Since the release of Hogwarts Legacy, one thing that has stood out to gamers is just how faithful the game is to its source material. Hogwarts castle has all the minor details one would expect, including the features that make each of the houses unique. Despite this, long-time Harry Potter fans may find that the magical school feels a little different, and this may be a product of Albus Dumbledore’s absence.
In the Harry Potter novels, Dumbledore is the eccentric Hogwarts headmaster. However, Hogwarts Legacy takes place in the 1800s during a time when Nigellus Black is the headmaster. Though Black performs his job well, he fails to bring the whimsy Dumbledore is known for. Consequently, Hogwarts feels a little darker than usual, which isn’t always a bad thing.
Albus Dumbledore the Hogwarts Headmaster
When Harry and his friends attend Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore is the headmaster. He is an old man with blue eyes and a penchant for wearing flamboyant robes. His appearance is unassuming, as he is also known as one of the most powerful wizards of his time. Despite this, he is seldom serious, and some of the silliest moments in the series come from him. Most memorably, upon welcoming the new students in the first novel, he reveals he has a few words to share: “Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!” Having Dumbledore around ensures that no matter how dark things get, there is always a ray of light around. Whether fans turn to him for his humor or his advanced wizarding knowledge, his presence is comforting. He is born in 1881, so he is too young to be serving as headmaster during the events of the game. However, Dumbledore could possibly appear in future Hogwarts Legacy games.
Nigellus Black Is Hard to Love
One of the central themes of Harry Potter is that prejudice is bad. Hogwarts Legacy makes it hard to live by that virtue when Nigellus Black looks so sinister. With his pointy goatee and beady eyes, he does not come off as comforting and instead appears to be a character that players should be deeply suspicious of. Unlike Dumbledore who has great concern for all his students, Black does not demonstrate that same care, and he comes off as cold and crass. His presence does take some of the whimsy out of Hogwarts, making it feel a bit more like a castle filled with dark magic.
Black’s persona may be annoying to some, but it won’t repel everyone, as Hogwarts Legacy is quite accommodating to gamers who are interested in the Dark Arts. It is possible to learn all three Unforgivable Curses which may be appealing to Slytherin house players, and the game has no morality system to judge players who choose to take the dark path. Such players may take a liking to Black who is part of Slytherin house and is said to be fond of Slytherin students, though he is overall regarded as one of the school’s least-liked headmasters of all time.
Players don’t spend much time interacting with Black, as there is plenty to do in Hogwarts castle. Socializing with fellow students unlocks side quests, with some of them giving players access to new spells and other amazing rewards. Best of all, all optional activities can be completed whenever the player chooses, so there is never a chance to progress too far and accidentally miss out on activities.
Hogwarts Legacy is available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. PS4 and Xbox One ports are scheduled to release on April 4, and the Nintendo Switch version is arriving on July 25.
