Summary
Developer Avalanche Software went all in to flesh out the great school inHogwarts Legacy, even going so far as to add Peeves the Poltergeist. While many fans may think this was a given, the spirit only had minor roles in earlierHarry Pottervideo games. Further, he’s been absent from the movies as well. Given the fact that he is a part ofHogwarts Legacybut isn’t as much of a presence as he should be, he needs his moment under the sun in the sequel.
As many fans may be aware, Peeves is as much of a nuisance as can be, in the books at least. The canon mentions him being “essentially an embodiment of disorder.” The fact that fans can encounter him and the otherHogwarts ghosts like Nearly Headless Nick, the Gray Lady, and the Fat Friarwhen going about their mundane life makes the castle feel more alive.However, given who he is and what he represents,Hogwarts Legacy 2should make him more “present” rather than set dressing as in the first title.
How Hogwarts Legacy 2 Should Approach Peeves' Penchant for Mischief
InHogwarts Legacy, Peeves can be seen hanging around the boys' toilets in the dungeons. Aside from that, he can also be seen in various other parts of the castle, zooming around helpless students, using limericks to tease his victims, juggling, and the like. Unfortunately, his only “major” appearance is when he finds the player and Sebastian duringHogwarts Legacy’s Secrets of the Restricted Section questand goes off to tattle on them.
Naturally, this one meager appearance and the tiny others littering the castle don’t showcase Peeves' penchant for mischief as much as they could. As a result, Avalanche Software needs to try and add more instances of the poltergeist around the school. Adding too many would dilute the magic that he brings to experience, but there are ways that this issue can be circumvented.
For example, he should have a much larger role in an important quest.Hogwarts Legacy 2needs more long and interesting quests, that’s a given, and perhaps this is where Peeves can make a strong mark for himself. There could be a quest where players have to “rescue” a fellow student from Peeves' antics and get into a silly fight with him. There could be one where the player attends a Deathday party and some shenanigans ensue, showing the poltergeist’s nature till the Bloody Baron finally pulls him in check.
One of the best cases, however, could be a tribute to two troublemakers generations on. This can be the spirit and the player banding together to get some revenge on a rival or detested character, just as Peeves does withFred and George Weasleyagainst Dolores Umbridge inHarry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Essentially, there are quite a number of ways for Avalanche to really showcase the value that Peeves adds to the ideal Hogwarts experience.
Why Peeves Deserves a Better Showcase in Hogwarts Legacy 2
As per canon, Peeves has been with the grand school since its very start, circa 993. Being the very “embodiment of disorder,” it’s natural that a place full of magical teenage students and creatures is the perfect place for him to be. Given that he was quite toned down, he deserves a better presence inHogwarts Legacy 2. Further, he’s not a ghost, likeGryffindor’s Nearly Headless Nick and other house spirits. He is a physical manifestation and can freely interact with the environment when he wants. Plus, he’s quite powerful, not only because all poltergeists usually are, but also because he’s bound to Hogwarts — one of the magically strongest places in the Wizarding World.
Even in terms of personality and characterization, there’s a lot that can be explored. His starkly disobedient nature, the fact that he doesn’t gel well with other Hogwarts houses' ghosts, can be kept in check only by Slytherin’s Bloody Baron or the Headmaster/mistress, and much more ensure that if Avalanche Software were to work on increasing his presence inHogwarts Legacy 2, it wouldn’t fall short of ideas anytime soon.
