Summary
It can be difficult for developers to nail sequels of groundbreaking releases, as the weight of fan expectation regarding feature – and in some cases, storyline – improvement leaves little room for error. It’s usually a good idea to stick to the elements that worked in a previous edition with a few cursory tweaks, but as so many follow-up releases have found in the past, a sequel that lacks significant change to its predecessor’s dynamics can have a hard time finding purchase in an ever-evolving gaming market.Hogwarts Legacy’s highs and lows are well-documented, and as rumors swirl regarding a potential continuation in the game’s tale,Avalanche Softwarehas to address its villain choice for a better experience in the sequel’s story.
Rolling out a title with a sub-par villain structure is a recipe for chaos every developer tries to avoid, and asDragon Age: Inquisitionlearned the hard way with Corypheus, it’s hard to captivate an audience with an uncharismatic antagonist. There are several boxes villains have to tick in today’s landscape to be memorable; from a quality backstory to character design and even execution of morality complexes.Hogwarts Legacyhandled its depiction of the wizarding world well overall, but its centerpiece of Ranrok and the Goblin Revolution was largely uninteresting to players. For any sequel to matchHogwarts Legacy’s commercial success, nailing all components of its main villain is the most challenging task for Avalanche Software to complete, and the developer needs to tread carefully.
Hogwarts Legacy’s Sequel Needs Better Villains
Ranrok’s Motivations Didn’t Line Up with the Goblin Spirit
Hogwarts Legacytook full advantage of its position as the first high-profile gaming entry in theHarry Potterfranchise, transfixing players with spellcasting and the intricate details of Hogwarts and surrounding areas like Hogsmeade. However, despite the expansive sightseeing on offer and exciting puzzles of theKeeper Trials, there was a sense of a missing X-factor inHogwarts Legacy’s gameplay. Ranrok’s uprising formed the meat of the storyline, with players working towards an ultimate boss fight with the goblin in The Final Repository. However, the narrative had few moments of excitement and lacked some much-needed depth.
Power struggle is an age-old trope with staying power, butHogwarts Legacy’s representation left much to be desired. The average goblin was perceived as empathetic, and the dark wizard story detail felt out of place with the goblins' general character. Coupled with Ranrok’s grudge against humans, which was born from an unfortunate encounter with a criminal, the pipeline to villainy didn’t follow the progression one would expect for such a large-scale uprising of sensitive creatures. The first rebellion was more of a civil rights struggle and was a better fit forHogwarts Legacy’s timeline, and Ranrok’s story was a thin chore to follow by comparison.
Sebastian Sallow Could Play the Antagonist Role to Perfection in a Sequel
The contrast between the goblins' empathetic nature and Ranrok’s power-hungry aspirations didn’t make much sense from a logical standpoint. Avalanche Software has to make a better villain choice for the sequel to make a splash in the industry. The traditional power trope for antagonists needs a compelling backstory to stick a landing, andHogwarts Legacy’s duo of Ranrok and his dark wizard ally in Viktor Rookwood didn’t have enough ammo in this regard.
Already, there are talks of Sebastian Sallow’s performance fitting the mold of theHarry Potterfranchise’s villains, and his story commands far more attention. Sebastian’s gradual blurring of the lines of morality to achieve a noble goal eliminates the problem of the goblins' depiction, and the sequel could focus on Sebastian’s descent into true villainy.
Although Sebastian faced expulsion from Hogwarts for his actions if players turned him in,Hogwarts Legacydidn’t mete out the expected Azkaban punishment to theSlytherin wizard. A sequel should address the gap, and with the potential of player choices carrying across games through New Game Plus elements, Sebastian’s tale is a better prospect than the thin story of the goblin uprising.
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.
