Exploring every nook and cranny of the wizarding world was the stuff of dreams, but has been made a reality with the recent release ofHogwarts Legacy. It’s a game that captures so much of the license’s heart, and cutting through the wind on a broomstickon the way to Hogsmeadebefore battling dark wizards in the Forbidden Forest is a delight. With plenty of references to the books and films, it’s easy to think it leaves no stone unturned in how many things it pays homage to, but like the Room of Requirement, there’s always more that can be included.
DLC is a common theme in gaming, as developers often look to ways that a game can stay relevant through the year.Resident Evil Village’sShadows of Rose andCuphead’s The Delicious Last Course have done well to keep each project on the minds of players, and whileHogwarts Legacyhas not confirmed that any additional content is in development, there are some pitfalls and opportunities seemingly in even number that Avalanche Software should take into account, should it decide to take that route before it gets to work on a potential sequel.
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The Drawbacks of Hogwarts Legacy DLC
Hogwarts Legacyhas sold in no small number, and strong commercial reception usually means that a sequel is firmly on the table. The game is solid, and allows fans the wonderment of exploring a world they hold dear, but there are issues with its performance and UI that need to be addressed. A sequel would be the obvious way to improve on the fundamentals of the game, as some components cannot be fixed with a single patch as they’re baked into its core design. The UI is slow and uninspired, the performance problems show a lack of polish, and the story doesn’t take enough risks. These are all matters that a sequel would best solve, and DLC taking up the developers' time could feel like mismanagement of talent.
While a sequel can fix some major issues, and would be the obvious course of action to improve significantly over the first, there are blemishes that could have been ironed out inHogwarts Legacythat make the game better for those coming in late. Its performance is lacking, and the imminent arrival of a last-gen version as well asa port for Nintendo Switchmeans that the developer may have a lot on its hands if it wants to be a positive experience across the board. It already seems like a Herculean effort to make such a vast world accessible on a portable device.
DLC Could Have Offered Customizability and Supplemental Stories
However, the foundations ofHogwarts Legacyare strong, and more support by way of a story DLC could have brought more references and ideas to the table to make it even more immersive for fans. Whether featuring theTriwizard Tournament to provoke interesting gameplay ideasor introducing existing characters to see the world through their eyes, it could have been a perfect opportunity to flesh out the world even further, and tie up anecdotes the base game dropped.
The way thatHogwarts Legacyrecreates the castle, its grounds, and the Scottish highlands around it is masterful. A sequel might struggle to reproduce or improve it without feeling too familiar, and DLC could’ve taken a different approach all together by sending players elsewhere. It would feel like a misstep to set an entire game in a different place, but a quick trip to London may be a perfect compliment to the main game’s setting, showing that wizards can come from plenty of areas, and from completely different backgrounds. Players get a glimpse of this withUagadou and Natsai Onai, but seeing it for themselves would have been magical, and DLC could help achieve this.
Hogwarts Legacyis available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S, with PS4 and Xbox One versions set to release May 5, and a Switch port launching July 25.
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