Highlights

  • Hogwarts Legacy 2 needs to focus more on the Muggle world to provide a well-rounded and immersive gaming experience.
  • If set in the same time frame, the sequel should better represent the late-1800s era with attention to detail, including both magical and Muggle elements for a more authentic interpretation.

Crafting a narrative interesting enough to capture fan attention within the bounds of a video game adaptation of a movie franchise can be challenging for even the most talented developers. In light of these restrictions, Hogwarts Legacy did an admirable job, thrusting fans of the legendary Harry Potter franchise into a timeline separate from that of the main story with its late 1800s setting. Now, Hogwarts Legacy's staggering sales numbers made talks of a sequel a no-brainer. However, the first title existed almost exclusively in the magical world, and Avalanche has to pop the narrative bubble and let more of the outside world bleed into Hogwarts Legacy 2 for the sequel to make similar numbers.

Developing a sequel to a widely acclaimed title is no small feat, as follow-ups usually attract more scrutiny, and in Hogwarts Legacy 2's case, it has to eclipse its predecessor while maintaining the game's feel-good factor. Admittedly, there are a few areas that need improvement from the first game in terms of quality-of-life elements and more intriguing gameplay, but the narrative's aesthetic stands out as something that could use a touch-up. Despite its setting in the late 1800s, it was too easy for players to forget the timeline of Hogwarts Legacy's events, as there were scant reminders of the times the player-character was living in while traversing the magical world—an omission a sequel should correct.

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Hogwarts Legacy 2 Needs a Greater Focus on the Muggle World

Harry Potter's highlights will always lie in casting magical spells from wands, but it's easy to forget the role of Muggles in the franchise. Characters unable to use magic have played a muted role in the canon material, with the most notable being the Dursleys, although non-magic people such as Mary Lou Barebone got more time in the limelight in the Fantastic Beasts spinoff.

A Late Industrial Revolution Flavor Was Missing From Hogwarts Legacy

Hogwarts Legacy's gameplay employed a similar approach, with Avalanche practically omitting the entire group from the video game rendition. While their exclusion from a game dominated by displays of magical prowess makes logical sense, their absence makes it easy to lose track of the set dressing.

In canon Harry Potter material, the outside world shines through the magical fabric at certain moments, such as in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, where Hogwarts students explained why Muggles need electricity through an essay. Similar minute details reminded fans of the era in which Harry Potter's magical adventures were taking place simultaneously, and these were markedly absent from Hogwarts Legacy.

The video game's presentation neglected Muggle activities in that era, and as a result, the narrative took a hit, with the game appearing almost identical to the Hogwarts school in Harry Potter —only without as many iconic characters.

Hogwarts Legacy 2 Has to Represent the Late 1800s Better

The only clue to the times in Hogwarts Legacy came with a brief cutscene showing the Hogwarts Express, and even in that regard, there were a few inconsistencies with the components of the train, like the inclusion of a 1928 Hall class on the 1890s locomotive, for example. Although minor slip-ups may have been glossed over thanks to the intense combat and puzzle-solving mechanics, Hogwarts Legacy 2 might not get off lightly in this regard.

The wizarding world and that of the Muggles co-exist side-by-side, and a sequel to Hogwarts Legacy has to figure out creative ways to include Muggle trends in its gameplay. A logical solution could be to showcase more 1800s-themed content in Hogsmeade, since it exists in Great Britain, despite its composition of solely magical beings. Since most Muggle technology wouldn't work in the bounds of Hogwarts anyway, Hogsmeade appears to be the best option to remind players of the era in which the sequel's gameplay takes place.