Highlights
- Marvel's Spider-Man 2 plans to expand upon the success of the first game by enhancing the original gameplay model, something Hogwarts Legacy 2 should consider following.
- Instead of reinventing the wheel, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 builds upon the strong foundations of the first game, a strategy that Avalanche Software could also apply to the sequel of Hogwarts Legacy.
- Sequels don't need to completely overhaul the gameplay formula to be successful. Like Marvel's Spider-Man 2, Hogwarts Legacy 2 can enhance the core mechanics, introduce new areas, and maintain the familiar magical adventure players love.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is fast approaching, and it's got a lot to offer. It seems to be taking everything good about the first game and expanding upon it greatly. While it remains to be seen if that actually pays off, the pre-release gameplay trailers look spectacular. If it ends up working, then Hogwarts Legacy's sequel may want to follow its lead.
Nothing has been officially announced yet, but due to the success of Hogwarts Legacy, there is a strong chance Avalanche Software is already working on a sequel. If that is the case, then it will probably want to shake some things up to give players a reason to return to the Wizarding World. While it could craft an entirely new game, it should emulate what Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is doing instead. Avalance can take the strong foundations of the first one, expand upon it a bit, throw in some new mechanics, and then let players run wild once more within its world.
Hogwarts Legacy 2 Should Follow Marvel's Spider-Man 2's Additive Approach
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 seems to be doing sequels right, based on the marketing. Instead of bringing players to a brand-new locale, Insomniac is simply expanding the first game's world with new areas. Along with that, it is tweaking the core gameplay loop with new abilities, missions, and the exciting character switching mechanic. Besides the story, the rest of the game looks remarkably similar to the first.
Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, Insomniac Games just took Marvel's Spider-Man's strong foundations to new heights. It had already nailed down what makes a fantastic Spider-Man game, so there was no reason it needed to try anything dramatically different. This approach will likely mean some people criticize it for not doing enough, but the franchise really did not need to overhaul itself. If the story is good, and the new mechanics compliment the old element well, then it has done enough.
Hogwarts Legacy will probably get a sequel at some point since the first was so successful. While Avalanche Software could carve a new path, it does not need to. Instead, it could simply take the open world it created for the first game and expand upon it with new areas. Avalance could throw in Diagon Alley, more of the surrounding grounds, London, or any other locations that fit the setting. This would not only let players explore a familiar updated world, but would also make sense within the context of the Wizarding World.
Along with the open world, the mechanics of Hogwarts Legacy's sequel should feel like the first game's. Just like how Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is staying true to the gameplay of the first game, Avalanche Software does not really need to change the gameplay loop much for its sequel. All it really needs to do is add more spells, polish the flight system, and maybe introduce some new combat items. Hogwarts Legacy's combat may not have been revolutionary, but it worked well within its setting, and it should only be tweaked a bit for the sequel.
Sequels do not need to completely reinvent the formula to be good. They can simply take the core concept of the first game and just change it with new areas, abilities, scenarios, and various other mechanics. This seems to be exactly what Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is doing, and the rumored Hogwarts Legacy2 may want to emulate it. It could lead to a brand-new but familiar magical adventure that players will never want to leave, which is exactly what Avalanche Software needs.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 launches on October 20, exclusively for PS5.
