Hogwarts Legacyis a beautifully created open-world RPG game that immerses players in the magicalHarry Potteruniverse in many enchanting ways. However, the game has room for improvement as there’sno morality system inHogwarts Legacy, allowing evil gameplay with little narrative consequences. As a player-choice-driven RPG, only a small amount of player choice impacts the story when considering Sebastian’s choices, whether to learn Unforgivable Curses and dialogue options with other characters. That said, lacking a morality system also makes sense when considering the possible story reason behind its absence.
InHogwarts Legacy, the gameplay experience is largely guided, with quests and collectibles somewhat bread-crumbed around every corner. This guided gameplay also extends to the story, which drives players towards somewhat inevitable endings regardless of most of the choices players make when talking to companion Sebastian Sallow, who has one of the main quest lines running alongside the core story. AlthoughHogwarts Legacycould have given players a more significant role in deciding their legacy and the fate of others, the lack of a morality system does make sense when considering the moral message throughout the game’s many quests.
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Sebastian Choices And Learning Unforgivable Curses With No Morality System
Player companionSebastian Sallow has a tragic storylineand is stubbornly passionate about helping his unwell sister, Anne Sallow. ThroughoutHogwarts Legacy, players can make several Sebastian dialogue choices that have a limited impact on how the Sebastian storyline unfolds, except for when deciding whether to turn Sebastian in during the In the Shadow of Fate quest. Similarly, when interacting with NPCs and other companions like Poppy and Natty, players can often choose between some limited dialogue responses, mainly whether to be friendly or rude.
In strongly player-driven RPG morality systems such asStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, player dialogue options determine how good or bad their character acts, how the story unfolds, and their relationships with other companions. In one sense, Sebastian’s dialogue options could be supported better with a morality system, particularly whengetting all three Unforgivable Cursesdoesn’t have any significant consequences on the story or how other characters or companions treat players.
For instance, rather than Sebastian being hellbent on one particular pathway, players learning an Unforgivable curse could have helped steer Sebastian and the player further down a dark path, putting more moral weight on learningspells for aHogwarts Legacyevil wizard build. This would pay off when characters like Solomon and Ominis encourage players toward particular dialogue choices. Additionally, Sebastian often talks about how Unforgivable Curses should be taught in the school curriculum, leading some players to wonder if they could ever have such an impact on the future of Hogwarts. However, with no morality system tied to player choices, the game misses an opportunity to create personalized and impactful legacies.
Why No Morality Systems Fit The Moral Of Hogwarts Legacy
Hogwarts Legacy’s lack of a morality system does make more sense when considering its message. In addition to Sebastian’s quest line and the disastrous events ofIn The Shadow of the Relic, players follow Isidora Morganach’s story and her journey to help her father. The core moral message through Isidora and Sebastian’s plot lines seems to be that good intentions can sometimes have evil or disastrous consequences. If the game allowed players to pivot towards becoming a strictly bad or good character using a traditional RPG morality scale like inKOTOR, this might conflict with the more complex ideas of morality discussed in the game’s plot.
However, a game with a story about being cautious in making moral choices could have used a more impactful choice system to support this idea. If players know decisions like learningAvada Kedavradon’t really impact the story, there’s no real reason not to get them, especially when the Keepers' actions are sometimes questionable. Although the lack of a morality system relates to the story, this could be strengthened with better player choices with more possible outcomes and endings.
Hogwarts Legacyis available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. PS4 and Xbox One versions release May 5, and a Switch version releases July 25.
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