Summary
TheHarry Potterfilm tie-in titles were a half-step into a world of potential in the gaming space, but the world-building, side-stories, characters, and presentation of the IP could easily have been so much more. It lends itself beautifully not just to a video game adaptation, but to an all-new story where players have the freedom to craft their student and roam the halls of the iconicHogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardrywhile finding their own fun.Hogwarts Legacydid just that, and the commercial reception paired with critical acclaim has made it one of the stand-out gaming experiences in a stacked 2023 calendar year.
Hogwarts Legacyis an RPG in context and content, and though games likeBaldur’s Gate 3andThe Witcher 3lean heavier into the role-playing genre, the Avalanche-developed project mimics other, more established franchises likeAssassin’s CreedandFableto ensure that it has enough of a drawing factor to keep players coming back. A sequel is all but confirmed, and the inspirations could come from other sources. How the much-lovedSoulsgames by FromSoftware handle classes and progression could be an intriguing place to take cues from, as its starting builds could make gameplay unique, and help the setting feel more interactive.
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Harry Potter’s Students Feel Unique
InHarry Potter, there is a binary divide between those who are magic and those destined for a muggle, non-magic life. It’s one of the core distinctions in the entire franchise, and characters like Hermione, who has muggle parents, and Petunia, whose sister was a witch while she was left without the gift, show the inherent divide between the two. However, less prominent are the subtle differences between magic users, as some are better at particular spells than others.Gilderoy Lockhart claims to be effective at using memory charms, and Seamus Finnigan was described by McGonagall in a late film as someone with “a particular proclivity for pyrotechnics.”
Hogwarts Legacyincludes 34 learnable spells, the majority of which players have no choice but to learn, and there are no usable weapons aside from wands.
The magic each is good at adds hugely to their character by showing viewers and readers what they are capable of rather than just telling them. It helps ensure the pupils of Hogwarts are recognizable from one another instead of feeling like a herd of similar students that don’t ever break the mold, for better or worse.Hogwarts Legacydoesn’t effectively show this, andFromSoftware’s class-based character-buildingwould accentuate the role-playing feeling of the follow-up.
The Souls Games Could Show that Not All Wizards are Created Equal
InHogwarts Legacy, there is no player agency over what magic they specialize in, save for the conscious decision to pursue learning the three unforgivable curses. It’s a shame, as it means most people’s playthrough of the 2023 game will look similar once the credits roll, and having more freedom of choice would add massively to the budding franchise’s role-playing elements. By borrowing the philosophy that FromSoftware uses with distinctive starting builds,Hogwarts Legacy’s sequelwould instantly give gamers a choice, and make them aware from the get-go that their time in the wizarding world will likely be unique from most others.
Diagon Alley Could Finally Come Into its Own in Gaming
Weaving it into the story by allowing players to pick items out from Diagon Alley to give direction to their experience could be fun while making the setting feel closer to the main campaign and not just as generic window dressing. The location hasn’t featured inHogwarts Legacyas the player character is quickly swept into the world, and using Diagon Alley as a catalyst to justify aSouls-esque starting class system could bring awell-known but absentHarry Potterspot to the series.
