User Score
7.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 2007 Ratings

User score distribution:
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  1. Nov 15, 2016
    10
    Damn, this game surprised me.
    Great story, amazing protagonist, EPIC CITY....okay, it's an epic game. Not an big fan of the first one, but this is amazing
  2. Nov 15, 2016
    9
    Watch Dogs 2
    Ubisoft Listened
    Everything people had issues with from the original watch dogs has been addressed here, and the game wastes no time letting you know by immediately giving you the task to buy some clothes after you wake up in some girls bed hung over and half dressed, and there’s a great variety as there are shops all with their own unique gear… Watch Dogs 2 takes place in
    Watch Dogs 2
    Ubisoft Listened
    Everything people had issues with from the original watch dogs has been addressed here, and the game wastes no time letting you know by immediately giving you the task to buy some clothes after you wake up in some girls bed hung over and half dressed, and there’s a great variety as there are shops all with their own unique gear…
    Watch Dogs 2 takes place in sanfransico this time and You play as Marcus Holloway who joins a group of hacktivists to take down a corrupted security corporation named blume that uses ctos technology…
    So you set out to expose them
    And how do you do this?
    By gaining followers and sending out videos with information you acquire as you go throughout the game…
    The story sounds silly, but that’s because it kind of is… It doesn’t have the serious tone the original had... You feel much more like hacker kids doing hacker kid stuff…
    Using your skills for the betterment of the world
    and every character here has personality, from your hacker group to the characters you run into…
    The villain here has a man bun does yoga, making you hate him instantly…
    The entire game screams san fransisco and it really brings the city to life...
    People call you names... talk about their diets… you’ll see people arguing with each other… taking a bat to their no good exes car, the world in watch dogs 2 if so fun to explore, and thankfully there’s a lot to do here…
    You’re rewarded for gaining followers with research points that you can spend in your skill tree to balance your character to your play style, and to gain followers you can go out and take selfies in front of crazy people, monuments, and buildings… you can go out and race karts and boats, do time trials with dirt bikes or a drone, do side quests or mess with people online…
    Watch_Dogs 2 features seamless multiplayer where you’ll randomly run into people in your world that you can team up with, or run over for being a jerk when they deny your team up request…
    And you’ll occasionally get the option to go intervene in an ongoing chase with the bounty hunter mode…
    These moments can create random chaos in the world and it’s a nice addition
    Hacking invasion is back where you can enter a world or someone can enter yours to steal information, and you have to stay hidden or kill whoever is hacking you, but with the added tools and hacking options this time makes things even trickier… and there are also co-op missions that can be played with a friend or on your own… multiplayers not my thing, but it’s there…
    And there’s actual use from the money you get from tasks or for selling good at a pawn shop this time as you can buy insanely expensive weapons from your 3d printer at headquarters, or buy cars from a dealership to call using your car on demand app.. Which you’ll want to do before you’re able to hack inside of a car and go… The citizens calling for cops aren’t as annoying as they were in the original watch dogs... but they can still be pretty annoying…
    And a cop chase or a chase in general isn’t really something you want to get involved in as the hacking in watchdogs 2 got much more complicated and opportunities seem to have almost nearly evaporated…
    Chases used to thrilling, but here I hardly ever crashed a cop car chasing me as again opportunities seem to hardly exist, and when one does appear the indication and windows of opportunity is far smaller, really hurting what I felt was a near perfect chase system, taking away all of the fun…
    This evaporation of opportunities can be seen throughout missions as well…
    Watch_Dogs 2 for better or for worse feels like a completely different game than Watch_Dogs 1
    The developers scrapped the idea of camera hopping for a jumper and a drone…
    Clearly a much less stealthier approach and of course creates way more opportunities to get detected...
    Watch_Dogs 2 seems to be more about punishment than mayhem this time around...
    I never really felt like levels were designed with the hacking in mind. Sure there are tons of hackable items... but these items are for the most part a nuisance for you as a player to deal with like security systems and robots rather than opportunities to take advantage of...
    Id occasionally get an enemy to line up with a car to remotely run them over, but moments like these were far too rare….
    Most of the time forcing me to have to physically enter restricted zones when I could do everything from the sidewalk with little to no risk in the original…
    But they for some reason want you to physically stealth around to try and trick you to getting into a gun fight…. When the whole premise of the game was hacking the world around you…
    And now it’s mostly turn off the security around you to proceed or else…
    The game throws far too many hurdles at you stopping hacking from being a satisfying and fun option to turning it into a chore.
    And when you do get detected it’s no fun at all as the gun play feels bad, the combat is slow and leaves you vulnerable for too long and enemies constantly call for back up… and they do so insanely fast, so the waves of enemies and cops never stop.. they’re going to kill you because you slipped up…
    You can take them out by attracting them to electrical boxes… or setting traps for them to walk into, and you can set a police or gang hit on them which could potentially have them do all of the heavy work for you… which I actually had a lot of fun with
    And the missions are all still great despite this nuisance emphasis…
    Every last one feels unique and challenging, there’s so much charm to this story and mission design…
    The campaign feels hand crafted rather than formulaic and is now a standard I will judge other open world games of its type by…
    Stuff gets crazy, and it’s a blast throughout...
    And occasionally in these missions you’ll run into some pipe mazes
    they’re back, this time in the environment rather than being just a black screen with lines...
    Things can get a little award at times with angles, but I grew to love running around areas or camera hopping trying to align everything….
    Watch_Dogs 2 is the perfect example of what can be accomplished with love and care by a development team. Of what happens when you listen to feedback
    The gameplay isn’t perfect, but the overall package is pretty close and is miles better than an already great game in the original…
    I give Watch_Dogs 2
    a 9/10
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  3. Nov 16, 2016
    9
    This is an update on my last review. A few more hours into this game and WOW it just gets better! Tried out the co-op, and I must say, I haven't had this much fun in a game in a VERY long time. One bad thing about it is the sound design of the guns. Holy hell, it is literally the worst sounding guns I've ever heard in a game. I hope they patch a fix just for that. TERRIBLE beyond belief.This is an update on my last review. A few more hours into this game and WOW it just gets better! Tried out the co-op, and I must say, I haven't had this much fun in a game in a VERY long time. One bad thing about it is the sound design of the guns. Holy hell, it is literally the worst sounding guns I've ever heard in a game. I hope they patch a fix just for that. TERRIBLE beyond belief. But I can live with that because the game is so good. Expand
  4. Nov 15, 2016
    10
    this game is so amazing and graphic is incredible. gameplay is so fun with hacking everything.. Drone is nice thing for Marcus to scan enemies and things.. Thumb Up
  5. Nov 15, 2016
    10
    Truly amazing game that just needs to be played to understand how great it is! Problems I had was some bugs and the driving is still not the greatest but doesn't take away from the greatness of the game!
  6. Nov 15, 2016
    10
    Great game so far! Lots of fun, nothing really like the first game of the series except for the return of Blume. The characters really bring some color the franchise. The missions are great, using the different gadgets really bring some diversity to the game. In addition I like the multiple options that the hacking has. Can't wait to try the PVP and see other hackers when then turn theGreat game so far! Lots of fun, nothing really like the first game of the series except for the return of Blume. The characters really bring some color the franchise. The missions are great, using the different gadgets really bring some diversity to the game. In addition I like the multiple options that the hacking has. Can't wait to try the PVP and see other hackers when then turn the seamless online stuff back on. Overall one of the most fun game experience I had since GTA V. Expand
  7. Nov 15, 2016
    9
    Without giving anything away, and with only a couple of hours of play, I'll say this (and will update as I see fit):

    Straight from the get go, this is exactly the kind of hacker game I expected from part one. The amount of tools, the funny pop culture references from our own social media, the voice acting (which was already great in part 1), the depiction of S. Francisco. Thanks
    Without giving anything away, and with only a couple of hours of play, I'll say this (and will update as I see fit):

    Straight from the get go, this is exactly the kind of hacker game I expected from part one. The amount of tools, the funny pop culture references from our own social media, the voice acting (which was already great in part 1), the depiction of S. Francisco.

    Thanks Ubisoft for finally releasing a game worth the hype. And you didn't even hype this one up as much as part 1.. look how well it went.
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  8. Nov 28, 2016
    8
    This is a solid game with plenty of things to do and explore. I would urge anyone looking to try this not to associate it with the first watch dogs; you will enjoy it much more. It was a pleasant surprise for me since I had low expectations. My only negative critique is that the gun play isn't as intuitive and engaging as other titles such as GTA. The same goes for driving.
  9. Aug 21, 2021
    8
    Watch Dogs 2 is a sequel that is better is some respects and not so much in others. While the hacking has not only been improved, but expanded upon, it's narrative and main characters are the main detracting points from it being better than the original Watch Dogs.
  10. Jan 9, 2021
    10
    Para ser sincero este juego me gusto mas que gta v exelente trabajo es muy entretenido
  11. Feb 7, 2017
    8
    Didn't play the first one (due to its bad rep) but I decided to give WD2 a chance. It's a good game, and messing with things and people remotely turned out to be a lot of fun. The story is compelling enough and the side jobs aren't a waste of time.
    I just don't understand why the driving physics had to be so pathetically bad (unless you dig Mario Kart), but as soon as you focus on the
    Didn't play the first one (due to its bad rep) but I decided to give WD2 a chance. It's a good game, and messing with things and people remotely turned out to be a lot of fun. The story is compelling enough and the side jobs aren't a waste of time.
    I just don't understand why the driving physics had to be so pathetically bad (unless you dig Mario Kart), but as soon as you focus on the strategy part, the game becomes much more interesting.
    The multiplayer thing is a bit weird (I'm too used to the GTA V model) although if you're lucky you might get someone who actually cooperates with the mission. Looking forward the extra content promised by Ubisoft.
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  12. Jun 21, 2020
    8
    A gaming experience that just screams "FRESH'. Every aspect of W_D2 is just fresh, the amazing San Fran setting, the music, the characters, the fun, quirky story - everything feels like it was made with care and joy. Marcus is a massive upgrade from Aiden and the overall direction the series has decided to take shows that, when handled well, the Watch Dogs serioes can be a great one.
  13. Jan 15, 2021
    9
    It is WD1 with better gameplay and worse (for me) climat. I don't like aspect of fighting the corporations by getting followers in a colorful world but with black spots. Of course it is just like Irl but it doesn't feel like home after WD1. We can surely see some worth values like making relations with people and the idea of getting followers is for making some kind of riot but whenIt is WD1 with better gameplay and worse (for me) climat. I don't like aspect of fighting the corporations by getting followers in a colorful world but with black spots. Of course it is just like Irl but it doesn't feel like home after WD1. We can surely see some worth values like making relations with people and the idea of getting followers is for making some kind of riot but when they're so high skilled hacker group and the Corp is full of different kind fo corruption, can't they just get in their memory base and get dirt on day's sunlight for government and people see who is bad for real? Although I truly enjoyed the game story and maxing out game. Remember what bad things you would say about WD1 that WD2 does better, remember the first game is a prototype of this game type and was some kind of test what people like and what they not. Expand
  14. Nov 23, 2016
    10
    Wd2 improve the first installment in every aspect. The game progression is really nice and being able to use the Drone and the RC is a bit like having 3 character to play with. The game is way more colorful and I do enjoyed the new tone. The humour can sometime be a bit cringy, but the overall character are fun to watch
  15. Nov 28, 2016
    9
    It's hard to put into words how much more improved Watch Dogs 2 is next to the original game. Like most people, I hated the first game and I almost completely skipped Watch Dogs 2 because of it. I have to say, I am really glad I didn't. This game is the polar opposite to the first one. First of all, the main protagonist in the game is a lot more interesting and upbeat versus Aiden PierceIt's hard to put into words how much more improved Watch Dogs 2 is next to the original game. Like most people, I hated the first game and I almost completely skipped Watch Dogs 2 because of it. I have to say, I am really glad I didn't. This game is the polar opposite to the first one. First of all, the main protagonist in the game is a lot more interesting and upbeat versus Aiden Pierce in the first game. There is LOTS of humor in this game, but still some serious moments where it is appropriately leveled out. Tons of really fun and interesting missions, with a huge array of side content, so there's never really a dull moment during the gameplay experience. Not only that, but the variety of the missions are great as well. The game never felt boring or repetitive the entire time I was playing it. The game being set in San Francisco adds much more excitement with all the cool scenery. The game includes tons of upbeat music and even some cool interactions between civilians on the street. The story was amazing, with the right pacing and tone. It didn't feel rushed at the end like some games do. I also love the fact that you have a remote control car and drone to use. You can use these items to mark enemies, go through vents to get to areas you wouldn't be able to access normally, and even use them to hack certain items. There are so many cool details in this game, it's hard to name them all here. Overall, Ubisoft did a really amazing job with this one, and I couldn't of had more fun playing it. Expand
  16. Nov 22, 2016
    10
    Amazing binary ride from prologue to very distant end.
    I was really excited about this game, because first one had great idea for a game-mechanics and great game-story, but developers did not milked all the potential + there was quiet a big graphic downgrade. Watch dogs 2 had an easier job, they had idea, mechanic and what is most important they got feed back from players. They knew what
    Amazing binary ride from prologue to very distant end.
    I was really excited about this game, because first one had great idea for a game-mechanics and great game-story, but developers did not milked all the potential + there was quiet a big graphic downgrade. Watch dogs 2 had an easier job, they had idea, mechanic and what is most important they got feed back from players. They knew what they should change and what keep and I have to admit, they did not make any major mistake.Only think that wasn't, completely great is shooting, by shooting I mean behavior of weapons not combat system. Not only this game is more than dignified and in all cases better successor of the previous game, there is only like 5 games I did not find boring bit for a second and this is one of them. For me it is game of the year even though 2016 is not over. Thank you Ubisoft, for showing that you finally start caring about gamers community.
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  17. Nov 23, 2016
    9
    This is a very surprising game made by Ubisoft. Usually, they do graphical downgrades and repetitive story. But now, all of that's different. Ubisoft kept their promise. My only issue is that my multiplayer doesn't work so well. I can't connect at all with other players. But, that doesn't upset me that much. 9 (8.5) / 10
  18. Dec 3, 2016
    10
    Wonderful game, massive improvement over the first instalment. So much to see & do. Best thing I have played in years & ace on PC also (very well optimised). Playing on PS4 Pro & PC, loving it. Such a vibrant world & very inspired. Looking forward to many more weeks in this world! Well worth buying!
  19. Dec 11, 2016
    8
    This is GTA V with a lot of new gameplay mechanics.

    So yes, yes and yes. Story and characters are great and engaging, the gameplays are fresh and the main missions show variety. I dont expect to play more than 40 hours but I am enjoying myself.
  20. Dec 18, 2016
    10
    the part i enjoyed the most while playing the game was the escape from Alcatraz (from the 911 side mission)
    the prison even had the air vent through which Morris escaped from the Rock IRL, you can enter through the roof, from the water - through a big pipe and i laughed myself silly when i managed to trap the cops inside the cells by hacking the doors:)
  21. Nov 24, 2016
    10
    i really love the game, one of the best open world games of this year. its a great jump from the first game and it is better in almost every way possible.
  22. Dec 5, 2016
    8
    Ubisoft brings us the sequel to the highly anticipated, over hyped, yet underwhelming Watch Dogs. Ubisoft released Watch Dogs 2 on November 15th. Announced back in June a week before E3, Ubisoft showed many videos on what the team did to improve the gameplay and the game mechanics in an attempt to earn the public’s trust back when it came to the Watch Dogs brand. Does Watch Dogs 2 becomeUbisoft brings us the sequel to the highly anticipated, over hyped, yet underwhelming Watch Dogs. Ubisoft released Watch Dogs 2 on November 15th. Announced back in June a week before E3, Ubisoft showed many videos on what the team did to improve the gameplay and the game mechanics in an attempt to earn the public’s trust back when it came to the Watch Dogs brand. Does Watch Dogs 2 become the Microsoft of the tech world, or does it remain a start-up company never becoming big enough to get out of the garage?
    Story: Watch Dogs 2 takes place in San Francisco and its surrounding area. You play as Marcus Holloway a hacker originally from Oakland who resides in San Francisco. At the start of the game, you begin by going through a trial in order to join the Deadsec hacker group. Deadsec's goal is to become the biggest hacker group out there, by exposing the truth about big tech companies as they take the data you enter from your emails, to tracking you in your everyday life. Putting a stop to that will get you followers, but your big target is Blume a company run by a Steve Jobs wannabe "Dušan Nemec", who turns out to be very crooked with having all these companies in his pocket from politics to human trafficking. So its "Dušan Nemec" and Blume you want to take out and give the people their freedom back.
    Gameplay: Watch Dogs 2 is a third person sandbox game. You explore the wonderful and very different area of San Francisco. Players get to experiences how techy San Francisco is in some of the missions, from hacking a camera to exploding a gas tank to kill one of your enemies. You have more gadgets in your arsenal rather than just a phone this time around; a remote RC jumper and a drone are at your disposal. The drone and jumper will help you during infiltration missions when you don't want to be caught and go into combat. You can also sneak into places by taking out your enemies silently with a yo-yo, or go in guns’ blazing, which feels out of place in this game. I really feel Marcus should hack his way through everything. As you complete missions you gain followers, allowing for upgrades like vehicle hacking, combat skills, and RC and drone upgrades. This game is not just about the combat, it has some great puzzles to solve which at times can feel pressured because of a timer, but feels great when you accomplish them.
    Graphics: The graphics in this game are well mixed; the character models and cars look fantastic, as does the scenery and main building structures. But it's the NPC's and environments that look like they belong on the PS3 and Xbox 360.
    Verdict: Watch Dogs 2 is a game that fixes almost all of the problems from the previous installment. It is a fun open world game, with great dynamic characters, great writing, and much better gameplay mechanics; it is definitely worth the pickup.
    Watch Dogs 2: 8.5/10
    Reviewed by ICE at Gamers of the Round Table.
    Good job Ubisoft

    To Rent or buy Watchdogs 2 go to gameaccess.ca Canada's number one rental service.
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  23. Dec 9, 2016
    8
    This sequel is probably the biggest surprise of 2016. The dull grey has been replaced by a vibrant and colourful San Francisco. With a more varied approach to missions thanks to your RC jumper and Quadcopter, this makes for a far more engaging and fun game to play then it's predecessor. The story is light-hearted and pure silly fun which is exactly what the franchise needed. Well done toThis sequel is probably the biggest surprise of 2016. The dull grey has been replaced by a vibrant and colourful San Francisco. With a more varied approach to missions thanks to your RC jumper and Quadcopter, this makes for a far more engaging and fun game to play then it's predecessor. The story is light-hearted and pure silly fun which is exactly what the franchise needed. Well done to Ubisoft for doing their homework. Expand
  24. Nov 23, 2016
    10
    The single part is great. It could have gotten a higher score if there were more freedoms in such as transportations. And the online part needs to be improved. It's now too competitive, not so fun.
  25. Nov 23, 2016
    9
    Great game in general. The only flaw I see in this game is the mediocre story and sometimes repetitive gameplay. But not to bad, this game has loveable characters that you get attached to. Sometimes when I fully stealth a mission i get that sense of accomplishment. The multiplayer is good but nothing to brag about but I really enjoy the bounty hunt missions. The open world is also richGreat game in general. The only flaw I see in this game is the mediocre story and sometimes repetitive gameplay. But not to bad, this game has loveable characters that you get attached to. Sometimes when I fully stealth a mission i get that sense of accomplishment. The multiplayer is good but nothing to brag about but I really enjoy the bounty hunt missions. The open world is also rich with atmosphere and and a plentiful amount of activities to do. The hacking has much improved from the first game and is actually kind of cool how your character pulls out his laptop to fly his drone or do something else. feel free to add me on PSN: spiffygib Expand
  26. Dec 18, 2016
    8
    A great game with many ways to complete a story mission.( stealth, rampage, mechanically). Much better than the previous game. Amazing hacks and a very fun game. Based in San Fran and oakland.
  27. Mar 12, 2021
    10
    One of the best videogames ever made. The gameplay is incredibly fun, the visuals are beautiful, the story is good, the characters are charismatic, there's humour, there's everything you could ever want in a game. Completely inspired.
  28. Nov 23, 2016
    10
    This game is simply amazing. Definitely way better than the first one. It's such a big improvement and there's so much more stuff to hack into. The parkour, the story and the graphics are really good, I would definitely recommend purchasing this game, trust me it is amazing.
  29. Dec 1, 2016
    8
    So, lets all just finally understand that Ubisoft CAN'T make new IP game good for first time, Watch Dogs, Division, Assassin's creed, Far Cry, but they actually can do something good on a second try, and Watch Dogs 2 is a GOOD game.
    PROS.
    +Good FPS for PC games and stable 30 for consoles without any drops, lags or crashes. +A.I. is now better, smarter and adjusted to your playstyle.
    So, lets all just finally understand that Ubisoft CAN'T make new IP game good for first time, Watch Dogs, Division, Assassin's creed, Far Cry, but they actually can do something good on a second try, and Watch Dogs 2 is a GOOD game.
    PROS.
    +Good FPS for PC games and stable 30 for consoles without any drops, lags or crashes.
    +A.I. is now better, smarter and adjusted to your playstyle.
    +Story. Single player now is not a filthy try to make another dramma, revenge story, or other crap. It's fun, with cool characters that joking almost every time they in cinematic.
    +Graphics are actually fine, and much better, than in the first game.
    +Gameplay is more variate now, stealth is much more convenient and comfort. Shooting is fun, hacking is fun.
    CONS.
    -On line is totally useless and not fun at all, its just a way to get player annoyed.
    -Cars are still pure garbage, every car that you driving is a tank (even motorcycles)
    -Hero is still not that awesome as the other characters are, he is boring.
    Expand
  30. Nov 26, 2016
    8
    While being cliched hacker story coming straight from the 90s, this is exactly why this game excels compared to its predecessor. Beautiful San-Francisco Bay, colorful and lush, multicultural haven where it's easy to see open gays as well as Russian immigrants who work in Silicon Valley and discuss drone races (in pure Russian!). At its core Watch Dogs 2 is still a typical Ubisoft openWhile being cliched hacker story coming straight from the 90s, this is exactly why this game excels compared to its predecessor. Beautiful San-Francisco Bay, colorful and lush, multicultural haven where it's easy to see open gays as well as Russian immigrants who work in Silicon Valley and discuss drone races (in pure Russian!). At its core Watch Dogs 2 is still a typical Ubisoft open world game and has same flaws as usual. But this time hipster-grotesque hackers, deeply interconnected with real-world memes and popular culture, will make you smile a lot and think "yeah, this was totally worth it". That's a breath of warm fresh summer air in the middle of autumn that I believe many gamers will like. Just don't take it seriously. It's made for fun, exactly what those haxx0rz like. Expand
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 95 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 89 out of 95
  2. Negative: 0 out of 95
  1. Feb 14, 2017
    80
    Despite a few flaws, Watch Dogs 2 delivers where the original game failed. The game has improved on every aspect and provides a vibrant city with lots of hacking fun. The story is dull without any special moments but the immersive open world with lots of quests will keep you entertained.
  2. Jan 15, 2017
    85
    Watch Dogs 2 brilliantly solves the main issue the first game had while providing a world full of enjoyable missions. We faced some problems with the camera, especially during the car race. We also faced some issues with connectivity and online play. In the end, Watch Dogs 2 is a game that delivers in most aspects and provides hours of enjoyable content.
  3. Playstation Official Magazine Australia
    Jan 8, 2017
    70
    Despite the MP issues, Watch Dogs 2 hacks this series back on track with its gorgeous locales, and silly emergent fun. Marcus isn’t *quite* our cup of tea, but he sure beats the hell out of the last guy. [January 2016, p71]