On the surface, thePersonaseries andHogwarts Legacydon’t seem like they should have a lot in common. ThePersonagames are classic JRPGs with a focus on turn-based combat, social simulation, and flashy, unique art.Hogwarts Legacy,on the other hand, is an open-world action RPG. WhilePersonais of the most popular RPGs of all time, andHogwarts Legacyis one of the most highly anticipated games of 2022, there aren’t a ton of obvious similarities.
Hogwarts Legacyis still keeping some secrets, but it’s been showcased as an action RPG that allows players to choose their own path as they explore the wizarding world. Many fans hope that includes theopportunity to play as a dark wizard, but so far it’s not clear how deep the character customization will be. The wizarding world is vast and full of incredible locations to explore and monsters to battle, but at its core, Hogwarts is essentially a high school for wizards. As a result, it has the perfect opportunity to imitate one of thePersonaseries' best features.
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The Persona Series is Known For Its Social Simulators
One of the main features of thePersonaseries is the Confidant System, known as the Social Link in games prior toPersona 5.By spending time with other characters, becoming their friends, and learning their stories, players can essentially level up their friendships and reap rewards. It’s important to make priorities because it would be nearly impossible for someone to max out all of their confidants in a single playthrough.
Players prioritize who they spend their time with based on which characters they like the most and which stories they enjoy, but they also prioritize based on what skills they want to obtain. It’s no secret thatsome confidants unlock much better benefits than others, and inPersonagames, every action matters because there’s a limited amount of time.
InPersona 5,Kawakami is one of the most useful confidantsoutside of the Phantom Thieves themselves because she can save the player time by helping accomplish tasks. Some players might not be very interested in her storyline because it involves forming an inappropriate relationship with Joker’s teacher, but those time-saving abilities can be essential later in the game.
Personahas always combined the social simulator game with the RPG elements elegantly, with player choices having a subtle but definitive impact on how the game is played.Personaisn’t a perfect all-around blueprint forHogwarts Legacyby any means, but theHarry Pottergame could definitely take a page or two out ofPersona’ssocial simulator book.
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Why Hogwarts Legacy Should Be Part Social Simulator
Just likePersona,Hogwarts Legacytakes place in a school. The friends that high school students make are incredibly important and have a huge impact on their lives- that’s especially true in magic school. Friendships are essential in the Harry Potter series as well; Harry wouldn’t have gotten much done without Ron and Hermione.
Hogwarts Legacyis being advertised as an immersive RPG, but in order to truly make players feel like a new student at Hogwarts, it needs to have some kind of social simulator element.Persona’sConfidant Systemis a great blueprint because it seamlessly combines the social aspect of being a high school student with the action- and those relationships make a difference in the grander story.
While the specifics aren’t confirmed,Hogwarts Legacywill undoubtedly include some kind of way to choose aHogwarts house. Not everyone is a Gryffindor, after all. Within the four houses, the player should be able to choose different students and teachers to associate with and build relationships with. Those friends would vary depending on house and should then make a difference in the gameplay, just like they do inPersona.
Everyone knows how important the Hogwarts houses are, and how they can change a wizard’s path. Harry Potter himself is a great example of this: hecould have been Gryffindor or Slytherin, but if he was a Slytherin he would have had very different friends and things might not have turned out the same. It would be amazing ifHogwarts Legacycould replicate that with its character customization. It would go beyondPersonaand make each house its own unique experience, maximizing replayability.
How Hogwarts Legacy Could Implement Social Mechanics from Persona
TheHogwarts Legacyprotagonistwill need to have some allies, and one of the biggest challenges the game faces is balancing a captivating plot with the reality that the player is still a student, just like inPersona. The player will need to attend classes, learn spells, and make friends that they ultimately learn from and help shape the path ahead. Just like inPersona 5,some of those friendships could be incredibly useful while some are just for fun.
One NPC might be able to help the player get a spot on the house Quidditch team, while another might know a little too much about dark magic. Choosing to invest time in one but not the other could make a huge difference in who the protagonist becomes and what abilities they learn. With this kind of system,becoming a dark wizard inHogwarts Legacycould definitely be possible.
Depending on player stats, it might also make sense to limit social opportunities. InPersona,for example, Joker can’t get close to Makoto if he isn’t smart or charming enough. Getting to know someone might also involve learning about what they’re interested in in order to catch their attention. Alternatively, hanging out with someone might automatically boost certain stats as that person has an influence on the player character.
Hogwarts Legacyplayers will likely also be faced with figuring out what to do after class, which might be a good opportunity to work on leveling up and hanging out with friends. There are a ton of things thatHarry Potterfans want to see inHogwarts Legacy,but a deep social simulator is at the top of the list for good reason. As one of the best RPG/social simulators out there,Personais a great series to draw inspiration from.
Hogwarts Legacyis scheduled to release in 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
