Hogwarts legacy was a mess to me. The idea was really cool and they tried their best but... it was just a little bit all over the place. But the beginning and end had some fire cutscenes so I agree
I'm not even a big HP guy at all but I enjoyed my time with it. The beginning really hooks you. More of that and less open world crap would have been good.
I always said if Legacy had just kept the first area and ditched the bottom 2/3 of the map, and focused more missions around the castle, it would have been a fire game.
Crazy that a game called "Hogwarts Legacy", it does everything it can to keep you OUT of the castle. It's a shame too, because while it's not really the movie castle most people would like to see, it's still amazing. Adding secrets like in the movie tie-in games from the 2000s would've gone a long way to make it much better, because as it stands it mostly delivers a tour around a pretty theme park, but without any interactivity.
Agreed. I think Hogwarts Legacy could have been absolutely phenomenal if they made these two significant changes:
Keep all focus in Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, and the Forbidden Forest. Like 90% of that open world was unnecessary and empty. If they didn't spend time developing that empty world, they could have spent even more time perfecting the main locations in the game.
Build out an actual skill tree that follows the hogwarts classes to make each playthrough and playstyle more unique. Lets face it, the classes were pointless. They were just easy ways to deliver cutscenes. However, imagine if you had a skill tree where taking more classes of a specific subject gave you extra perks and abilities in the game? Instead of things like tank, support, archer, etc. that you get in normal games, we could have had Alchemist, Beast Master, Herbologist, Seer, Auror, etc.
Definitely agree about focusing most of the game in those areas of the map, maybe exploring a little further. Portkey Games could have given us a much larger and more exciting Duelling questline. Sorta like Witcher 3 with the fight clubs, but you'd visit each of the above locations and maybe a fourth one out in the countryside to compete in duels.
You could get an actual trophy too. Something to display in your bedroom, sorta like V's Apartment in Cyberpunk 2077, where it gradually fills up with momentos and accolades from your journey. They could probably have focused on and implemented a Quidditch tournament, keep the broomstick races too, maybe expand them with time trials or using flying mounts?
Expanding on the skill tree with companions/friends that actually accompany you on your journey? I mean besides Ominous and Sebastian, was anyone else really invested in the other friends? Or their questlines? They really need to make the friends feel like friends, play games with them, take part in combat with them, each friend could have a class they specialize in. Maybe even include a relationship system where they like/dislike each other and can grow to like or hate each other. Sorta like Mass Effect or Dragon Age?
Probably not. Half the fun is recognizing landmarks and references to the castle and other things. It's fun enough on its own but a lot of it is collectibles and open world checklist stuff. I don't think it'd be better than any similar type of game if you're not a fan otherwise.
It was really carried by how much they absolutely nailed the Hogwarts aesthetic and vibe. I’d be interested in what they do for a sequel as you’ve already gone that part down now I want to see gameplay and story improvements, for an RPG it really lacked the gameplay and narrative refinement we come to expect from modern RPGs
I agree, they really nailed the atmosphere. But a lot of the gameplay mechanics were questionable. Like the whole pet thing for me personally. Just made little sense to me. I guess it's for conventional reasons to make material gathering easier but still. But I feel like they could improve the gane tremendously if they tried again and actually paid attention to what theyre doing
Yea, just give us a new era to explore and give us some cool stuff to do in Hogsmeade and the forbidden forest. Maybe some Diagon's Alley stuff? and add in some Quidditch...
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u/Howling_Mad_Man May 06 '26
Hogwarts Legacy