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Hogwarts Legacy seems primed to give die-hard Harry Potter fans every experience they've always wanted. There's been a lot of talk about what players can do at the magical school, but less has been mentioned about whether they can turn against it.
Evil wizards are the typical antagonists of stories in the universe, using magical powers to selfish or otherwise illicit ends. Some might argue that most people who buy this game have chosen the path of evil, but will the game let them lean into that?
Can players be evil in Hogwarts Legacy?
In the massive State of Play event, tons of new Hogwarts Legacy content was shown off. Players began questioning whether they could play the bad guy when they saw the wizard cast the best-known Unforgivable Curse.
In the video, the player's character throws out the familiar green beam of the Avada Kedavra curse. This curse is typically restricted to dark wizards and is strictly illegal among the wizarding world.
While players will have access to the Killing Curse, this is the only hint so far that they might be able to take an evil path. There will be plenty of evil wizards in the game, as they are common to the era.
Most of the footage and public statements about Hogwarts Legacy have focused on classes, exploring the Forbidden Forest, and tangling with magical beasts. The game is an RPG, and moral choice systems are pretty common in that system.
Character building in Hogwarts Legacy
Customizing the player's character is a massive part of the experience for this immersive RPG. Crafting their original character or inserting themselves faithfully into the Harry Potter universe is a big selling point.
Players can choose their house, appearance, and even their pronouns early on in the game. These customization options are common in RPGs and essential to the game's general design.
The character will be entirely under the player's control, but there has been no hint of a moral choice system. A scene of a player wizard casting dark magic does, however, hint towards a possible darker path.
Hogwarts Legacy provides players with the actual wizarding world experience. Some Harry Potter fans undoubtedly see themselves more in Voldemort than they do in any of the franchise's supposed heroes. While the game will cater to those fans for at least a bit, it's unclear whether they can fully embrace evil.
