The Shocking Revelation: Diablo 4 Takes a Game-Changing Risk that Leaves Hogwarts Legacy Behind

Highlights

Both Diablo 4 and Hogwarts Legacy offer engrossing open worlds with a lot of content to experience, but both games are mired down in divisiveness for different reasons.

In Hogwarts Legacy, players must first explore on foot before being able to fly on a broomstick, whereas in Diablo 4, players have to wait a considerable amount of time before being able to ride a horse.

Unlike the broom in Hogwarts Legacy, which offers immersive traversal and enhances the ability to venture off the main paths, the horse in Diablo 4 has cumbersome controls and does not greatly enhance navigation.

There is limited basis for comparison between Diablo 4 and Hogwarts Legacy, although a few similarities can be identified. Both games fall into the fantasy genre, albeit in contrasting ways, and both provide an immersive open world with extensive content to engage with, whether driven by narrative or exploration. However, the main commonality between both games is the presence of controversy, although the reasons for the criticism differ greatly for Diablo 4 and Hogwarts Legacy.

Hogwarts Legacy will always face scrutiny due to its connection to the author of the Harry Potter IP, regardless of how distant that connection may be. On the other hand, Diablo 4 initially received high praise until the release of its first post-launch seasonal content. However, this does not imply that Diablo 4 was flawless at launch, as many fans believe that Blizzard overlooked a certain feature that should have been included for players. Interestingly, Avalanche made a similar mistake in introducing their own version of the same feature, but Diablo 4 ultimately accentuates the disappointment when it is finally offered in-game.

Hogwarts Legacy Doles Out Items Gradually in a Slow Burn of a Story

Players in Hogwarts Legacy spend a considerable amount of time exploring on foot before they can eventually soar through the skies on a broomstick. While they are unable to fly within Hogwarts or Hogsmeade, there is little motivation to venture out and fully explore the Scottish Highlands until all areas can be conveniently accessed by broom. Although there is plenty to do within the castle, the initial journey to Hogsmeade offers a picturesque stroll, but players can easily fast travel back via the Floo Network once they have visited. With frequent fast travel points, the game ensures efficient travel, making broom travel necessary only for enjoying aerial views or participating in timed race trials. However, unlocking the Floo Flames requires players to first reach the farthest reaches of the Highlands, making the broom an essential tool. Ultimately, while the broom offers a more immersive means of traversal, it may not be crucial early on if players are engrossed in nearby activities before the game fully expands its open world.

Diablo 4 Neglects Giving Players a Mount Until Far Too Late

In Diablo 4, players have to wait an exceptionally long time before they can mount a horse. By the time they can finally ride through Sanctuary, they probably already have most of the open world's waypoints unlocked, depending on how much they've explored in acts one to three. The stables in each town seem to taunt players because it takes a while before they can unlock a horse. Moving through Diablo 4's Sanctuary on foot is not too bad, but enemies will still swarm the player, whether they are on a horse or not. However, when players do finally get a horse later in the game, it feels unsatisfying because the controls are awkward and it doesn't really speed up travel that much.

Players will eventually have to dismount in order to fight hordes of enemies, and the horse can get stuck on the terrain, making it slow and difficult to maneuver. Waypoints are often far apart, and the horse is only slightly faster than running, so it doesn't feel like a significant improvement. In contrast, Hogwarts Legacy's broom at least allows players to reach their destination even if they veer off the main path.

Diablo 4 is out now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.