It’s not clear what the future holds for theHogwarts Legacyfranchise, but it feels safe to assume that it will continue in some capacity.Hogwarts Legacy’s nearly unprecedented successand widespread appeal makes a follow-up game hard to turn down from a business perspective, but exactly what route the game takes with regard to its premise will have significant consequences, and not necessarily negative ones.
The firstHogwarts Legacyfollows a student who arrives at Hogwarts at the start of their fifth year, their magical powers not awakening at the same life stage as most of their peers. As it turns out, this is a peculiarity that this hero has in common with a number of uniquely gifted witches and wizards of the past, making this potential setback an unexpected boon. When it comes to the sequel, however, it would probably be best to move on from this late-bloomer protagonist, whose journey has run its course by the end of the first game; a more traditional approach may present greater opportunities when it comes to the main character.
Hogwarts Legacy 2 Should Kick Off with a First-Year Student
It may seem like retreading old ground, but giving players the full “Hogwarts experience” by simulating a full seven-year term, much like the main characters ofHarry Potter,could be the best option forHogwarts Legacy 2. Within this narrative framework, the nextHogwarts Legacycould expand into something that is simultaneously more refreshing and more appropriately on-brand than its predecessor.
Why a Typical Student Experience Could Be a Good Move for Hogwarts Legacy 2
Hogwarts Legacyhas a lot going for it: its art design is beautifully realized, it’s technically sound, and its wide variety of unique features, locations, and side activities help deliver a fairly strong Hogwarts fantasy. That said, it’s possible that Avalanche went a bit too far in attempting todifferentiateHogwarts Legacyfrom its source material, and in so doing, wound up making it more generic than it could have been.
The most unique aspect ofHarry Potterisn’t its magic system or lore—it’s the premise of high fantasy mixed with slice-of-life, intimate storytelling. It’s not too much of an exaggeration to say thatsmall moments from theHarry Potterbooksand movies, like characters bantering in the common room or discussing their crushes, are just as exciting, if not more so, than the myriad magical battles and destructive showdowns that form the climax of each book and film.
These more intimate narrative elements are missing fromHogwarts Legacy. The game may be set in and around Hogwarts, but there is remarkably little to do when it comes to actual student life. Indeed, while many were hoping for “Harry PottermeetsBully,“Hogwarts Legacywound up being more of a standard open-world action-adventure game with someHarry Potterelements. A sequel putting the player in the shoes of a Hogwarts student for all seven years of their education could remedy that.
For example, players could make decisions during their first year that could have unexpected consequences later on, both in terms of social systems and academic performance, providing worthwhile incentives to go to class in the game. It would also be satisfying to watch a custom character grow from ages 11 to 18, both physically and mentally. Of course, this is something of an ambitious premise, but it could end up being worth the effort, as this sort of relaxed student life is what a lot of people are looking for out of aHarry PotterRPG, arguably more so than high-adventure elements. This doesn’t mean thatHogwarts Legacy 2should forget everything about its predecessor, or completely remove combat or anything like that, but a more restrained approach, coupled with a more traditional, younger protagonist, might be just what the sequel needs to realize its full potential.
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 can 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.
