Published by Ubisoft and developed by their Canadian subsidiary, Ubisoft Montreal, Watch_Dogs was five years in development; it was the game everyone was talking about. The game that claimed the world around you was not only for exploring but a changing weapon to turn against your enemies, you were a hacker and the city you lived in your playground. The Watch_Dogs delay only whet the appetite of many, the official reason for the pushback on release was cosmetic, what we’d seen in previews and teasers, gameplay demos was getting a spit shine and polish and when the initial frustration subsided and rational thought resumed, it seemed like it was going to be worthwhile.
You are Aiden Pearce, a hacker and thief turned vigilante on a hunt for the men who killed his niece in a failed attempt to kill him. At your disposal is a smart phone, the only tool Aiden needs to hunt down the guilty and access the cTOS, the city of Chicago’s central operating system, whether it’s changing traffic lights, eavesdropping on text message conversations or profiling potential lawbreakers. As you dive further into the digital and human networks of Chicago you are forced to confront ghosts from your past and figure out what you are really fighting for – justice or revenge!
The opening moments of the game were the first time I’ve really sat up to take notice of Gen 8’s power, had I known that Ubisoft were going to go this heavy with the polish I probably wouldn’t have griped as much about the wait and when I finally took control of Aiden and got to explore my immediate surroundings I continued to be dazzled by the world around me before the my curiosity got the better of me and I blew my self after overloading a transformer…lesson learned! Watch_Dogs is pretty, it’s very pretty! Unfortunately it’s also pretty boring. The game is all about the look, trying too hard to look good just for the sake of looking good – it’s early days for Gen 8 and everyone is trying to show off but you can’t forget about the substance or the personality of the game and this is where the game falls down a little.
The story is predictable, it’s penned as a noir, set in Chicago, the city where we all dream mobs and gangsters are born and trained but it’s the same tried and tested story. Guy makes mistake, mistake ends in loss, loss leaves hole that must be filled with revenge, guy gets reality check and realises his own part in the story! Aiden is rough, his character feels like a bunch of left over stereotypes strung together, his persona of a man on the warpath, his gravelly Bale Batman voice, it’s all very grating and he’s not very likeable. He is surrounded by mostly bland characters with the exception of some interesting villains, you’ll find yourself sitting in front of the TV perplexed, trying to rationalise the simplicity of it all, there has to be a twist or a huge plot bomb in there somewhere but you’re pretty much getting what you see, dull but pretty.
The game’s soundtrack doesn’t particularly stand out either the in game radio stations play out more like an mix-tape you made when you were in school, random recordings of songs you thought you were great for five minutes before you ultimately forgot and abandoned them to bottom drawer in your desk – stealing a car I immediately switch the stations off.
Gameplay feels sluggish, the promise of parkour movement to aid your escape or speed up your chase is forgotten about and instead we get a movement style that plays out similar to what I can only imagine would be my own attempt to parkour – awkward, sluggish and embarrassing. Handling weapons, the skill tree, the smart phone is just as clunky and don’t feel bad if you accidentally whip out your shotgun in the middle of a crowded street, it happens to the best of us on more than one occasion. In it’s favour though is the use and handling of vehicles for the first time in what’s felt like an age, I’ve felt comfortable and actually enjoyed my time behind the wheel of a bike, car, truck and boat and there are plenty of models to choose from and it’s not all doom and gloom.
Hacking, the ability that lies at the core of Watch_Dogs does not fall short – thankfully! Ubisoft Montreal got this spot on! Your phone is probably the best weapon you’ll use in the game, it opens up the game and truthfully manages to make up for the bland story – one thing the game can’t be accused of is leaving the player without anything to do- Leaving aside the multiplayer modes which could take up a whole review on their own, Aiden can spy on citizens, these profiles offer some great depth to the game and it feels like the first sandbox game to create a population as unique as the world they inhabit. You can also hack citizens who are using an electronic device in your vicinity, copying the their text messages, stealing credit information and their music downloads and even eavesdrop on private calls.
Outside of the main story you can spend your time acting the vigilant, tackling street crime, intercepting criminals before they strike or even just learning more about the world around you. There’s also plenty of additional side missions that bolster your reputation and experience, providing a distraction for getaway cars, dropping off stolen goods or even clearing out gang territories.
Had the developers spent a little more time on working the story and the characters they could really have had a shining example of Gen 8 but the story really detracts from the overall experience. While you’re not shy of distractions and if the need to play God arises you can certainly entertain yourself by profiling the populace and picking off the undesirables, you shouldn’t have to make your own fun in a game that promised us a shiny new world. Watch_Dogs has the look down, here’s hoping that they can maintain it while putting more time into developing any future games and their personality!
[easyreview cat1title=”The Arcade Verdict” cat1detail=”Looks great! Interesting abilities! No heart!” cat1rating=”7″]
Editor-in-Chief, part-time super villain and hoarder of cats. If you can’t find me writing, I’m probably in the kitchen!
