Summary
Hogwarts Legacyis one of the year’s best-selling games, and many players would argue that a major element of its success is connected to its RPG elements, letting players get fully immersed in the Wizarding World. With a sequel to the game likely on its way, Avalanche Software should take a hard look at the shortcomings andmistakes ofHogwarts Legacyand cull some of its less-than-ideal inclusions. Though it’s not necessarily the most common subject of criticism, the main character of the game is one of the things that should be reexamined in the sequel.
Hogwarts Legacyis fairly standard when it comes to video game storytelling. The player-made protagonist, a late arrival at Hogwarts, is discovered to be something of a “chosen one,” who must embark on a journey to stop a great evil that faces the wizard world. Being the chosen one, the player character has access to unique magical powers, although the specific nature of this magic is left somewhat vague. Though this power is ambiguous, it’s made clear that the player character is exceptionally powerful and important.
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Why the Next Hogwarts Legacy Hero Should Be Dialed Back
In addition to the manyclassic spells included inHogwarts Legacyare Ancient Magic abilities, which basically serve as one-hit-kill moves that the player can invoke upon filling the Ancient Magic meter. The role that Ancient Magic plays runs contrary to how the magic is described in the game and distracts from the central draw of theHogwarts Legacyexperience while making for gameplay that can often be just a bit too easy.
Ancient Magic in Hogwarts Legacy Is Uninteresting
In the greater Wizarding World lore, Ancient Magic is generally treated as something mysterious and difficult or impossible to control. This is echoed inHogwarts Legacy, as the plotline revolving around Isidora Morganach makes the use of Ancient Magic seem enigmatic and almost otherworldly.The gameplay ofHogwarts Legacyundermines this world-building, as Ancient Magic is used simply to deal a massive amount of damage to an enemy, calling lightning upon them or turning them into inanimate objects or animals—all things that can be done by other in-universe spells. Thus, Ancient Magic, the very thing meant to make the protagonist interesting and special, winds up being so broadly defined that it becomes pedestrian and bland.
Hogwarts Legacy Should Be a Hogwarts Fantasy, Not a Power Fantasy
Some games, likeDoom, are designed to make the player feel powerful throughout the entire experience, while others like those in theDark Soulsseries are designed to have the opposite effect, pitting players against seemingly impossible odds. Ideally,Hogwarts Legacyshould have landed squarely in the middle of this spectrum, but it leans a bit too far into the power fantasy side of things. This is exacerbated by the inclusion ofUnforgivable Curses inHogwarts Legacy,which make the character so powerful that they ultimately break the immersion of the game while making the combat easier than it perhaps should be, even on harder difficulties.
Instantly kills enemies
Instantly kills anyone it’s cast upon
Enemies take massive damage over time
Inflicts excruciating pain on victim
Makes enemies turn on their allies
Bends victims to the caster’s will and influence
These spells, combined with Ancient Magic and the many other incredibly powerful spells in the game, make for an experience that feels more like an action game than a story-focused RPG. While this may not bother some players, it does detract from what makes the game unique: the Wizarding World lore, specifically Hogwarts itself. Ultimately, thisHogwarts Legacy’s greatest strength is how it delivers onthe fantasy of being a Hogwarts student. This is the element that sets it apart from other western, open-world RPGs, so a sequel should focus less on making the player feel powerful while mowing down hordes of enemies, and more on the smaller, intimate, grounded elements of the premise.
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.
