Hogwarts Legacy 2is expected to follow in the first game’s footsteps, and could be an improvement over its predessor in several ways. Ever since the originalHarry Pottermovie was released, fans of the series have been waiting for an immersive video game experience. While the wizarding world was touched on in games likeLEGO Harry Potterand PlayStationHarry Pottergames from the early 2000s, none has quite hit the mark likeHogwarts Legacy.
With its stunning visuals, engaging storyline, and the freedom to customize a character, the game truly brings the magic of Hogwarts to life like never before. Yet,there are still a few places where evenHogwarts Legacyfalls short. Its shortcomings have left many yearning for more, and a sequel will hopefully fix some of the first game’s issues.
Hogwarts Legacy Didn’t Have Enough Classes, Quidditch, Or School Gameplay
Hogwarts Legacy Needs More To Do In School
WhileHogwarts Legacydoes a fantastic job of recreating the wizarding world, the school-life aspect feels incomplete. Classes like Potions, Charms, and Defense Against the Dark Arts are fun and visually impressive, but they’re more like short tutorials than a regular part of Hogwarts life.You only attend these classes a few times, and they don’t feel like part of the everyday experience of being a Hogwarts student.
10 Features Hogwarts Legacy 2 Needs To Leave Behind
Hogwarts Legacy was a great game, but it had a lot of bad gameplay mechanics that the sequel absolutely need to leave behind in order to succeed.
The lack of Quidditch is another big letdown. Flying on a broom is enjoyable, but not the same as competing in a full Quidditch match. Quidditch is such an important part of theHarry Potteruniverse, and not including it feels like a missed opportunity. Adding a full Quidditch experience with practices, matches, and rivalries would have made the game much more exciting for fans. Joining house teams, training with teammates, mastering specific roles, andcompeting for the Quidditch Cup would make the game more immersive and authentic to the Hogwarts experience.
Hogwarts Legacy 2is intended to beconnected to the upcomingHarry Pottertelevision series.
Beyond classes and Quidditch,the game doesn’t include enough school-life activities to make players feel like part of the Hogwarts community.Things like forming friendships, joining clubs, or attending school events could have added depth and made Hogwarts feel more alive.
Small interactive moments, like studying in the library, pulling pranks with friends, or helping classmates with their problems, could have added personality to the world. Unfortunately, with these missing aspects, and the fact that thestory is pretty short overall,Hogwarts Legacydoesn’t fully deliver the magical school experience.
The Vivarium Was Good, But Not Enough
Taking Care Of Magical Creatures Is Fun But Is Still Lacking
DespiteHogwarts Legacynot fully embracing classroom, Quidditch, and school gameplay, there is one area where the game tries to be unique: the Vivarium. The Vivarium allows players to care for andbreed magical creaturesin a sort of Newt Scamander-esque role. It provides a nice break from the game’s combat-heavy action,letting players feed, pet, and watch creatures like Thestrals, Hippogriffs, and Nifflers. The creatures are well-designed, and players can breed them to get unique traits, adding some customization to the experience. Players can even play fetch with their creatures.
Hogwarts Legacy 2 Has A Perfect Timeline Placement Option, But Will The Sequel Use It?
There is one era that has yet to truly be explored in Harry Potter media that would be perfect for Hogwarts Legacy 2, but will the studio use it?
The Vivarium is undoubtedly a charming addition, but it could have been much more. The creatures are fun to take care of, but they don’t impact the rest of the game much. In theHarry Potterbooks, magical creatures are often an important part of the story. Still, inHogwarts Legacy,the Vivarium acts more like a side activity with little connection to the main events. No quests or missions involve the creature in any significant way, so it ends up feeling disconnected from the rest of the game.
The biggest problem with the Vivarium is the lack of challenge or progression. Sure, you can care for the creatures and make them happy, but there’s not much else to do. It’s fun at first, but it doesn’t keep you engaged for long. There’s no sense of growth or achievement, and it becomes repetitive after a while. The Vivarium could have been more interesting if there were more ways to interact with the creaturesor if they played a bigger role in the game’s story.
While the Vivarium inHogwarts Legacyis a nice feature overall and gives players something else to do, it feels more like an afterthought. It’s agreat way to relax, but it doesn’t add much to the game’s main story. Magical creatures are such a big part of theHarry Potterworld, and it would have been great to see them play a more important role in the game.
Hogwarts Legacy 2 Should Lean Into Life Sim Gameplay
Hogwarts Legacy 2 Would Be Much Better As A Life Sim
Hogwarts Legacy 2can improve on a lot of where the original game fell short. Instead of focusing on RPG elements,Hogwarts Legacy 2should focus more on life simulation gameplay. The originalHogwarts Legacywas celebrated for its open-world exploration and RPG elements, but it failed to deliver what felt like an actual Hogwarts student experience.
Hogwarts Legacy 2 Should Take One Lesson From Classic Harry Potter Games For A True Wizard School Experience
Hogwarts Legacy did a great job at giving players a vast, open magical world to play in, but there is one thing that could be improved in the sequel.
Still, it also showed that the magic of theHarry Potteruniverse can shine through in other genres. The first game’s rich storytelling, stunning visuals, and attention to detail in world-building made players feel immersed in Hogwarts even without the need for deeper character progress or complex RPG mechanics. A sequel could take a different approach.
Adding things like daily routines, meals in the Great Hall, and dormitory life would make players feel more like real Hogwarts students. There should also be an overhaul in classes and Quidditch, as well as the addition of more school-life activities that could make players feel more like actual students. Instead of just attending an occasional class,students could have more consistent schedules, with activities like study groups, library time, and classroom interactions. Quidditch should be reintroduced with practices, games, and house rivalries.
The originalHogwarts Legacywas celebrated for its open-world exploration and RPG elements, but it failed to deliver what felt like an actual Hogwarts student experience.
Hogwarts Legacy 2has an opportunity to be even more of a success in adding such elements. WhileHogwarts Legacydelivered an experience thatHarry Potterfans have been longing for decades,Hogwarts Legacy 2has the chance to take it even further and all the developers have to do is expand on the school-life experience. TurningHogwarts Legacy 2into more of a life sim than an RPG would only deepen the player’s connection to the world.
