'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
With Hogwarts Legacy delayed to next year, the excitement has certainly dimmed for the upcoming open-world RPG. This is no surprise since Avalanche Software's latest game is supposed to be the most ambitious entry in the Wizarding World's video game efforts to date. However, since a relatively unproven studio is behind the reigns for the upcoming title, fans have wondered how it would fare.
This also brings up questions as to how it would fare against previous offerings under the Harry Potter banner. The LEGO games, in particular, are iconic 3D platformers that Hogwarts Legacy can take pointers from.
Here's what Hogwarts Legacy could learn from the LEGO Harry Potter games
1) Environmental interactivity
The LEGO games are no strangers to chaos since the premise of these games revolves around building and breaking stuff. Because of this, a lot of the environments in the LEGO games are interactive and affected by spells.
While most of the assets in the game have only a single contextual reaction (like only responding to Winguardium Leviosa), there still really is no downtime when it comes to experimenting with anything and everything. After all, pretty much every interaction showers players with LEGO Studs (the main currency in the game).
On that note, many modern games have a bad habit of being very static, with environmental assets that do not respond to player actions. Hogwarts Legacy also appears to be leaning in that direction, but players may find themselves pleasantly surprised.
2) Attention to detail
With a total of eight movies to cover, the LEGO Harry Potter games have a decent variety of spells for Harry and the gang to pick from. Lumos, Glacius, Aguamenti, and even Protego make an appearance for a variety of uses.
Some of the more offensive spells like Glacius can be cast upon others, including teachers. This freezes them in a block of ice for a few seconds. Of course, such actions do have consequences, as these NPCs will often strike back with their own magic to damage the player. So players will be wondering if they can pull such tricks on individuals in Hogwarts Legacy and what the repercussions of doing so will be.
3) Rewarding collectibles
If there is one thing the LEGO games are great at, it is keeping completionists occupied with the amount of content and replayability they offer. The rewards range from dozens of characters to unlock to Red Bricks that can grant useful perks (like multiplicative LEGO Studs and negating falling into pits).
Since Hogwarts Legacy is an action RPG, we can expect to see a similar level of obsession but in the form of loot and trinkets scattered around. One of the trailers for the game already showcases a page of some sort that can be discovered and added to a book. But it remains to be seen if going on a collectibles hunt is worth the effort in the first place.
4) Spell variety
We have already discussed a variety of handy spells that the LEGO entries feature. While having robust combat is great, some diversity is also appreciated. Additions like Tarantallegra, for example, couple well with the game's humorous nature. It even allows casting Unforgivable Curses like Imperio and Avada Kedavra.
5) Accessibility
It is no surprise that the LEGO titles are aimed at a family-friendly audience. As such, the skill ceiling for these titles is very low, and even non-gamers can get into them easily. Since Hogwarts Legacy is aiming to cater to fans of the Wizarding World in general, it could likely be attracting a similar audience. Therefore, the development team will have to ensure that Hogwarts Legacy remains accessible to more casual groups, especially since it is an RPG.
For those intrigued, LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4 and LEGO Harry Potter Years 5-7 are available on PC as well as consoles in the form of the LEGO Harry Potter Collection.
Hogwarts Legacy is set to arrive on February 10, 2023 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. The Nintendo Switch version will arrive at a later date.
