On the surface, the Persona series and Hogwarts Legacy don't seem like they should have a lot in common. The Persona games 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. While Persona is of the most popular RPGs of all time, and Hogwarts Legacy is one of the most highly anticipated games of 2022, there aren't a ton of obvious similarities.

Hogwarts Legacy is 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 the opportunity 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 the Persona series' best features.

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One of the main features of the Persona series is the Confidant System, known as the Social Link in games prior to Persona 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 that some confidants unlock much better benefits than others, and in Persona games, every action matters because there's a limited amount of time.

In Persona 5, Kawakami is one of the most useful confidants outside 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.

Persona has 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. Persona isn't a perfect all-around blueprint for Hogwarts Legacy by any means, but the Harry Potter game could definitely take a page or two out of Persona's social simulator book.

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Just like Persona, Hogwarts Legacy takes 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 Legacy is 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's Confidant System is 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 Legacy will undoubtedly include some kind of way to choose a Hogwarts 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 in Persona.

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: he could 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 if Hogwarts Legacy could replicate that with its character customization. It would go beyond Persona and make each house its own unique experience, maximizing replayability.

The Hogwarts Legacy protagonist will 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 in Persona. 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 in Persona 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 in Hogwarts Legacy could definitely be possible.

Depending on player stats, it might also make sense to limit social opportunities. In Persona, 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 Legacy players 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 that Harry Potter fans want to see in Hogwarts 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, Persona is a great series to draw inspiration from.

Hogwarts Legacy is scheduled to release in 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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