The Harry Potter Game That Takes The Shortest Time To Beat

"Hogwarts Legacy" is the latest in a long line of games set in the Wizarding World of "Harry Potter." Based on critical reception, it's also one of the best and longest to beat. Of course, not all "Harry Potter" games offer a chance to dive into an open world alongside dozens of hours of content. Some keep things relatively simple and on the shorter side.

Counting the games based on the movies (each film got a game), the "LEGO Harry Potter" titles, and various others, there have been over a dozen entries covering a variety of different play times. While games like "LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4," could rival "Hogwarts Legacy" in length, some barely took any time at all.

One game, in particular, stands out for its brief playtime. Clocking in at just four and a half hours, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2" is the "Harry Potter" game that takes the least time to beat.

Appropriately enough, the shortest "Harry Potter" game is tied to the shortest movie. But, while the film still cracks the two-hour mark like the rest of the series with a respectable 130 minutes (per Potter Talk), the game's four-and-a-half-hour playtime is relatively short by game standards, and even a full completionist run won't take players beyond seven and a half (per HowLongToBeat).

Unlike the film, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2" was not well-received by critics or fans. While the movie was a hit and continues to rank high in the series, the game solicited almost universal panning from critics.

GameSpot specifically noted how brief the game was and how little it was worth replaying in its negative review of the game. Even slightly less harsh reviews, like Game Chronicles', noted how short the game was and listed it as a significant weakness. Across the board, reviewers found the gameplay disappointing, with only moderate praise for the improved graphics and faithfulness to the source material's story.

Short doesn't always translate to bad in gaming, but in the case of the final "Harry Potter" movie-based game, the two went hand in hand. Even for "Potter" fans looking for a quick and easy excursion into the Wizarding World, this still might be one to avoid. "Hogwarts Legacy" and the "LEGO" games may require a more significant time investment, but they also seem to hold up better to the scrutiny of critics and "Harry Potter" fans.