Watch Dogs 2

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Description

Defeat “Big Brother,” and while you’re at it, destroy San Francisco!

It appears like the Ubisoft team learned their lesson two years after the controversy surrounding Watch Dogs and its infamous graphical drop. Because of this, Watch Dogs 2 was not as anticipated before release as the previous one, which possibly helped with its positive reception.

Having said that, I must admit that I liked the original game overall (it’s one of my vices). Although they might discourage some gamers, the bleak and chilly atmosphere of Chicago and Aidan Pierce’s melancholy attitude managed to impact me in the right manner. These components in the initial release intrigued me personally.

The protagonist in the first game, Aidan Pierce, has received a lot of criticism over the years for his alleged “lack of personality,” but I didn’t find him to be as obnoxious (or maybe I’m simply trying to be the opposite, like DedSec!) Ubisoft made an effort to make Marcus, the playable character in the second game, more endearing and relatable. Marcus was “pleasant,” but nothing to brag about, if you ask me.

Despite ironically building upon many of the concepts and elements of the first game, I thought this one lacked some of its distinctiveness. Maybe it was because of how suspiciously similar it looked to GTA V. But this is exactly what I have noticed.

The original game seems to be an attempt to be unique while yet maintaining the sandbox components common of GTA games, for better or worse, albeit lacking graphical refinement. On the other side, Watch Dogs 2 made several excellent suggestions but didn’t do anything particularly novel.

On a different subject, I have to remark that the graphics are breathtakingly lovely. Colors in Watch Dogs 2 jump off the screen in contrast to the prevailing grayness in Watch Dogs. After playing the game for an hour, I fell in love with this digital recreation of San Francisco, its intense turquoise sea, and its vibrant vegetation. There were also some of the greatest inside I’ve ever seen in an open-world game, but sadly there aren’t many enterable structures in this area.

AI receives my second compliment. The environment here seems lively. You’ll witness individuals playing guitar while seated on the grass, strolling their dogs, or engaging in yoga. Additionally, pedestrians will respond to situations around them in highly realistic ways. For instance, upon seeing a crime, rather than fleeing (as is usually the case in these types of games). Numerous of these AI benefits were already there in the original game, but this game exhibits many advancements in this area. They would occasionally take out their phone to call the police.

Additionally, you can attract attention by using the new “Emote” feature. For instance, if you dance, they might make fun of you and record you on camera. On the other hand, if you make fun of them or laugh at them, they can become outraged and hurt you. These are certainly gimmicks, but they significantly enhance the gameplay.

This version has changed how hacking works, giving you access to new tools and things that can be penetrated. In this game, hacking took center stage. Hacking was merely Aiden’s extra skill in Watch Dogs 1, where shooting was the main emphasis (which is expected since the story of that game centered on revenge). However, in this game, Marcus had a very different goal, which led to a distinct strategy that favored hacking and stealth over cold-blooded killing.

Editor’s Review & How To Play

A third-person open-world sandbox game, Watch Dogs 2 can be played anywhere. It takes place in contemporary San Francisco (or at least a condensed version of it), and you get access to almost every area of the city right away.

You take on the role of Marcus Holloway, a hacker who was falsely accused of a crime by the latest iteration of Blume’s “central Operating System” (ctOS), a supercomputer that connects every device in the city into a single entity. He joins DedSec as retaliation, a “hacktivist” group dedicated to overthrowing Blume’s arbitrary technocratic rule.

After a pre-written sequence of Marcus taking the DedSec initiation test within a Blume server farm, the game begins, introducing you to the core gameplay mechanics and the fundamentals of hacking. Additionally, you’ll get to know the members of your DedSec team: Sitara Dhawa, Horatio Carlin, Josh Sauchak, and the recognizable “Wrench” with his distinctive electronic mask.

The in-game smartphone gives you access to a ton of features, including Car On-Demand (which lets you order cars from a contact who hacks car registries to give you ownership), a camera, “Nudle Maps” (the game’s version of Google Maps), a Media Player, and many others pertaining to multiplayer and contracts.

Regarding the hacking specifically, it still adds a good touch to the GTA concept. In contrast to the relatively limited options you had in the first game, hacking powers were increased in this game, providing you virtually endless methods to cause disruption. For instance, you can use numerous “toys” that you can control remotely to conduct surveillance or eavesdropping operations, such as the RC Jumper (a small, 2-wheeled robot that can fit through gaps and vents) and the quadcopter (a drone that enables you to access areas that the jumper can’t).

In addition, each DedSec hackerspace has a 3D printer that may be used to create tools, guns, armor, and other items of equipment (safehouse). Additionally, the 3D printer has the ability to modify and update current weaponry. For the record, these machines are used to print the RC Jumper and the quadcopter. The quadcopter can be 3D printed for $67,000, but the RC Jumper can be made for free.

Last but not least, in addition to the main story tasks, you can participate in a variety of side activities like street racing or intelligence side quests. They are available through the DedSec app and various Operation Intel stations strewn around the map.

The second installment of Watch Dogs has been hailed as being everything the previous one ought to have been. The characters are relatable in their own strange way, and it gives a ton of entertaining and interesting ways to engage with the outside world. Despite taking too many cues from GTA V, it still manages to seem a little new thanks to the hacking elements I mentioned earlier. I most definitely advise you to try this one out if you enjoyed GTA V!

Do you find this game to be a “hack” ton of fun? Please share in the comments section.