Ubisoft has struggled to market Watch Dogs 2 ahead of its release after the controversial and divisive Watch Dogs 1 was critically received well but the fan reaction was less than stellar. Although this time they didn't downgrade graphics or showcase and unbelieveable E3 demo I think there is something to be said about how generally lacklustre Watch Dogs 2 actually is.
The main protagonist of the game is a hacker by the name of Retr0, who for no reason is really really good at hacking. Retr0 is later revealed to be Marcus, I would write his surname if I knew it. A striking concern for modern Ubisoft games and Watch Dogs in particular, none of the characters are particularly likeable and when the story demands that I care, I simply don't.
The characters that I've met briefly in the adventure is shockingly devoid of any real context, these guys are hackers, and they have the same goal and I should like them. There is obviously some bonding between the scenes that we don't get to see, which makes the scenes that show their bond even stranger.
One of the main complaints about the first Watch Dogs is that the characters were very dull with little motivation. Watch Dogs 2 does well to change that (maybe not the motivation part), every character is colourful and interesting with defined characteristics even if they are stereotypical or a bit too out there. The main cast comprises of Marcus, a black protagonist who is very hip and is good at hacking and combat because the game said so. Horatio is another black side character, part of the deadsec team that is a tech nerd who has some rather black moments with Marcus but otherwise is only there to possibly progress the storyline. Sitara is a female artist, who offers tactical advice and offers a potential love interest, possibly. I'm not really sure what's happening there. And finally there's Josh, who is autistic and is mostly there for comic relief.. because autism is funny apparently.
The game world of Watch Dogs 2 is a startling recreation of San Francisco that is astounding to stop and look at. I can't say I've ever been to San Francisco or seen very much of it but the roads feel very empty and the work feels very dull. Wide roads are so clear that driving in a straight line is a very viable way of travel, as opposed to something like Watch Dogs 1 or Grand Theft Auto V that really feels like a full living world. The juxtapose to the roads is that the walkways and pavements are briming with Joe Blogs that are hackable for fun, I guess?
In all the Watch Dogs 2 demos I've seen, emphasis on Marcus's gadgets and other means to hack and attack specifically the quadcopter, which is a flight enabled drone that allows you to remotely hack objects and target enemies through walls in a Batman inspired Hacker Vision.
On the topic of Watch Dogs demos, the emphasis on the tech that doesn't get used in the game very often. The game really feels disjointed in what it wants to be. There are missions that can be fully completed with the Jumper (a small RC Car with hacking capabilities), but some missions require you to possibly hack in with the Jumper and then be close to the target to download data. Some missions throw you into a building with two exits, and require you to escape through waves and waves of enemies. There are missions that end with massive shootouts that are easily the weakest parts of the game.
With all these points in mind, it's worth noting that content in the game is buldging out of the disk. Between the main narrative, almost every mission spins off into a side mission and on top of that the online missions make a comeback with coop missions being featured too, you can find hidden upgrades throughout the game world and objects worth alot of money, you can go to famous landmarks throughout San Francisco and take selfies to increase your follower count and level up and finally you can do a pseudo taxi service for people through the city and other deadsec members with a mode aptly named; "Driver: San Francisco", another Ubisoft property that was released in 2011.
Watch Dogs 2 is a fantastic sandbox stealth hacking game with shooting mechanics that don't feel right and a beautiful world that's almost exclusive to the protagonist. Is it better than Watch Dogs 1? Yes. For £49.99? Probably not.
The main protagonist of the game is a hacker by the name of Retr0, who for no reason is really really good at hacking. Retr0 is later revealed to be Marcus, I would write his surname if I knew it. A striking concern for modern Ubisoft games and Watch Dogs in particular, none of the characters are particularly likeable and when the story demands that I care, I simply don't.
The characters that I've met briefly in the adventure is shockingly devoid of any real context, these guys are hackers, and they have the same goal and I should like them. There is obviously some bonding between the scenes that we don't get to see, which makes the scenes that show their bond even stranger.
One of the main complaints about the first Watch Dogs is that the characters were very dull with little motivation. Watch Dogs 2 does well to change that (maybe not the motivation part), every character is colourful and interesting with defined characteristics even if they are stereotypical or a bit too out there. The main cast comprises of Marcus, a black protagonist who is very hip and is good at hacking and combat because the game said so. Horatio is another black side character, part of the deadsec team that is a tech nerd who has some rather black moments with Marcus but otherwise is only there to possibly progress the storyline. Sitara is a female artist, who offers tactical advice and offers a potential love interest, possibly. I'm not really sure what's happening there. And finally there's Josh, who is autistic and is mostly there for comic relief.. because autism is funny apparently.
The game world of Watch Dogs 2 is a startling recreation of San Francisco that is astounding to stop and look at. I can't say I've ever been to San Francisco or seen very much of it but the roads feel very empty and the work feels very dull. Wide roads are so clear that driving in a straight line is a very viable way of travel, as opposed to something like Watch Dogs 1 or Grand Theft Auto V that really feels like a full living world. The juxtapose to the roads is that the walkways and pavements are briming with Joe Blogs that are hackable for fun, I guess?
In all the Watch Dogs 2 demos I've seen, emphasis on Marcus's gadgets and other means to hack and attack specifically the quadcopter, which is a flight enabled drone that allows you to remotely hack objects and target enemies through walls in a Batman inspired Hacker Vision.
On the topic of Watch Dogs demos, the emphasis on the tech that doesn't get used in the game very often. The game really feels disjointed in what it wants to be. There are missions that can be fully completed with the Jumper (a small RC Car with hacking capabilities), but some missions require you to possibly hack in with the Jumper and then be close to the target to download data. Some missions throw you into a building with two exits, and require you to escape through waves and waves of enemies. There are missions that end with massive shootouts that are easily the weakest parts of the game.
With all these points in mind, it's worth noting that content in the game is buldging out of the disk. Between the main narrative, almost every mission spins off into a side mission and on top of that the online missions make a comeback with coop missions being featured too, you can find hidden upgrades throughout the game world and objects worth alot of money, you can go to famous landmarks throughout San Francisco and take selfies to increase your follower count and level up and finally you can do a pseudo taxi service for people through the city and other deadsec members with a mode aptly named; "Driver: San Francisco", another Ubisoft property that was released in 2011.
Watch Dogs 2 is a fantastic sandbox stealth hacking game with shooting mechanics that don't feel right and a beautiful world that's almost exclusive to the protagonist. Is it better than Watch Dogs 1? Yes. For £49.99? Probably not.
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