I think this is why the Hogwarts Legacy game is doing so well. The story is fine I guess, and the combat is polished but not particularly deep. But the recreation of the castle and Hogsmeade are so painstakingly detailed and well thought out. It's easy to get lost for hours just exploring, something most other open world games of the last decade really struggle with.

The illusion starts to fade when you wander further away from the school, but the game smartly keeps most of its critical path around Hogwarts and Hogsmeade.