Ways To Shake Up A Second Playthrough

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a pop culture phenomenon, with books, movies, theme park attractions, and games galore. Hogwarts Legacy was released in February 2023, allowing players to create their own witch or wizard and explore the world of Harry Potter for the very first time with original characters. Featuring a compelling narrative regarding a goblin uprising, ancient magic spells to be learned, and the exploration of the famed Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizadry, Hogwarts Legacy has sold up to 30 million units thus far and garnered critical acclaim with a current score of 84 on Metacritic.

Given nearly two years have passed since the release of the game, fans are begging Avalanche Software for a sequel announcement that hasn’t arrived yet. So, in the meantime, players have been looking to get creative and extend the lifespan of Hogwarts Legacy. Here are a few ways to shake up a second playthrough in Hogwarts Legacy.

3:25

Related

Games To Play If You Like Hogwarts Legacy

Hogwarts Legacy isn’t the only game that fans of magic can enjoy; here are some other great titles that offer a similar experience.

5

Changing Houses

Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, or Slytherin

• Choosing a different house can change proceedings.
• Roleplay can also play a huge part.
• This can be selected when introduced to the Sorting Hat.

In the first playthrough of Hogwarts Legacy, players will have most likely chosen the house they identify with the most, be it the courageous Gryffindor, curious Ravenclaw, loyal Hufflepuff, or ambitious Slytherin. Potter fans have been debating what house they’d be in since the release of the very first book, so it makes sense to complete a first playthrough with that house.

Related

Every Hogwarts Legacy House Difference Explained

Hogwarts Legacy allows players to pick their house: Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff or Slytherin. However, each house is a unique experience.

So, there’s no better way to switch things up than to select a different house to represent in Hogwarts Legacy. By changing houses, the game offers different dialogue opportunities within the common rooms of the houses. Most notably, Slytherin students get to spend more time with Sebastien Sallow, a key side character whose quests unlock unforgivable curses. But each house also has a different house quest, unlocked following the completion of all quests in “Living As A Student Until Professor Fig Returns.” These different quests can spice up the second playthrough, giving more unique insights into the world of Hogwarts Legacy.

4

Unlock Different Talents

Some Talents Remain Elusive In A First Playthrough

• Hogwarts Legacy has a level cap of 40, with 48 talents available for purchase.
• Experimenting with character building can provide a new experience.

During the first playthrough of Hogwarts Legacy, it’s easy to neglect parts of the skill tree. With a level cap of 40 and 48 unlockable talents somewhere during a playthrough, some skills have to be neglected in exchange for learning others.

Maybe players avoided the Room of Requirement section of the talent tree in their first playthrough, which can affect gameplay massively with the use of plants and potions, making players an unstoppable witch or wizard. Or perhaps they played the role of a kind-hearted person and chose to avoid the Dark Arts section of the talent tree. These changes to the skill tree can provide a new playthrough with the added difference in gameplay required to freshen up Hogwarts Legacy.

3

Learn The Unforgivable Curses

Become A True Master Of The Dark Arts

• Crucio, Imperio and Avada Kedavra allow players to become even stronger.
• Unforgivable Curses end fights quickly.

Learn the darkest of dark magic and become an evil witch or wizard. “Avada Kedavra” immediately finishes an opponent, with “Imperio” instantly switching an enemy to your side. Finally, “Crucio” tortures enemies and leaves them screaming as their health drains away.

Related

Hogwarts Legacy: How to Get All 3 Unforgivable Curses (Avada Kedavra, Crucio, and Imperio)

Hogwarts Legacy lets players obtain all three of the Harry Potter franchise’s Unforgivable Curses, and here is how to do it.

Many players will have embraced this dark potential on their first playthrough, but for those who wanted to play as a good witch or wizard, embracing the Dark Arts can spice up a playthrough the second time. Players can become the evil witch or wizard that only the power of the Unforgivable Curses can unlock. Alternatively, for players that unlocked these curses the first time around, maybe embrace being the kind witch or wizard who doesn’t want to know the true darkness of these spells.

2

Engage With Classmates

Everyone In Hogwarts Has Their Own Story To Tell

• Hogwarts Legacy has a wide range of side-quests to complete.
• With 57 side-quests to complete, these can add a huge amount to a second playthrough.

With the engrossing nature of the main story of Hogwarts Legacy, maybe one or two side quests have slipped through players’ grasp on a first playthrough. There’s no better way for players to fully immerse themselves within a 2nd playthrough than to fully explore what Hogwarts Legacy has to offer by completing all the side-quests the game has to offer.

Related

You Probably Missed This Hogwarts Legacy Side Quest

Hogwarts Legacy players trying to complete all the side quests in the game will likely miss this particular one rather easily.

Again, this all depends on what one’s first playthrough of the game was like. If players completed every side-quest the first time around, there is still a way to freshen this up, by choosing a different response at the end. For example, instead of doing the “right thing” and giving back Zenobia Noke’s Gobstones, players could keep the Gobstones for themselves. They did all the work, so why should she get them back? Again, this can add an extra element of role play to the second playthrough of Hogwarts Legacy.

1

Turn Off the Heads-Up Display

A Big Change To Visuals

• Removing the HUD can fully immerse players in the Wizarding World.
• Adds the extra challenge of remembering what spells are in which slots.

Finally, a simple change to the presentation of the game can fully immerse players into the Wizarding World. By turning off the HUD elements of Hogwarts Legacy, players are forced to explore every nook and cranny to find loot, and remember what spells are in each slot. This also provides a stunning experience in the Wizarding World.

Turning off the HUD adds an extra element of challenge in Hogwarts Legacy. Players will have to use their own intuition to find their way around and explore the Hogwarts castle, creating the feeling of being a student in Hogwarts for the first time even on a second playthrough. Players could also add no fast-travel into the mix to be fully immersed in the Hogwarts Legacy experience. This challenge is not for the faint-hearted, but it makes Hogwarts Legacy even more immersive is a price worth paying.

Released

February 10, 2023

OpenCritic Rating

Mighty