5 ways Hogwarts Legacy is similar to previous Wizarding World games

Hogwarts Legacy is easily one of the most anticipated games of the year. The upcoming open-world action RPG from Avalanche Software is set in the late 1800s of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter universe. While it won't follow the saga of the Boy Who Lived, fans can still expect to see some familiar faces and locales.

The publisher dropped 15 minutes of gameplay footage showcasing the game's mechanics and systems, which point to an ambitious game that dwarfs all other games in the franchise. However, that's not to say there aren't any similarities to past Wizarding World games here.

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Check out the 5 ways in which Hogwarts Legacy seems to take a leaf from past experiences

1) Companions

Who will you choose? (Image via Portkey Games)

Outside of the customizable player character, fans will also be able to recruit certain important NPCs to help out on their adventure. They have their own narratives that can teach you spells and even help in combat. A great decision to keep the player's endeavors from getting lonely.

This was something previous games like Order of the Phoenix and Deathly Hallows (Pt. 1 & 2) also had. Harry Potter's partners in crime, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, tagged along with the titular hero and aided him in combat against other wizards and witches. In Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire, they also helped with puzzle sections, like having unique abilities or lending a hand in moving objects.

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2) Dungeons

What secrets do they hide? (Image via Portkey Games)

It has been unveiled that Hogwarts Legacy features dungeons both inside and outside Hogwarts. These are home to many secrets, foes, and puzzles that will test the players' dexterity and courage. While the later Harry Potter games moved away from this formula, the original three were very much rooted in puzzle solving and platforming.

Games like the Sorcerer's Stone featured handcrafted areas teeming with secrets (like collectibles) and puzzles with progression barring hazards like switches and levers. These demanded mastery of the game's many spells to beat, including boss fights and enemy encounters. A return to that glory might be in the works if things turn out well.

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3) Item gathering and potions

Gather various ingredients to make handy consumables (Image via Portkey Games)

Since it's a modern AAA title, the inclusion of scavenging, crafting, and upgrading items and recipes in Hogwarts Legacy is a given. Alchemy is a pretty crucial element of the Wizarding World universe, allowing the user to create useful potions and items. This is something that has been touched on in older games, too, albeit in a much simpler fashion.

Game adaptations of Chamber of Secrets and Prisoner of Azkaban allowed players to find ingredients scattered around the magical school that could be used to craft certain useful items. Such as the Wiggenweld potion (which also makes an appearance in the upcoming Portkey Games' published game).

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4) Open world flight

Explore the skies (Image via Portkey Games)

Hogwarts Legacy allows players to explore the expansive outskirts of Hogwarts on a flying broomstick and even a Hippogriff (half horse, half eagle monsters). However, older Harry Potter games have done it before. Prisoner of Azkaban (PS2/GC/XB version) allowed free flight of Buckbeak around the school grounds.

It was certainly very limited due to obvious technical limitations, but it was a neat addition nonetheless.

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5) Fighting magical beasts

They sure don't look friendly (Image via Portkey Games)

The upcoming Wizarding World game is set to feature a neat array of monsters to battle against. Trolls, corrupted toads, re-animated skeletons, and many more haven't been revealed yet. The Goblet Of Fire game was all about monster-battling, as Harry, Hermione, and Ron explored various levels throughout the movie's many locales to take down foes.

The lineup of magical creatures to beat down was fairly impressive. From mischievous Erklings and Fire Salamanders that spew flames at the trio, to brutal Blast-Ended Skrewts that rampage towards any perceived threat - all were surprisingly well designed. Here's hoping Hogwarts Legacy expands upon it in meaningful ways.

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Hogwarts Legacy is set to be released for PC, PS4, XB1, Switch, PS5, and XSX|S sometime in 2022.