Summary
Hogwarts Legacy, despite its flaws, manages to present a captivating and charming rendition of the Wizarding World—one that stands out amidst other pieces ofHarry Pottermedia. More importantly,Hogwarts Legacylays the groundwork for a sequelthat could be even better.
But for Avalanche to meaningfully improve withHogwarts Legacy 2, it will have to first identify the most important elements of the first game. For manyHarry Potterfans,Hogwarts Legacyis a dream come true, allowing them to put themselves in the shoes of an average Hogwarts student and explore the hallowed halls of pop culture’s most iconic school. At the same time, theHogwarts Legacyexperience can snag on superfluous aspects, like copy-paste free-roam activities and half-baked RPG systems. This can make the game feel confused and underwhelming at times, especially as it continues to stray from its most promising element: Hogwarts itself.
Focusing On the House Cup Could Make Hogwarts Legacy 2 a Massive Improvement
Hogwarts Takes a Back Seat In Hogwarts Legacy
Despite being the game’s namesake, Hogwarts feels underutilized.Much ofHogwarts Legacy’s side contentleads players away from the titular school and into the Scottish Highlands, which, while beautifully realized, isn’t exactly unique when it comes to open-world design. Ultimately, stunning cliff faces, rolling hills, and charming woodlands are nice, but they aren’t what makeHarry Potterspecial. Rather, the magic and mystery of Hogwarts sits at the heart of the franchise’s allure.
Many expectedHogwarts Legacyto have a heavy emphasis on studentlife, perhaps drawing inspiration from classic titles likeBullyor thePersonaseries. But instead of social sim mechanics and interactive, impactful classroom systems, the academic aspects ofHogwarts Legacyfeel superficial: classes boil down to a few cutscenes with straightforward rewards, and there is a noticeable lack of interactive NPCs, random events, and mini-games in the school itself. This design approach is exemplified by the House Cup, which is arbitrarily given to the player’s chosen house at the end of the game, and no in-game choices or behaviors have any bearing on this result.
Hogwarts taking a back seat is all the more disappointing because of how well-designed the school is from an aesthetic standpoint.
The House Cup Could Game-ify Student Life in Hogwarts Legacy 2
The next game wouldn’t have to delete thebeautiful world ofHogwarts Legacy, but it could certainly benefit from a greater focus on academic slice-of-life elements. After all, theHarry Potterfantasy is more about the low-stakes, whimsical appeal of being a Hogwarts student than about fighting massive monsters or saving all of wizardkind. The sequel could double down on classes, leaning into the school simulation side of the equation, and House Points could serve as a logical and natural incentive to participate in these classroom activities. Much likeBully, perhaps classes inHogwarts Legacy 2could involve minigames of some sort, and performing well in these minigames could earn House Points. Completing side activities or making certain story choices could also result in the accumulation of said points.
These changes would be in service of an experience that is more Hogwarts-centric, shifting the focus away from the standard fantasy fare offered byHogwarts Legacy’s main story.ClassicHarry Pottergamesstrike a good balance between high-stakes adventure and the more quaint aspects of magical student life (partially because they were direct adaptations), soHogwarts Legacy’s sequel should be able to do the same. Making this extra effort with the House Cup would help it achieve this end.
Hogwarts Legacy
WHERE TO PLAY
Hogwarts Legacy is an immersive, open-world action RPG set in the world first introduced in the Harry Potter books. For the first time, experience Hogwarts in the 1800s. Your character is a student who holds the key to an ancient secret that threatens to tear the wizarding world apart. Now you’re able to take control of the action and be at the center of your own adventure in the wizarding world. Your legacy is what you make of it.Explore an Open WorldThe wizarding world awaits you. Freely roam Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, the Forbidden Forest, and the surrounding Overland area.Be the Witch or Wizard You Want to beLearn spells, brew potions, grow plants, and tend to magical beasts along your journey. Get sorted into your house, forge relationships, and master skills to become the witch or wizard you want to be Experience a New Wizarding World AdventureExperience the wizarding world in an unexplored era to uncover a hidden truth from its past. Battle against trolls, Dark Wizards, goblins, and more as you face a dangerous villain threatening the fate of the wizarding world.
