Almost 22 years ago J. K. Rowling released the first novel of Harry Potter, the Philosopher Stone. During this type since June 30, 1997 we have attended the publication of six more novels, we saw eight films released in the series, we have on the shelves other stories and feature films based on the Rowling universe and, how could it be another way, to consoles, computers and mobiles came a endless games with Harry Potter as the protagonist; or based on the character and his magical universe, as is the case with the last title that was released this week: Harry Potter: Wizards Unite.
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite can now be downloaded and played in Spain
Following the success of Pokmon GO, Niantic announced the release of Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. The game already works in Spain, and we show you how to play it.
The developers of this game, which mixes action in the real physical plane with a story developed from scratch, are not strangers in the mobile landscape: Niantic, creator of Ingress and of Pokémon Go, use all the experience accumulated with the previous titles, in addition to technology, to develop Harry Potter: Wizards Unite in collaboration with Warner Bros. The result can now be played in Spain.
The premiere of Harry Potter: Wizards Unite in Spanish territory came by surprise, just as Harry Potter himself knew his magical roots. They didn't bring the good news McGonagall and Dumbledore, but it didn't matter too much: the game is accessible in the Google Play Store with active maps at street level. We have walked mobile in hand to see how the game works and what you can expect from it.
First steps: confusion and the finding that Harry Potter: Wizards Unite is immense
Draw a parallel with Pokémon Goeven with IngressIt is inevitable: not only is Niantic behind the last Harry Potter, it also shares the plans of previous games and takes advantage of the key points already created. In this way we will see taverns and greenhouses where the Poképaradas are, for example; and strengths in places where there is a Pokémon gym.
Enter for the first time in Harry Potter: Wizards Unite It involves facing the relevant tutorial. The game is not only to hunt magical creatures and defend against wizards and Death Eaters since the entire universe is super complex and difficult to understand at first. We will embody a newly incorporated wizard at Special Forces of the Statute of Secrecy to unravel a mystery: the Muggle world is plagued with Incontratus. We must walk mobile in hand identifying the objects, creatures, magicians … that lurk behind each corner.
It is not an easy game to understand given its complexity and number of elements
The tutorial from the beginning lets us see the immensity of the game. Augmented reality will be one of the keys, but it is also not essential: the fundamental thing is the exploration, as happened in the previous Niantic games. To encourage it, and maintain daily expectations, we will have many challenges, riddles, we must unravel the story behind the Incontratus, we can make friends with other magicians (with user codes) and, above all, will have to be constant.
Evolve in Harry Potter: Wizards Unite It is an arduous and progressive process. As our wizard evolves, he will have access to more spells and potions to face the adventure. This evolution is calculated in detail so that it is constant, challenging and not to despair. There will always be the option to move faster by improving inventory with real money, but it is not essential.
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite not only invites to hunt magical creatures: it has a story that is gradually revealed
The magic secret could be revealed in the wake of a tragedy that stalks the world Muggle: the Incontratus They have been deployed and we must undo the mess using our magical abilities, wand in hand. The story is original and based on the universe created by J. K. Rowling. And it is gradually revealed as we move forward in the game.
The plot is revealed, as we said: we will find out everything that happens in the mouth of recognizable characters. Harry Potter, Hermione… will appear on the screen to gradually tell what is happening in the magical world and also in the Muggle world. It is an incentive to the pure and hard "farmeo" that Harry Potter becomes: Wizards Unite when advancing level and the game becomes somewhat monotonous.
Collecting is one of the keys to the game
If in Pokémon Go the key is to collect all Pokemon, in Harry Potter: Wizards Unite that collector spirit remains … multiplied by ten (at least). There are many elements to achieve throughout the real world; and this is exemplified in the form of stickers that we must paste into a kind of album divided into categories: register.
Exploration, challenges, mysteries and events, each of these categories is composed of objects, magical creatures and characters that will be revealed as we get stickers. These stickers are scattered throughout the world and will appear as a kind of emblem floating on the virtual plane.
We must face using magic to complete all the elements of the record; acquiring with it the knowledge of the magical world. To overcome all these challenges (Incontratus) we must follow the traces of magic and cast spells, both attack and defense, drawing lines on the screen. The more precise the line drawn by the wand, the more intensity the spell cast will have, it will also last longer; being easier to solve the Incontratus.
The daily "farmeo" is the only way to complete the Registry
Logically, the registry elements are quickly completed at startup; until you reach a point where apparitions are repeated reserving the strangest Incontratus for certain places and moments. This makes Harry Potter: Wizards Unite a game of constant activity: the more you play the more options there are for you to find unique elements.
Not only the elements of the Registry are collected, in the game there are potions that we must discover and manufacture, we must look for ingredients with which to make the potions, there are objects for improvement, runic stones that give access to the fortresses… Anyway, you can already see the enormous complexity of the entire universe posed by Harry Potter: Wizards Unite.
Augmented reality that, as in Pokémon Go, is not essential
Niantic maintains augmented reality in meetings with Incontratus. Objects, creatures and characters will appear on the map, both in the emblems and in the fortresses (places where we will face enemies of greater power with runes help). To make use of the RA just activate the camera, hold the mobile and look for the magic trail that leaves the element in question.
Augmented reality is quite dispensable in Harry Potter: Wizards Unite since only it's decorative: basically serves to find the Incontratus in the scene. Once the game is found, it captures the image and projects the 3D animations on that image, so it is played more agile by deactivating the RA from the button in the upper right corner.
You can disconnect augmented reality without losing the essence of the game
It is hoped that the content actually augmented, and the gaming experience, will improve with the successive versions of Harry Potter: Wizards Unite, as happened with Pokémon Go. At the moment our advice is that you deactivate the RA, you will even save some battery. What is missing is going to do: the game consumes a lot of energy.
A great invitation to exercise
Do not think that you will advance too much in the game if you do not move from the armchair: The more you walk the more options there are for you to complete all the elements of the game; advancing level and thereby obtaining many more magical abilities. Given the immense amount of taverns and greenhouses there are (to replenish energy and gain inventory for potions), and all strengths that you have at your disposal to prove your worth, there is no choice but to go out the door and make legs.
Niantic continues to invite you to exercise, something that is always positive. Of course, you have to go mobile in hand and with the screen on; In addition to having active data and GPS. All these activated components get that the mobile devore energy, something that all games of this style share. If you are going to play for a few hours, it is not only advisable to be in a certain way, but also to carry an external battery with which to power the phone.
Playing requires going through the mobile street in hand and having a lot of battery in reserve
What do you get with the kilometers traveled? Not only the option to eliminate the spells of the Incontratus, find magical elements or access the fortresses, also we will unlock the transfer bags. Like the eggs in Pokémon Go, the transfer cases we find in Harry Potter: Wizards Unite will be unlocked as we travel the distance traveled. For this we will have a golden key, which serves for an infinite number of unlocks, and the silver keys, which only serve once. All are objects that are gradually earned and, as you will suppose, can also be acquired by the fast track.
In-app purchases? Many, but not essential
How I play free-to-play that is, Harry Potter Wizards Unite has a free download from the Google Play Store. This is usual, but at least we will not have to eat ads: the game is free of publicity. And it can be enjoyed without spending a penny on micropayments; something that will not only relieve your wallet, it will also make you enjoy more as the challenge of advancing increases.
The Diagon Alley It is, logically, the centralized store from which to acquire all kinds of objects based on exchanging them for gold. Mind you, Harry Potter: Wizards Unite lacks double currency: The only one is gold coins. This implies that, as you swell your account based on evolving in the game, the more gold you will have to acquire improvements. Also time: with coins you can save yourself the wait in potions, for example.
There is no double currency in this Harry Potter, only gold coins; although you will see your spell energy limited
Although there is no double currency in the game as such there is a second limiter: energy. This is necessary to perform spells and is recharged by attending taverns or taking potions. It cannot be exchanged directly for gold or acquired from Diagon Alley.
Conclusion: fans will fall in love and those who seek to have a good time will like it
You will have seen that the comparisons with Pokémon Go have been constant during this analysis to Harry Potter: Wizards Unite. It is not for less since share much of the mechanics and internal structure. Servers, maps, prominent geographic areas … Also the use of augmented reality and use real-life scrolling to get improvements in the virtual game.
Is Harry Potter: Wizards Unite another Pokémon Go? In terms of game style they are very similar, but they move away in terms of theme, history or ability to retain the interest of the less initiated. The graphics are very successful and, currently, the number of challenges is quite high. As well Daily play is encouraged with prizes and events so that returning to the "farmeo" is more stimulating.
We are liking Harry Potter: Wizards Unite even though it will not be so revolutionary and surely will not even remotely achieve the success of its predecessor. Even so, Niantic has huge potential for improvement: Rowling's entire universe is richer, deeper and more detailed than that of Pokémon Go. Always saving distances, of course.
Our advice is to take a look if you like the Harry Potter saga and enjoy walking around your city. Playing in sites far away from the big cities doesn't offer so many stimuli, but it's still fun. It remains to be seen how long he is able to maintain that fun.
Harry Potter: Wizards Unite is now available in Spain, Mexico and other Latin American countries. You can download it for free from the Google Play Store. And if it still does not appear you can download the game in the form of Apk. Yes, It is not yet stable on all phones, so you may encounter errors.
