Watch Dogs Review
Watch Dogs is a game that publisher Ubisoft hoped would be able to take everything good from the Assassin’s Creed series, and improve upon it in an open-world action adventure that relies on quick decisions rather than stealth.
Playing in the role of Aiden Pearce, players act as a vigilante who is using his own form of justice to get the men who were responsible for the death of Pearce’s niece Lena. Hacking into the city of Chicago’s security systems (ctOS) to manipulate street lights, barricades and vehicles to help keep the city safe, players use information warfare to get what they need to catch the culprits.
Without spoiling anything, the game’s story is surprisingly good. I went in not expecting much of anything with it, but as it progressed I found myself legitimately getting into it, and enjoying it. It really is the best thing about Watch Dogs.
Watch Dogs is a game that has a great concept, but fails to deliver that all-time great experience…
Graphically, the game looks absolutely beautiful. Many were worried that the games visuals wouldn’t be up to par, but that worry can be laid to rest. Watch Dogs’ look is one of the best thing the game has going.
The driving may feel heavy for some, but I found myself actually enjoying how the vehicles drive. They are easy for me to control, and I never really complained about how they handled. The only issue with vehicles is that there aren’t that many, and they are seemingly indestructible.
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Players have access to a cell phone that allows them to track progress, rank up skills, order (yes, order) cars and access online game modes. It’s a quick method that allows you to switch to what you need easier than other games of the same style (GTA V & Saints Row).
In terms of gameplay, you must rely on your hacking skills in order to gain advantages. From stealing someone’s bank information to finding out details regarding a potential crime, hacking is an integral part of the Watch Dogs formula. Unfortunately, it doesn’t do much to really make it stand out.
I found myself having more fun simply doing free roam rather than playing the actual story, even though, as previously mentioned, the story was surprisingly enjoyable. The missions quickly became repetitive to the point where you knew what you were going to end up doing way before you even had to do it. Get a job, hack into something, get caught, escape and repeat. It felt more and more like a texture pack for Assassin’s Creed than a brand new game.
The inability to use a gun while driving is a massive turn off, especially when trying to evade police. Sure, the game is more about hacking and using the city to get away, but sometimes you just need to be able to pull the trigger. I mean, the police are so quick to shoot you for something as little as driving on the sidewalk, yet you can’t fire back. It just doesn’t make sense to me.
The city is nicely sized, and there are a number of side missions, but in terms of free roam fun, there is just not much to do. Online play is fun, but it gets boring pretty quick if you’re not free roaming with friends.
And if you think that’s where the negativity ends, unfortunately, that isn’t the case. Players apparently have lungs filled with an endless supply of oxygen. Without ever having to slow down, you can run and/or swim at full speed without worry. Hell, there were times where I was able to simply out run the cops by running through the city to the lake, jumping in the lake and swimming away. Seriously, it was that easy.
