Summary
The sequel toHogwarts Legacyhas a unique opportunity to address a common criticism of the Wizarding World books and films, and it should take advantage of this chance. Realizing this narrative opportunity would be relatively easy and straightforward, unlike some ofHogwarts Legacy’s other issues.
As a game set in the same world as theHarry Potterfranchise,Hogwarts Legacynaturally follows original series' footsteps in many ways. The game offers an original rendition of Hogwarts and the surrounding countryside, but much of the core structure remains intact. This means that the lore and history of the game lines up with that of the other Wizarding World books and movies, as well as some of the other characteristics of the story and world. One of these characteristics relates to the treatment of the different Hogwarts houses, which characters are placed in based on various personality traits. While there areinterestingHogwarts Legacycharactersin every house, the Wizarding World franchise has often struggled to offer depth within these scholastic categories.
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For the most part, Wizarding World characters are pigeonholed into an assortment of personality traits based on which Hogwarts house they are sorted into; Griffindors are brave, Slytherins are cunning, and so on. Characters are sorted into houses based on their natural proclivities, but sometimes the series makes members of each house appear a bit too simple and one-note.Hogwarts Legacytakes a step in the right direction in this regard, but its sequel could go even further.
A key draw ofHogwarts Legacyis role-playing student lifeat Hogwarts. As such, players get to choose which house they are sorted into, and that alone opens the doors to more subtle characterization within Hogwarts Houses. For example, a player could create a Slytherin character who is chivalrous or shows other traits commonly associated with other houses. At the same time, the game still very much adheres to the traditional interpretations of these school houses, treating the Sorting Hat’s judgment as absolute and rooted in pure objectivity. NPCs can step outside the expectations set by their house, but those moments are few and far between.
A sequel could shirk the strict archetypes of Hogwarts houses, thus adding nuance to the characters and perhaps even calling the system into question. Theall-but-confirmedHogwarts Legacysequelmight want to play things safe, but it could benefit from taking some risks and remedying, or at least lamp shading, the more confusing or unrealistic aspects of the series' lore. TheHarry Potterbooks and movies have questioned the rigidity of the Hogwarts houses before, but the stories ultimately reinforce the rules set in place by the Sorting Hat, with all the heroes being in Gryffindor, the villains being in Slytherin, the nice characters being in Hufflepuff, and the scholarly ones going into Ravenclaw. Characters occasionally deviate from their assigned traits, but this is treated as an exception, almost like they are fighting their nature in some ways.
The sequel toHogwarts Legacycould tell a better storyby truly moving past these rigid and simplistic categories, further highlighting the pitfalls of assigning children a selection of traits, effectively discouraging them from developing or changing throughout their most formative years. This could allow for unique narrative situations, like a Gryffindor character who is villainous not in spite of the teachings of their house, but because of them. Or there could be a Ravenclaw who feels as though they can’t measure up to the house’s lofty academic expectations. Perhaps characters could even be shown to switch houses based on their changing personality. TheHogwarts Legacysequel has a chance to offer unexpected character and story moments by taking this path, so Avalanche Software should consider doing so.
Hogwarts Legacyis out now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, with a Switch version releasing on November 14.
