Summary
Avoweddeveloper Obsidian Entertainment and publisher Xbox Game Studios have finally revealed extensive gameplay footage of the upcoming RPG via 2024’s Xbox Developer Direct, and although every combat mechanic shown was an exciting display, the wand and spellcasting combat nearly stole the show. Not much has been disclosed aboutAvowed’s wand mechanics, but they certainly appear as though they could giveHogwarts Legacy’s wands a run for their money and then some.
AlthoughHogwarts Legacy 2has yet to be announced, it seems fair to point out the influence thatAvowed’s wandplay could have on a sequel to Avalanche’sHarry Potteradventure.Hogwarts Legacy’s combatwas almost universally deemed underwhelming, so perhapsAvowed’s wand combat will have a positive effect onHogwarts' potential sequel. Judging by theAvowedfootage revealed thus far, its wands could influenceHogwarts Legacy 2in a couple of significant ways.
How Avowed’s Wands Could Influence Hogwarts Legacy 2
Dual-Wielding Wands in Hogwarts Legacy 2 Would Be a Game Changer
One feature that fans and critics have picked up on inAvowed’s Xbox Developer Direct footagemore than anything else is the dual-wielding capabilities it showcases. While the ability to dual-wield weapons has been a feature in role-playing and adventure games before, rarely is a player able to wield two wands simultaneously. In one brief portion of the gameplay deep dive, the player is seen rapidly flinging two wands at their enemies in a styleAvowed’s gameplay director, Gabriel Paramo, refers to as a “gunslinging mage.”
Granting players the ability to dual-wield wands inHogwarts Legacy 2would be a game-changing move by Avalanche. Not only would it increase the pace of combat and therefore the excitement of it, but it would also allow players to perform creative spell combos and potentially tackle multiple enemies at once. After all, dual-wielding wands is not unknown to theHarry Potterfranchise, asLucius Malfoy used two wands against Harryand Sirius during The Battle of the Ministry. This canon event would serve as more than enough justification for implementing dual-wielding abilities intoHogwarts Legacy 2.
Hogwarts Legacy 2 Could Adopt Avowed’s Wand Effects
Hogwarts Legacy’s spellcastingcombat certainly puts on a colorful display, as spells shoot out of the player’s wand and often strike their enemies in a devastating and powerful explosion. However, upon further inspection, it’s easy to detect where some details could be added to enhance the combat’s visual appeal even further. The lights, colors, and sounds created by each spell are moderately fulfilling, but ifHogwarts Legacy 2were to take a cue fromAvowed’s wand effects, it would take Avalanche’s latest success to even greater heights.
Granting players the ability to dual-wield wands inHogwarts Legacy 2would be a game-changing move by Avalanche.
In the Xbox Developer Direct footage forAvowed, the spells fired from each wand are just as colorful asHogwarts Legacy’s. However, there is a bit more detail in each spell and the wands themselves. For instance, it appears that when the player has an ice spell equipped, miniature icebergs are seen circling the tip of the wand to indicate which spell is currently equipped or active. Additionally, as spells are cast usingAvowed’s wands, the effects are put on display in such intricate detail that they appear as more than just different colors, asHogwarts Legacy’s spells so often do.
There will certainly be more revealed about the wand and spellcasting inAvowedas the game’s Fall 2024 release windowapproaches, but it is already becoming clear the influence it could have on a potentialHogwarts Legacysequel. AsHogwarts Legacy’s combat is notoriously underwhelming, it would do well for Avalanche to keep an eye onAvowedas it progresses through the final stages of development, and then once again when it releases.
Avowed
WHERE TO PLAY
Welcome to the Living Lands, a mysterious island filled with adventure and danger. Set in the fictional world of Eora that was first introduced to players in the Pillars of Eternity franchise, Avowed is a first-person fantasy action RPG from the award-winning team at Obsidian Entertainment.You are the envoy of Aedyr, a distant land, sent to investigate rumors of a spreading plague throughout the Living Lands - an island full of mysteries and secrets, danger and adventure, and choices and consequences, and untamed wilderness. You discover a personal connection to the Living Lands and an ancient secret that threatens to destroy everything. Can you save this unknown frontier and your soul from the forces threatening to tear them asunder?
