path as they step into the Wizarding World’s most beloved magical school.
This is why players might be interested in checking out Songs of Glimmerwick. With Hogwarts Legacy set to come out later this year, Songs of Glimmerwick probably won’t release until after players have had their fills of the Harry Potter universe, but it could bode well for this small indie game that combines magical spells with melodies. However, there are many similarities that the two fictional universes might share with one another.
What is Songs of Glimmerwick?
Like Hogwarts Legacy and Harry Potter, Songs of Glimmerwick puts players in the shoes of a customizable student at a witch’s academy, but the main difference between the two is that that indie game’s magic and spells from playing music via instruments. They’ll learn three-to-four note melodies, and the spells will help players speak with trees, enchant tools to do their bidding, change the weather, and shape the earth to form new pathways. Skill leveling will enhance these abilities, as shown in one screenshot, where the player gains fluency in ‘Tongue of Frog.’ Aside from the short melodies, players will also be able to practice longer songs through in-class rhythm games to “improve spell efficacy and power,” the developers explain during an interview with IGN.
Players should feel connected with their customizable character, which isn’t locked to the traditional binary genders. This should be of particular interest to Harry Potter fans who are avoiding Hogwarts Legacy following the transphobic comments made by J.K. Rowling. Unfortunately, Songs of Glimmerwick won’t feature player romance, but queer relationships will make an appearance among the diverse cast, something else that is largely missing from the Harry Potter franchise, and fans are still waiting to see if Hogwarts Legacy might change this.
And like Harry and his brave and mischievous friends, there’s a lot of exploring around the campus. At this point, it’s a bit unclear how open-world Songs of Glimmerwick might be, but there are plenty more activities to do outside of learning magical spells. Players will be able to join after-school clubs and engage in academic activities like moth racing or exploring alongside the Green Sprites.
Alongside the magical music, another major difference between the Harry Potter universe and Songs of Glimmerwick is that the indie game won’t feature any kind of combat, so it’s well-suited for players who enjoy more relaxed, casual gameplay sessions. Instead, Songs of Glimmerwick will focus on narrative storytelling, magical atmosphere, and intriguing locations.
Songs of Glimmerwick is made by the same team as Eastshade, though the two games look nothing alike. Eastshade was a first-person game about painting with a realistic graphics style, but its highly positive reception sets forth a strong reputation that players can expect from Eastshade Studios through its next game.
Songs of Glimmerwick is set to release in 2023 for consoles and PC.
