Unleashing the Untold Depths of Dark Arts: The Mind-Blowing Potential in Hogwarts Legacy Game

Highlights

Hogwarts Legacy could improve by giving more weight and consequences to the use of dark magic, rather than trivializing it as a combat mechanic.

By tying dark magic to the character Sebastian Sallow in the sequel, players can embark on a more compelling storyline centered around its utilization, where they are presented with the intriguing choice between following the paths of good or evil. To further enrich the combat mechanics and elevate the immersive role-playing experience, a mechanism could be introduced that either restricts players from accessing the "good" story path or renders curses inaccessible until they make progress in the "evil" path.

While Avalanche Software's Hogwarts Legacy has achieved success in various aspects, it falls short in terms of effectively implementing dark magic, an integral part of the Harry Potter world. Nevertheless, there are several ways in which the highly anticipated Hogwarts Legacy sequel can improve in this aspect, making the inclusion of dark arts more meaningful.

The main flaw with dark magic in Hogwarts Legacy lies in its trivialization as a gameplay mechanic. Despite being able to learn all three Unforgivable Curses - spells that are subjectively considered heinous and categorized as evil in every portrayal of the Harry Potter universe, including Hogwarts Legacy - the game reduces them to mere combat techniques. Surprisingly, the use of these spells has no repercussions, with non-player characters treating the player normally, the storyline remaining virtually unaffected, and no detrimental impacts on the gameplay. This missed opportunity not only diminishes the value of dark magic in Hogwarts Legacy, but also greatly undermines the immersion and role-playing experience.

How The Sequel to Hogwarts Legacy Can Enhance Dark Magic

Improving the implementation of dark magic in the Hogwarts Legacy sequel is essential, but its specifics will depend on the game's premise. Regardless, dark magic should have a significant impact on the gameplay and shouldn't be treated lightly like regular spells. One potential approach for the sequel could involve connecting it to the popular character Sebastian Sallow from Hogwarts Legacy. In the first game, Sallow teaches the player dark magic and gradually succumbs to darkness, ultimately severing all ties with his family. If the sequel continues directly from where the first game left off, Sallow could play a crucial role as a character embracing the path of darkness, thus introducing dark magic as a gameplay mechanic.

Sallow has the potential to serve as a gateway to an alternate storyline, akin to games such as Infamous 2, where players can align themselves with either a "good" or "evil" character. By doing so, Hogwarts Legacy can address a major concern in a tactful manner, as there would be a compelling and natural narrative tied to the utilization of dark magic. To further enrich the experience, players could potentially be restricted from pursuing the "good" storyline if they excessively employ Unforgivable Curses or may only gain access to these curses after reaching a certain point on the "evil" path.

This approach would inject a newfound level of depth and significance to the use of dark magic, as these spells would carry tangible consequences for the overall story instead of just functioning as overpowered attacks devoid of drawbacks. The implementation of such a system would also bolster the game's combat mechanics, necessitating thoughtful decision-making in challenging battles. Moreover, in addition to enhancing the allure of spells in Hogwarts Legacy 2, this system would facilitate a more immersive and comprehensive role-playing experience, offering substantial replay value that surpasses what the first game offered.

The ideal approach for Hogwarts Legacy would have been to exclude the dark arts from the game completely as a gameplay mechanic. The inclusion of torture spells or instant-killing spells doesn't serve any real purpose for the player-character and can potentially detract from the immersive experience. Nonetheless, since that cannot be undone, Avalanche Software should make efforts to imbue dark magic with more significance and depth in the upcoming sequel of Hogwarts Legacy.

Hogwarts Legacy is currently available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S, with a Switch version set to release on November 14th.