If and when it releases in the Holiday 2022 window it's currently promising, Hogwarts Legacy has a lot to live up to. The Harry Potter license is loved by so many, and fans have been salivating at the opportunity to start their own journey within the wizarding world though a AAA video game. Avalanche Software's latest title will allow fans to craft their own student to walk the halls of the famous castle, and Hogwarts' iconic grounds could quickly become one of the most beloved settings in gaming if the project fulfills its promises.
The students inhabiting the school within Hogwarts Legacy could prove just important as the setting itself. Hogwarts is the home of students from all over, as well as professors of a range of disciplines from Herbology to Defense Against the Dark Arts. It's been shown in trailers that players will interact with an eclectic group of personalities, and in games like Hogwarts Legacy it's not uncommon to be able to select a character to romance, wooing them with cheesy dialogue resulting in bonus scenes where the player and the chosen NPC engage in a relationship. Hogwarts Legacy should steer clear of the temptation to include the feature, though, as it can present some narrative and tonal inconsistencies.
Romance in Harry Potter Has Always Been Weak
While the Harry Potter franchise is known for complex characters, immense world-building, and stunning wizardry, one thing the films never excelled at was the way they handled romance. The begrudging, yet loving relationship between Molly and Arthur Weasley is familiar to many and the source of some comedic moments, but the romantic endeavors between students has always felt haphazard and inconsequential. Hogwarts Legacy could easily fall into the same trap, especially as there are only a handful of games that have included a worthwhile romance feature and executed it effectively.
Harry's half-hearted interest in Ginny, Dim-witted Ron Weasley's implausible relationship with bookworm and star pupil Hermione Granger, and Neville Longbottom's sudden confession that he likes Luna Lovegood all felt like conveniences to make sure that all the beloved characters had a happy ending when the franchise concluded. In order for Hogwarts Legacy to break the cycle, it would have to set aside so much time to make romance options feel fleshed out, and that's probably not desirable for fans wanting an immersive world, engaging story, and fun gameplay.
Characters Need to Be More Than Romance Options
Like Vega and Ashley in Mass Effect or Haley in Stardew Valley, there are so many characters that feel like they only exist in a game to be romanced. It's so important, especially in a world as loved as Harry Potter, to develop characters who have a distinct personality, as they make the experience feel like more of a communal effort rather than a solo quest. Harry always had Ron and Hermione, and players will want friendly faces that have a multifaceted personality rather than a list of attributes that can be selected to trigger romance cutscenes.
Unless the game is focused on romance options, which Hogwarts Legacy doesn't look to be, it's a slippery slope that could result in a few of the characters feeling pointless. If the player decides to choose someone else, then that character doesn't have an interesting personality to fall back on. There are so many other RPGs with a litany of romance options, and Hogwarts Legacy simply doesn't need it, especially as it's the first entry in a (hopeful) franchise.
Romance options in an RPG can, when implemented with grace, be an effective way to gain new information about a character and provide closure for a plot thread that has been present throughout the story. Shepard finding love with Liara T'Soni of the Asari makes for some great narrative moments and gives the former a reason to want to survive the events of the trilogy. In Hogwarts Legacy, there are simply too many expectations from players, and it would be impossible for Avalanche Studios to satisfy each one. Romance would be welcomed, but Harry Potter's history with the subject as well as the need for other components of the game to be perfect means it should be the first feature on the cutting room floor.
Hogwarts Legacy launches holiday 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
