Whenever the sequel toHogwarts Legacyis revealed, which will likely be within the next few years, it will need to prove how it is both differentiating itself from its predecessor and building on its successes. Naturally,departures from the originalHogwarts Legacyformula should be expected, but the future game could also learn from other releases and studios, as they may hold the keys to vastly improved gameplay.
Many players lamented the notable lack of quidditch inHogwarts Legacy, but the reason for its omission became exceedingly clear onceHarry Potter: Quidditch Championswas revealed. Though it’s far from perfect,Quidditch Championsoffers a surprisingly enjoyable take onHarry Potter’s iconic sport, doing a good job of adapting its rules to the interactive medium, making it an activity that functions well in practice rather than only within the confines of a fictional narrative. One can only hope thatHogwarts Legacy 2takes some notes from its mechanics and overall design, as the two games seem like a match made inHarry Potterheaven.
Quidditch Championsisn’t the first quidditch video game, but it’s certainly the most polished and satisfying from a moment-to-moment gameplay perspective.
What Hogwarts Legacy 2 Can Learn from Quidditch Champions
Broom Flying Feels Better than Ever in Quidditch Champions
Thanks to a combination of solid physics and straightforward controls, flying a broom feels significantly more pliable and gratifying inQuidditch ChampionsthanHogwarts Legacy. Controls vary depending on which quidditch position a player assumes, but gameplay always feels smooth and interactive, whereasHogwarts Legacy’s broom flying can often feel on-rails and shallow, especially after the first few hours. Specific mechanics aHogwarts Legacysequel ought to steal fromQuidditch Championsinclude:
The above features and mechanics help deepenQuidditch Champions' gameplay, and they feel like obvious improvements overHogwarts Legacy’s implementation of brooms. As it stands,brooms inHogwarts Legacyare static, differing in appearance but functionally identical to one another. There’s not much reason to expect different stats or upgrades, either, as the mechanical process of flying a broom is equally straightforward, mostly boiling down to managing stamina and pushing forward on the joystick. Melding progression systems with more involved controls could work wonders inHogwarts Legacy 2.
Quidditch Champions and Hogwarts Legacy 2 May Be Better Off Together
DespitesomeHogwarts Legacyoverlap,Quidditch Championsis its own beast, detached from all otherHarry Pottervideo games and their associated gameplay conventions. And although bothQuidditch ChampionsandHogwarts Legacyare worthwhile experiences, it’s hard not to wonder if their separation is really the best thing for each of them. In other words, maybeQuidditch Championscould benefit from being in an open-world RPG, and maybeHogwarts Legacywould be improved with a fleshed-out quidditch system.
BakingQuidditch ChampionsintoHogwarts Legacy 2could mean getting the best of both worlds. More in-depth broom-flying mechanics and quidditch challenges would be available in the more “definitive"Harry Pottergame, and the open-world RPG systems introduced inHogwarts Legacycould feed into the progression of gear and athletic prowess. There would be an actual reason to collect, upgrade, and customize brooms, as they would serve a purpose aside from traversal and limited-scope time trials.
If Warner Bros. is committed to keeping these two games apart, then there should at least be some cross-pollination. Some ofQuidditch Champions' features should bleed intoHogwarts Legacy 2, but some ofHogwarts Legacy’s narrative focus and gameplay variety could also be folded into aQuidditch Championsupdate or sequel, making both titles better off.
