Summary
TheHarry Potterfranchise has had a bit of a mixed track record when it comes to video games. While theLEGO Harry Pottergames are some ofthe best licensed LEGO gamesaround, the movie tie-in games are a bit of a mixed bag, with some highlights likeChamber of SecretsandQuidditch World Cup, but then some real disappointments likeThe Deathly HallowsPart 1and2. So, it’s only natural that fans were pretty skeptical of the first fully-fledgedHarry Potteropen-world RPG, but against all odds,Hogwarts Legacyhas managed to be one of 2023’s biggest success stories.
Currently the best-selling game of 2023, and likely to stay that way for the rest of the year,Hogwarts Legacyhas not only been an immense commercial success, but also a pretty big critical one. Despite its lofty expectations,Hogwarts Legacysomehow managed to deliver a satisfying, expansive experience, the likes of which the Wizarding World had never seen before. But whileHogwarts Legacy’s successis only a positive thing right now, it could end up being an issue when it comes to making a potential sequel, with elements like the game’s spells being difficult to outdo.
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Hogwarts Legacy Will Have a Tough Time Trying to Outdo Itself with Spells
When it comes to making a fantasy game based all around wizards, witches, and the use of magic, it’s pretty integral that the game has plenty of spells, and that each one feels satisfying to use. Thankfully,Hogwarts Legacyreally went above and beyond in this department. During the course ofHogwarts Legacy, players will learn a total of 34 spells, each of which had a unique purpose, whether it was the 26 combat spells, the three customization spells, or the handful of puzzle-solving spells. TheHarry Potteruniversehas a ton of iconic spells, and ifHogwarts Legacydidn’t have a fan’s favorite, then it certainly had a spell that was extremely similar to it.
A potentialHogwarts Legacysequel is going to have a tough time trying to outdo its predecessor’s spells, in several major ways. The first big hurdle thatHogwarts Legacy 2would face with its own spells is the number of them in the game. With it being a sequel, fans would expectHogwarts Legacy’s successorto have at least as many spells as the first game, if not more. If there were fewer spells inHogwarts Legacy 2, then fans might feel as though it’s a downgrade compared to the original.
But this brings up the second major problem that aHogwarts Legacysequel could face with its spells. Players would expect more spells inHogwarts Legacy 2, but they would also expect the vast majority of spells to be completely new. Though there are many iconic spells that fans would love to see carry over toHogwarts Legacy 2, an overreliance on the same spells could make some fans feel as though Avalanche Software has been lazy. Fans would expectHogwarts Legacy’s sequel to contain more spells and would expect those additional spells to be brand-new to the series.
This also brings up another major issue withHogwarts Legacy 2’s spells. While more, new spells are great, these new spells also need to be satisfying to use and need to have a unique purpose, either in combat or in exploration. The vast majority ofHogwarts Legacy’s spells all have a distinct use, whether it’s moving a boulder out of the way of a puzzle, or breaking an enemy’s shield. Half the fun ofHogwarts Legacy’s combat is finding out each spell’s unique purpose and strengths. AHogwarts Legacysequel can’t just have more spells for the sake of it, it needs to only add spells that have a genuine purpose in the gameplay.
Hogwarts Legacyis available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. It will be released for the Nintendo Switch on July 23, 2025.
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