Hogwarts Legacy 9/10 Rival Impresses On Steam At A Fraction Of The Cost

Hogwarts Legacy has a rival on Steam that’s perfect if your goal is to be a little wizard menace.

After a few years with Hogwarts Legacy, it’s safe to say the game was a success. It’s the most profitable Harry Potter game to date so there was never any doubt it was going to get a sequel.

It wasn’t perfect though. While almost every player will have their gripes with the game, one of the most prevalent is the lack of player freedom, specifically causing chaos in the school of witchcraft and wizardry.

If you were disappointed that Hogwarts Legacy didn’t feel like Bully, but with spells keep reading, as a game like that exists on Steam for an affordable price.

Hogwarts Legacy Competition Feels Like If Rockstar Made A Wizard Game

Those who want a Harry Potter-like game where you can tear down an educational institution should look no further than Secret Agent Wizard Boy and the International Crime Syndicate. Lengthy name we know, but hear us out.

Developed by John Szymanski, Evan Szymanski and published by David Szymanski, who gamers may recognise as the creator of Iron Lung, Secret Agent Wizard Boy and the International Crime Syndicate, will see you undertake the colossal task of blowing up a corrupt magical school.

“Use magic spells and military surplus explosives to topple an evil crime syndicate hidden beneath a prestigious wizarding school”, reads the game’s description. “Learn spells, engage in espionage, and spread lore-unfriendly chaos.”

Secret Agent Wizard Boy and the International Crime Syndicate is all about giving the player a choice.

Secret Agent Wizard Boy and the International Crime Syndicate- Credit:
David Szymanski

You can either stay on task and dismantle the evil headmaster Grumblemort’s school or let your darkest desires take control and just be a menace instead. Students, teachers, it doesn’t really matter; you can use your spells and gadgets to ruin everyone’s day.

It’s the kind of thing Hogwarts Legacy was missing in all honesty. You could make your character a little evil by letting them learn unforgivable curses but there were never any repercussions to using them. You couldn’t even push a student over, let alone affect them in any meaningful or humorous way.

Secret Agent Wizard Boy and the International Crime Syndicate doesn’t have that problem and while it won’t dethrone Hogwarts Legacy as the best wizard game around it at least scratches the itch for more Bully-like games.

It also comes highly recommended from those who’ve played, as it’s currently sitting pretty at a rating of Overwhelmingly Positive on Steam.

For less than $10/£10, it’s a pretty good deal and it’s still in early-access. This means more content will be added over time with the devs already teasing new environments on X.

Secret Agent Wizard Boy and the International Crime Syndicate is available on Steam now, and Hogwarts Legacy 2 could take some notes from it.