- Hogwarts Legacy was a solid Harry Potter game, a commercial success, and the best in the series to date.
- Despite being a solid game, Hogwarts Legacy had flaws, with its plot and characters being weak points.
- Warner Bros. should take notes and improve upon the series with future entries if they want to make the perfect Harry Potter game.
The Harry Potter franchise is among the biggest IPs in the world, and it is worth billions at this point. Despite its popularity, most early gaming adaptations were limited to movie tie-ins and failed to live up to the source material.
This changed with Hogwarts Legacy, which stormed the gaming world in 2022. The game was an outright success and a dream come true for Harry Potter fans, allowing them to live the life of a magician within the Hogwarts walls.
However, the RPG came with its own set of flaws, including the dull plot and weak characters despite the IP’s reputation for iconic characters. In my opinion, these were the biggest problems in Hogwarts Legacy.
Why it matters: The success and popularity of the franchise overshadow the weak core aspect of Hogwarts Legacy, the plot, and the characters. Therefore, it’s important to highlight these issues so Warner Bros. can improve them for future entries.
Everything Wrong With The Narrative
The narrative is slow and uninspired from when the main character steps into Hogwarts. Furthermore, most of the game’s plot points are half-baked and lead nowhere.
Several points in the game were overlooked, such as the Ancient Magic, which was hardly explained and just called..Ancient Magic. Ultimately, it served no primary purpose despite having tons of potential.
The story has no plot twists whatsoever and becomes predictable every time. Many of the plot points were left unexplained, too, including the motivation behind the main character joining the school as a 5th-year student.
Overall, I feel that Hogwarts Legacy was conflicted with multiple ideas and forced to be a combat game instead. Nothing about the RPG makes me feel like a student. No night/day curfew systems or even the need to attend all classes exist in the game.
RPG Mechanics?
I expected branching storylines and different quests when Warner Bros. announced an RPG, considering players can join various houses. However, my biggest complaint has to do with the RPG elements or lack thereof.
One might think players would be offered choices for an RPG, but that’s far from the reality. Instead, Hogwarts Legacy plays out more like an adventure game. The world feels quite empty, relying on the same old open-world activities we’ve seen countless times.
It’s disappointing to see such a fantastic recreation of the Harry Potter world go to waste. This is something I’d like to see addressed in the sequel.
Characters With No Aura
The main character may be the biggest problem. He has zero character development. Despite joining the school late and in the 5th year, the main character is somehow the perfect student and stronger than an Auror.
Even Harry, the child of prophecy, had a hard time adjusting to school, making friends, and going on mundane journeys before he could step up against foes like Voldermort. Midway through the game, my main character seemed more like an NPC rather than a standout personality.
As a result, social interactions throughout the experience were undermined, with students having zero depth to them. Their interaction was limited to a single quest or two, and afterward, they were forgotten.
When it was first revealed that Hogwarts Legacy would be based on a timeline different from the Harry Potter films, I was excited because I would experience a newer story in a familiar setting with more iconic characters like Professor Snape, Dumbledore, and more.
I was completely wrong, though, because Hogwarts Legacy features some of the series’ worst characters. The antagonist, supporting cast, and allies were all more or less forgettable. Only the Sebastian quests are the ones I seemed to enjoy and remember since his character was fleshed out.
Remember how menacing Voldermort was in Harry Potter? Ranrok, Hogwarts Legacy’s main villain, is nothing like him. Ranrok had no background and might be the least intimidating villain I’ve ever faced in a video game. Professor Umbridge, who is more of a side villain, is equally disappointing.
The Hogwarts Legacy sequel is expected to follow a live-service model, which could exacerbate the problems of the first entry by focusing on quantity over quality. However, I hope Warner Bros. fixes all these issues because I love the franchise too much to see it fail.
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[News Reporter]
Shaheer is currently pursuing a Business degree while also working as a part-time Content Writer. With his deep passion for both writing and video games, he has seamlessly transitioned into a role as a Journalist. Over the past two years, Shaheer has contributed as a freelancer to various websites and landed positions on acclaimed platforms like Gamerant. Currently, his role at Tech4gamers is as a Features Writer, but he also covers News occasionally. Shaheer’s favorite gaming franchises are Assassin’s Creed and the God of War series.
Get In Touch: shaheer@tech4gamers.com
