Hogwarts Legacy 2hasn’t been officially confirmed, but it feels inevitable that a sequel will be made, considering how popular the original game is. That also means that the style ofHogwarts Legacy 2isn’t yet known either, but that has left a lot of players debating over what the sequel should be like and how it can improve on elements that might’ve felt lackluster in the first game. Not every suggestion for the sequel is a complete overhaul of a previous system, and some are instead smaller ideas that could have a significant impact when put into play.
It seems like agiven that companions would be included inHogwarts Legacy 2, likely with a similar role to the first game, where they’re part of a mix of core quests and side quests. However, treating companions in the same way as the first game wouldn’t be the best option for the sequel, as there are adjustments that should be made to improve the companion system, making them both more useful and more impactful. As it stands,companions inHogwarts Legacyare rather bland, and in the wizarding world, having strong bonds with allies can be lifesaving.
Hogwarts Legacy’s Companions Can Be Underwhelming
They’re Not Given Enough Depth
The player inHogwarts Legacytakes the role of a student first entering the wizarding world during their fifth year at Hogwarts. Therefore, it’snatural that they’re just starting to form relationshipswith their peers and have yet to develop, so it makes sense that the player interacts with a few students from each house, regardless of which house they choose to join. However, this also comes with the drawback of the player not having the feeling that these friendships are meaningful, and they often feel underwhelming instead.
When it comes to companions,Hogwarts Legacy 2being smaller rather than largerwould be a beneficial choice in terms of storytelling. The player doesn’t spend enough time with any of their companions to feel like there’s a bond comparable to the one between Harry, Ron, and Hermione. The closest that the playergets to that kind of companionship is likely when doing Sebastian’s side quest, where the player is not only able to learn about his sister and his past but also influence his future, and that level of depth should be used more inHogwarts Legacy 2.
Instead, the way that companions are used inHogwarts Legacyfeels like an attempt at creating a living, breathing world, but one that results incompanions feeling like tools that the player uses when it’s convenientfor a quest. Then, they might not show up again in a useful capacity for a while, which isn’t helpful for building a sense of friendship. While it might seem like a minor issue, improving how companions are used inHogwarts Legacy 2could have a big impact on how immersive it is in the end.
House Choice Should Affect Companions In Hogwarts Legacy 2
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There technically isn’t an officialcanon choice for houses inHogwarts Legacy, although arguments can be made about which houses feel like the intended canon choice. Additionally, the house that a player chooses doesn’t make much difference in terms of content since it simply decides which common room they’ll be in and which house quest they get to do. While a sequel shouldn’t make a house option canon either, so that players are still able to pick what they want, it should use adedicated set of companionsthat change depending on the house.
As an example, a player who picked Ravenclaw as their house should have a couple of companions who are also in Ravenclaw that accompany them for companion quests and then have this dynamic exist for each house option. This way, a player isn’t locked out of content due to their house option, but they alsohave companions with whom they can form a bondthat’s similar to that shared by Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Right now, there isn’t a real sense of belonging among the other students for the player, which could help address that.
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This wouldn’t mean creating an entire storyline for each individual house, which would be an excessive amount of work and not necessarily feasible, but swapping out the companions in the primary quests with those that would be the dedicated companions of the player’s house choice. It’s not a perfect solution, but it would help by adding immersion and depth to relationships, and it’s a way tomake companions feel more importantthan information brokers. Then, characters from other houses can have a smaller role to keep the emphasis on the player and their friends.
How Companion Relationships Could Be More Meaningful
Revising The Relationship System
Overall, interacting with companions inHogwarts Legacyisn’t satisfying and often feels pointless. In addition to, or instead of, having dedicated companions for each house option,Hogwarts Legacy 2couldtake the route where a relationship system is added. Certain choices could increase the player’s friendship level with a character, while others could lower it. This not only adds immersion but also makes relationships with other characters and the world itself feel more dynamic while also making choices feel more consequential than in the first game.
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Such a system could also make crafting and gathering more rewarding since items could be used as gifts to NPCs to raise their friendship levels. Additionally, there could beunique side quests that players can unlock if they reach a certain level of friendship or enmitywith specific NPCs, and that can increase replayability as well as immersion. Depending on the game’s setting and developers' intentions, the same system could lead to a romance system, which is common in similar RPGs but wouldn’t need it. Simply having friends and enemies through choices is a big step forward.
It seems inevitable thatHogwarts Legacywill receive a sequel, although it looks like it might tie into the upcoming HBOHarry Potterseries, which is a decision that could be good or bad for the game, depending on how they’re related. Either way, improvements can be made to the features used in the first game, even if the sequel isn’t directly related to it. That way, players can experience an even more magical journey inHogwarts Legacy 2.
