Highlights

  • Mods like "A New Beginning" have enhanced Hogwarts Legacy's visuals and gameplay experience significantly.
  • Hogwarts Legacy's graphics arguably fell short of expectations, but mods like "A New Beginning" revitalize its aesthetic appeal.
  • Avalanche Software should take notes from mods to improve visual elements in a possible sequel.

It's been over a year since Avalanche Software's Hogwarts Legacy took the fantasy RPG world by storm with its intricate depiction of the Harry Potter franchise, and there's a common sentiment that Hogwarts Legacy is one of the best Harry Potter video games ever made. That isn't to say the title is without its shortcomings, however. Despite Hogwarts Legacy's eye-popping sales numbers, there are a few issues a potential sequel would be remiss not to address, ranging from a need for more dynamic combat techniques to more involved storytelling. Some mods solve a handful of these problems, such as A New Beginning's graphical overhaul, and Avalanche Software needs to take a page out of the mod's book in a sequel.

It's become typical for mods to close the gap between AAA games and fan-desired features over the years. From The Sims 4 to Skyrim and Fallout, the gaming community has banded together to tweak various mechanisms to tick off gamer wishlists, and the phenomenon has extended to Hogwarts Legacy in recent months. A few of these have gone a long way to amplifying Hogwarts Legacy's experience, such as being forced to sneak around the castle at night. Among these, the "A New Beginning" Nexus mod is near the top in terms of impact through its reshaping of Hogwarts Legacy's visuals, and it highlights a problem the developer has to account for in a sequel.

Hogwarts Legacy Combat
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Hogwarts Legacy's Visuals Didn't Live Up to Expectations

Much of Hogwarts Legacy's pomp and fanfare lay in its status as the most impressive attempt from a studio to get traditional Harry Potter elements right, from the wizarding school itself to casting spells and taking trips around Hogsmeade. The novelty of the experience won Avalanche Software its fair share of plaudits, but it was clear some parts could use an upheaval if a sequel ever came along.

Graphics weren't necessarily the first item on the list of needed improvements, but mods have highlighted how the title shortchanged itself in this area. While Hogwarts Legacy featured a bevy of unique settings and magical creatures, the overall shades seemed to gray and dampen what should have been a revolutionary burst of color akin to the movies and canon material. A New Beginning has turned that grayed-out experience around for the franchise, applying a simple yet visually captivating reshade to give Hogwarts Legacy more life and visual depth.

A New Beginning is a Lesson for Avalanche Software

Intricate details like the sky gradually giving way from a light blue to a warming orange and the deep green glow of forests in the mod outstripped the base game's offerings. Through these seemingly minute details, Hogwarts Legacy's open world is transformed from a semi-dull adventure to an eye-catching wonder where every piece of the puzzle suddenly becomes aesthetically pleasing. The mod's ability to turn the entire graphical landscape of an AAA title around calls for new graphical heights in the sequel, and puts pressure on Avalanche Software to further the franchise's prospects.

A game based on the wizarding world is destined to be heavily reliant on its graphics, from the Forbidden Forest to overlays of the landscape seen when riding a magical broom. A game of Hogwarts Legacy's stature can't afford to be outstripped by the efforts of a fan-made mod. A New Beginning may have given Hogwarts Legacy a much-needed new lease of life, but the sequel shouldn't need a similar effort from third-party sources to unleash its design potential.