3 Gaming Features the Hogwarts Legacy Sequel Desperately Needs

Call me a bit late to the party but I have just started getting into Hogwarts Legacy. It has been amazing getting to digitally roam the halls of Hogwarts and cast wildly elaborate spells on foes and fantastical beasts. I really hope that all the speculation online that a sequel is currently in the works by the developers at Avalanche Software prove true. 

The breathtaking visuals and endless customization options make the game easy to pick up at any time and get immersed in a world where almost anything’s possible. With that being said, there are more aspects of the Wizarding World that I’m sure fans would truly revel in if they were implemented in the continuation. 

Playing a Round of Quidditch (Or Three) 

One of the most engaging pastimes in the world of Harry Potter was the Quidditch matches between competing Hogwarts Houses. The broom-riding game was essentially Wizarding World creator JK Rowling’s spin on soccer and the World Cup, as teams of budding witches and warlocks would attempt to make their respective house proud. The main objective was scoring a substantial number of goals while flying about 50 feet high in the sky.  

Whizzing through the night sky from mission to mission is liberating and exhilarating. It felt akin to the point in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas where players unlock the jetpack and can sail through the air for miles. The opportunity to play head-to-head with classmates or inquiring opponents would truly be awesome! 

A Dating or Romance Feature With Close Friends 

While customizing my character to my liking and progressing through the story, the mechanics of selecting either “good” or “bad” dialogue options were strikingly similar to the Paragon and Renegade options players could select for Commander Shepard in the Mass Effect games. It dawned on me that there was one feature from those games that wasn’t borrowed, and that was getting to date or get together with close squadmates. 

The game does have occasional “relationship quests” in which classmates or students out in the hall will flag you down for a quick favor. These will gain you allies in specific scenarios like the illicit “Crossed Wands” duels players can take part in outside of class, and give deeper insight into the history of Hogwarts. They do not offer much else in terms of world-building, story, and depth. While I recognize the Mass Effect romances can get steamy and NSFW real quick, I was thinking something more innocuous, like when Natty Onai invites you for Butterbeer in Hogsmeade or the Yule Ball in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. 

A Multiplayer Mechanic to See Who’s the Strongest Wizard

Along with incorporating Quidditch, it’s genuinely surprising that the devs did not have the foresight to allow players worldwide to face each other in duels. As mentioned, there is a Crossed Wands meeting that was pretty fun to take part in. It was impossible not to think of the Draco vs Harry scene in Chamber of Secrets or even the darker continuation in the Half Blood Prince, when facing off against other students. However, after just three rounds of mildly entertaining matches, the club and students’ matches just cease to exist.

Although you gain the title of “Strongest Wizard in the School” and a few side comments from disheartened passersby, there are no occasional requests from students to retain your title and show how far you’ve come along. For such a proud title and hush-hush function, it was expected that the club would operate sporadically throughout the story rather than just as an anticlimactic ending. Making a multiplayer mechanic with one-on-one, two-on-one, three-on-three, or more feels like a no-brainer. This would definitely make the next game replayable years after its eventual release.  

Parting Thoughts

Hogwarts Legacy scratched the itch players had when reading or watching the adventures of Harry Potter and his friends. It is a solid effort that all involved should be proud of. I commend the crew of developers and storytellers for not wavering in their dedication and artistry. At the end of the day, this is a franchise that has been a source of enjoyment for innumerable people and will continue to be.