Hogwarts Legacy got out from under its Unforgivable Curses early into its marketing. It has been known for almost as long as Hogwarts Legacy has been officially announced that players would have access to Harry Potter’s infamous Killing Curse, and that has intrigued fans about what their experiences could look like in the game. Further, the Killing Curse is not a gimmick mechanic used in scripted story events, but an actual curse players can learn and slot for combat, alongside Imperio and Crucio as the two other Unforgivable Curses.
This seemingly draws a line in fans’ ideal playthroughs, where they may have to choose whether they will want to pursue a more wholesome path or a darker path. The allure of a darker path may be teased through character interactions, such as the harrowing companion quest for Slytherin’s Sebastian Sallow. Either way, Unforgivable Curses can become a staple of combat if players want them to. It is unknown what effect this would have on the narrative, but Avada Kedavra may need to be seriously nerfed when it comes to deciding whether to use it on particularly high-level enemies or bosses.
Hogwarts Legacy’s Combat Seems Considered and Engaging
Hogwarts Legacy takes an interesting approach to wand-based dueling combat, where the basic formula is straightforward but comprehensive in practice. Players cast myriad spells from a toggleable UI menu of associable face buttons, chaining different basic attacks with particular charms that either deal a powerful blow or continue juggling the enemy midair.
The basics of combat were detailed in the first Hogwarts Legacy gameplay showcase hosted by Avalanche Software, explaining how combat is chiefly oriented around attack strings and counterattack parries. In Avalanche Software’s latest gameplay showcase, though, an emphasis was instead placed on Hogwarts Legacy’s Unforgivable Curses.
Imperio targets an enemy and forces them to attack other enemies, Crucio inflicts damage over time on a targeted enemy, and Avada Kedavra instantly slays a targeted enemy. Imperio and Crucio are incredibly significant curses that could lend themselves well to any combat encounter, but the benefits of Avada Kedavra may be too great for fans to idly overlook.
Hogwarts Legacy’s Avada Kedavra Could Be Too Overpowered
If the Unforgivable Curses are available for players to earn in the base game and can presumably be used in combat thereafter, it would make sense for Avalanche Software to have thought out how Avada Kedavra should be balanced. Of course, remaining faithful to it as a one-hit Killing Curse is fantastic when it comes to regular enemies, but Hogwarts Legacy’s combat could become ridiculously unsatisfying or unchallenging if bosses are also instantly struck down by Avada Kedavra.
Likewise, it would seem unfair to say that players could use Avada Kedavra at every whim besides when they are up against a boss, especially if there is no explanation in narrative or gameplay for why the Killing Curse would not work on bosses. Hogwarts Legacy’s Unforgivable Curses are optional, and thus combat shouldn't only be balanced around them, but this issue should not be ignored.
But because Avada Kedavra is so powerful, Avalanche Software may have found a deceptively clever way to encourage players to use it, even if casting it has a negative impact on the narrative. If an enemy is seemingly insurmountable with the player’s current stats or spells in mind, but they have Avada Kedavra available, that could be enough to stir temptation and have them cast the Killing Curse to completely avoid a grueling fight. Ultimately, however, Avada Kedavra shouldn't be treated as a be-all-end-all spell, and its drawbacks should be well-built into the game.
Hogwarts Legacy launches on February 10, 2023, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X, on April 4 for PS4 and Xbox One, and on July 25 for Switch.
