Hogwarts Legacy has many kinds of puzzles and mini-games for players to solve, including arithmancy door puzzles and doors that slam shut. Players must learn Hogwarts Legacy's Alohomora spell to gain the ability to open a sizable amount of locked doors and chests in the vast RPG open world. To acquire the ability to crack level 1–3 locks, players must locate and retrieve Demiguise statues for Mr. Moon, who teaches players the door-unlocking spell.

Although some players might expect the challenge to rise as door ranks increase, the challenge remains the same regardless of a door or chest's ranking. When picking locks in Hogwarts Legacy, the viewpoint cuts to first-person, and players move a green and red spark into the correct position in a simple mini-game. However, for potential DLC, Hogwarts Legacy could look to other games with varied and challenging door-unlock mechanisms, such as Atomic Heart's range of tricky door puzzles.

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How Hogwarts Legacy's Alohomora Lock Picking Compares To Atomic Heart's Door Unlocks

Hogwarts Legacy door unlock mini game

Although Hogwarts Legacy has different types of door puzzles, there is only one way to pick locks. Given the volume of locked doors across the game, it can quickly feel repetitive for some players. There is even a trick to skip Hogwarts Legacy's lock-picking for those players who may be bored with it. To unlock a level 1, 2, or 3 door or chest, players only need to move the red and green spark so both sit in the correct position to open a look through a visual and vibrational cue. Although this door-unlocking mini-game might appear intimidating, once players have unlocked a couple, the task can become tedious and lack challenge.

In contrast, picking locks in Atomic Heart is often varied and challenging, as there are several different types of door-unlocking systems that can test players' abilities from the get-go, from matching colored dots and light puzzles in hospital door codes to locks with time limits. When beginning Atomic Heart, players first encounter a lock-picking mechanism with a 23-second time limit and alternating red lights that move around the edge as the counter gradually decreases. Players must hit the interact button to snap P3's fingers in time with the lights to unlock each part of the mechanism before the time runs out. When correctly hit, the devices' components pop inward, and the lights turn green. It's a time-pressured puzzle that can take several goes to get right. However, it adds a layer of challenge that makes sense for a skilled activity like lock picking.

How Atomic Heart's Door Unlock Puzzles Could Inspire Hogwarts Legacy's Lock Picking

Atomic Heart door puzzle lock picking

Some of the best puzzles in Hogwarts Legacy, like Merlin Trials, all have a certain degree of challenge, with some harder than others. Therefore, it would make more sense if the game's lock-picking system increased in difficulty to add variety to the experience and test players' abilities, especially as they get closer to the game's max level. Some of Atomic Heart's door puzzles could easily translate to the Alohomora red and green spark system, especially its time-limit puzzles with red and green lights.

For example, Hogwarts Legacy's door-unlocking mini-game could include a timer counter, where players must line up correctly to position the sparks before a timer runs out. The sparks could also move or change position, with players guiding them into the correct place. It could even include different kinds of lock-picking mini-games that might reflect other types of activities in the game. An example might be Hogwarts Legacy's hedge maze locations reflected in a lock-picking scenario, where players must reach the center of the door-unlock maze to trigger the lock to open, particularly if chased by another spark, like when learning spells. In a magical world with almost unlimited creative possibilities, any light or spark-related puzzle with increasing difficulty might be possible, especially if drawing upon imaginative, futuristic door puzzle mechanisms for inspiration.

Hogwarts Legacy is available now for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. PS4 and Xbox One versions are due for release on April 4 and July 25 for Nintendo Switch.

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