In the latest in a series of art book leaks, we’ve received some new info about what kind of structure the missions will take in Hogwarts Legacy. Specifically, we learned what the various mission types will be in the game, which will form the core of the gameplay loop for the game. Five different mission types were outlined, each serving a different purpose for the player character and story, and each giving a different hint as to what kind of experiences the game is prioritizing. Beware some very minor spoilers for the game, discussing some broad strokes about the premise of the story.
The Golden Path
The Golden Path is Hogwarts Legacy’s name for the main story objectives. This seems to be the main vector for direct player progression, such as learning to use spells, wield ancient magic, and otherwise learn about and unlock new gameplay mechanics.
Golden Path icon from Art Book
The leak also tells us that these main missions revolve largely around thwarting two specific enemy factions: Dark Wizard Victor Rookwood’s gang, and the goblin rebellion. While we know other antagonists are present (though mentioning who they are would spoil their identity), it seems that the main story will be primarily about taking on these two groups.
We also learned that the team was taking community feedback from forums and other internet places in order to gauge what fans would want to see, resulting in a story largely created to appeal to what community desires.
Side Missions
The self-explanatory Side Missions are what it says on the tin: missions that you can complete unrelated to the main plot. But, nontheless, the art book insists that “Side missions help define who the player is as a wizard,” and seems to imply there may be some open-ended choices to be made in them, and some consequences to the world or story based on which missions you do and how you complete them.
Side Mission icon from Art Book
Side Missions will include things like retrieving magical artifacts, learning secrets about Hogwarts and the surrounding areas, and helping fellow students with dilemmas. We also get confirmation here that, at least in a few places, the player will have the choice of committing “downright evil” actions, and that characters will discuss the choices the player makes. Proto-Voldemort, here I come.
Class Assignments
These missions are tasks given by teachers at Hogwarts to explore the Highlands in order to “find, collect, and battle where needed.” These tasks, it seems, are the key to unlocking many of the spells in Hogwarts Legacy (any of those not required for progression, which seem to be taught in classes themselves).
Class Assignments icon from Art Book
These assignments are handed out by specific teachers for whom it is relevant. For instance, we know that Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor Dinah Hecat will be the one to send the player on the assignment which will teach them the fire-creating spell Incendio.
Relationship Missions
As we’ve suspected for a while now, Companions will have their own missions where you will engage with them and learn more about them. These missions will be somewhat personalized, featuring the companions discussing what the player has done or is doing, and how they feel about it. These missions also seem to be the vector by which the player unlocks some unique combat spells, as each companion has their own that they will teach the player.
Three companions, Natty, Poppy, and Sebastian, are also said to have their own larger side storylines which see them each engaging in different aspects of the game’s story, and each of which will unlock unique locations, tools, and quests. Specifically, we learned that Natty’s plotline centers on bringing Dark wizard Victor Rookwood to justice, that Sebastians’s focused on dark dungeons, and that Poppy’s deals with beasts.
Finally, we also learned that missions can be completed at any point after they are unlocked, including after the main story (confirming that there will be an endgame where the player can still explore and complete missions after finishing the main story).
Beast Missions
Lastly, we have beast missions. These are what we knew the most about before: namely, that rescuing beasts would allow you to put them into your Vivarium within the Room of Requirement, where they would produce useful materials to be used for upgrading gears and giving it unique magical traits. What we didn’t know, however, is what rescuing those beasts would look like.
Now, we get a glimpse into that. Beast missions are a specific type of side mission where you will rescue a specific beast in an organized narrative. This confirms that you will not merely be capturing beasts in the wild — though that may also be the case — but that new beast types are unlocked (alongside new mechanics relating to beasts) by completing these narrative missions surrounding specific beasts.
So, there you have it! Now that we know the structure of the missions in Hogwarts Legacy, which are you most excited to play? And does this give you any ideas what kinds of stories might come from these various types? Let us know in the comments below!
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Graves
Graves is an avid writer, web designer, and gamer, with more ideas than he could hope to achieve in a lifetime. But, armed with a mug of coffee and an overactive imagination, he'll try. When he isn't working on a creative project, he is painting miniatures, reading cheesy sci-fi novels, or making music.
