It’s no great secret thatHogwarts Legacywas a massive success for Avalanche Software and Warner Bros., eclipsing every other major release in 2023. The bestseller will almost surely receive a sequel of some kind—the IP is simplytoo profitable for Warner Bros. to just abandon—but what exactly this might look like is up for interpretation.
While audiences were certainly confident inHogwarts Legacyahead of its release, the extent of its success was perhaps a bit less predictable. This is indicated by the fact that the game doesn’t really lay the groundwork for a direct follow-up, as just about every major loose end is tied up by the time credits roll. This is a blessing and a curse, as while the future of theHogwarts LegacyIP is more uncertain than it would have been otherwise, Avalanche Software now has a world of opportunity open to it; futureHogwarts Legacygames may not have to be shackled to the setting, tone, or narrative of the first entry. As such, Avalanche can get more experimental with the presumedHogwarts Legacy 2, and one key takeaway fromElden Ring’sShadow of the ErdtreeDLC could benefit this end, at least on the gameplay front.
Hogwarts Legacy 2 Should Crank Up the Difficulty, Just Like Shadow of the Erdtree Did
Higher Difficulty Could Benefit Hogwarts Legacy 2
Elden Ringwas already a hard game, butShadow of the Erdtreeadded an extra-thick layer of challenge. Not every player loved this DLC-enabled increase in difficulty, but now that the dust has settled on the expansion, it’s not hard to see what FromSoftware was going for:Shadow of the Erdtreewas designed to be an endgame challenge, something that veterans of the base game could use to test their mettle and shake them out of their comfort zone. It features more aggressive enemies, with abilities that are often unfamiliar, even to experienced players.
The fact thatSoTElaunched more than two yearsafterElden Ring’s base gamereinforces the notion of it being a “final challenge” of sorts: players had a long time to learn the game’s combat ahead of its launch.
Hogwarts Legacy 2could do something similar. Even on higher difficulties, the firstHogwarts Legacyis a little bit too easy, with a lot of its difficulty hinging on higher enemy damage and defense stats rather than mechanical complexity. In other words, once a player masters theArkham-inspired combat fundamentals,Hogwarts Legacy’s battles can feel somewhat trite, repetitive, and unengaging, especially in the late-game.
How Higher Difficulty Could Work in Hogwarts Legacy 2
Much like howShadow of the Erdtreeattacks the player from different angleswithout fundamentally changing the combat sandbox, so too shouldHogwarts Legacy 2strive to deepen what already exists, rather than reinvent itself. Greater enemy variety, faster-paced battles, and enemy layouts that feel more purposeful and multifaceted rather than random, could all help the game achieve this end. In turn, the sequel could expand the player’s toolset with different attack types and build-crafting options, once again mirroringSoTE’s clever evolution ofElden Ring’s core design aspects.
Of course,Hogwarts Legacy 2will almost certainly be targeting a casualaudience, just like its predecessor, so accessibility should come first and foremost; precious few players are coming toHogwarts Legacyfor FromSoftware-level combat. Nevertheless, learning from the relationship betweenElden RingandShadow of the Erdtreecould help Avalanche Software grow theHogwarts LegacyIP into a more mechanically robust whole, appealing to more than just casual players. By focusing more on complexity and depth in combat, as opposed to a simple tweaking of enemy stats, “hard mode” inHogwarts Legacy 2could be far more rewarding.
Hogwarts Legacy
WHERE TO PLAY
Hogwarts Legacy is an immersive, open-world action RPG set in the world first introduced in the Harry Potter books. For the first time, experience Hogwarts in the 1800s. Your character is a student who holds the key to an ancient secret that threatens to tear the wizarding world apart. Now you’re able to take control of the action and be at the center of your own adventure in the wizarding world. Your legacy is what you make of it.Explore an Open WorldThe wizarding world awaits you. Freely roam Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, the Forbidden Forest, and the surrounding Overland area.Be the Witch or Wizard You Want to beLearn spells, brew potions, grow plants, and tend to magical beasts along your journey. Get sorted into your house, forge relationships, and master skills to become the witch or wizard you want to be Experience a New Wizarding World AdventureExperience the wizarding world in an unexplored era to uncover a hidden truth from its past. Battle against trolls, Dark Wizards, goblins, and more as you face a dangerous villain threatening the fate of the wizarding world.
