Highlights

  • Hogwarts Legacy's ancient magic system needs better definition and context in gameplay and lore.
  • A sequel could improve ancient magic or explore new narrative avenues.
  • If not well-developed, ancient magic might be better left behind for a new protagonist in Hogwarts Legacy 2.

Avalanche Software's Hogwarts Legacy is a rather interesting game, not only because of what it does right, but also because of the potential that it represents. As essentially the first big-budget Harry Potter game not based directly on one of the books or films, Hogwarts Legacy had a gargantuan task to complete: make Harry Potter's world work in a radically distinct time period, removed from the characters and conflicts that fans have come to love from the source material.

Many would argue that the game succeeded in this regard, which is more than fair. But Hogwarts Legacy also misses some opportunities that a sequel is well-positioned to seize. One such missed opportunity is the ancient magic system, both in terms of gameplay and lore. From a gameplay perspective, ancient magic is essentially an ultimate ability, gradually charging up during combat for use as a devastating attack. It's also the crux of the game's plot, as the study and control of ancient magic is what Ranrok and the Keepers are struggling over. These concepts could be fleshed out in Hogwarts Legacy 2, but it may also be beneficial to leave them behind entirely.

Hogwarts Legacy Wizard
Related
Hogwarts Legacy's RPG Approach Should Bleed into Another Highly Popular Genre

Hogwarts Legacy successfully brought the Wizarding World to the RPG genre, and now, a studio should really consider taking the concept even further.

Reprising Ancient Magic in Hogwarts Legacy 2: The Pros and Cons

Hogwarts Legacy 2 Could Do Cool Things with Ancient Magic

Lore-wise, ancient magic is a bit underbaked, which is one of the reasons why many players prefer certain Hogwarts Legacy side quests over the main story. Put plainly, ancient magic is a more nebulous, loosely defined version of a McGuffin—a much-maligned storytelling trope that involves an object or concept that is important to characters, but not to the audience. Ancient magic can 'remove sadness' from people, turn dark wizards into dragons, and cause a number of miscellaneous magic effects that don't seem meaningfully different from other, more mundane spells. For instance, players can use ancient magic to:

  • Shrink spiders and step on them
  • Call down lightning to strike enemies
  • Turn enemies into boxes and explosive barrels

The ancient magic finishers can certainly look cool, but they aren't interesting beyond aesthetic details because they aren't different enough from everyday spells. The story insists that ancient magic is important, enigmatic, and misunderstood, but it doesn't take steps to answer any of these questions. It's fine if Avalanche wants to keep ancient magic mysterious, but it needs more context to be a meaningful addition to the Harry Potter lore. Otherwise, it's just something that the story cares deeply about, but that is actually more bland than traditional magic.

This can be improved in Hogwarts Legacy 2. Since ancient magic is the most significant contribution Hogwarts Legacy makes to Harry Potter canon, the sequel is in an interesting position to double-down on it, fleshing it out and more effectively expressing why it's such an important part of this fictional world.

Ancient Magic Might Be Better Left Behind

If ancient magic is going to return, then it must be better defined. But if Avalanche Software doesn't have any solid ideas for this, then new narrative avenues should be explored instead. There's reason to believe that this may be the case as, by the time credits roll on Hogwarts Legacy, ancient magic feels as mysterious and inconsequential as it did at the start of the game, with no loose ends to tie up. It's labeled as vaguely dangerous magic, only able to be used by a select handful of wizards, and that's that. Its absence from other pieces of Harry Potter media also suggests that it doesn't leave much of an impact on the world outside the story of Hogwarts Legacy.

If Hogwarts Legacy 2 features a new protagonist, then it would be perfectly acceptable to leave ancient magic in the past. This may even be advisable, as the next hero could be more relatable and less of a cliché 'chosen one' archetype. Basically, if ancient magic can be made more interesting, then great, but if not, then its removal probably wouldn't be a big deal.