Watch Dogs

 PlayStation 4
User Score
6.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 3903 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,988 out of 3903
  2. Mixed: 1,104 out of 3903
  3. Negative: 811 out of 3903
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  1. ls2014
    Jun 9, 2014
    6
    I think it was smart for Ubisoft to delay this game and release it during a very dry period on the next gen platforms because if this game were to come out along side other triple a titles I don't think many people would even bother finishing it.
    This is not a bad game game, but it is also did not live up to all the hype it received.
    The story was mediocre with a very obvious plot twist    I think it was smart for Ubisoft to delay this game and release it during a very dry period on the next gen platforms because if this game were to come out along side other triple a titles I don't think many people would even bother finishing it.
    This is not a bad game game, but it is also did not live up to all the hype it received.
    The story was mediocre with a very obvious plot twist that takes place.
    The game also tries making you feel sorry for the main character however his behaviour does not help with this.
    He literally slaughters more people than any of the villains in this game and also manipulates people into doing his work putting their lives at risk, and all of this isn't for him to gain anything, it is all to avenge someones death.
    This also put his sister at risk which caused him to kill even more people in order to save her, why is her life more important than the people he kills? There is also a mission where he needs to take on someones identity but he is forced to kill that person first, during this mission him and his accomplice are upset and uneasy about the fact that he has to kill someone even though he would have already killed a good number of people before this mission.
    He also steals cars, and hacks bank accounts in his free time and we are meant to feel sorry for this guy?
    The gameplay was not too great either, a lot of the time you have to wait for a button command to appear on the screen before performing an action. For example, simply being next to a car and pressing triangle will not let you enter the car, you need to position yourself next to the door and wait for the command to come up, this gets annoying when you’re being chased by the police and you have to quickly switch between vehicles.
    There is also a problem the cover system has because the only way to get out of cover is to push back on the left stick and wait for him to to stop crouching leaving yourself exposed. Press circle will make him vault over the cover and pressing cross will make him run to the nearest cover, doing this over and over will make him run between 2 covers repeatedly. This will get annoying if someone runs up behind you when you’re behind cover and you need to sprint somewhere else.
    The game itself was decent and the hacking elements adds a unique experience which do make game stand out so it has potential to improve.
    The game also sets itself up for a sequel which we will probably see in the next 2 years, hopefully they can improve on the flaws this game had and make that game turn out great.    … Expand
  2. SoT_Jake
    Jun 10, 2014
    6
    Watch Dogs.

    The gameplay: The gameplay feels good, the controls are both on console and on PC pretty smooth when you are on foot. The aiming is precise and the freerunning is also enjoyable even if you play with keyboard and mouse. The driving, however, is not even close to finished. The cars don't behave like cars but more like bumper cars. You also cannot shoot while driving which    Watch Dogs.

    The gameplay:

    The gameplay feels good, the controls are both on console and on PC pretty smooth when you are on foot. The aiming is precise and the freerunning is also enjoyable even if you play with keyboard and mouse. The driving, however, is not even close to finished. The cars don't behave like cars but more like bumper cars. You also cannot shoot while driving which leaves you only the hacking as defense while driving.
    The hacking is also one critical point. You can use the hacking feature, but don't have to. In fact, besides of some puzzles, it is much easier to shoot your way with a silenced weapon, than to hack your way through the levels.
    You also gain Exp during missions which gives you the option to skill more unnecessary hacking abilities. Funny, how the main theme of the game can be so obsolete.
    As obsolete as the hacking is also the reputation system. If you rescue people from crimes you gain reputation which as insignificant effects on your game. If you have a bad reputation, people will call the cops when they recognize you, if you have a good reputation nothing happens.

    The Missions:

    The missions are always the same: follow someone, hack into a system, jump from camera to camera with your hacker abilities and unlock a door. Then shoot everybody and escapy by car. The last part is always the scariest, because the driving is really bad.

    There are several side missions which consist of stopping people from reaching a certain destination, killing people, rescue people, scare people and shoot up gang hideouts.
    Also existent: mini games and god knows how many collectibles.
    Funny: the most fun part of the side missions and mini games are chess puzzles.

    The story:

    Awful. Just awful. Predictable and boring. After the first Act everyone with an average IQ knows how the story will end eventually. Ubisoft has not learned anything about narratives in the last years. It takes the topic of hacking and global connection way too serious.

    Overall:

    Much potential, wasted for the sake of making fast cash. It really has potential and I hope they will learn from this mistake named Watch Dogs and correct it in Watch Dogs 2. Currently it's not match for GTA V and can compare itself maybe to the Saints Row series.

    There is still a long way to go.    … Expand
  3. robjmitch74
    Jun 17, 2014
    6
    I hadn't seen any of the hype other than a couple of trailers for the game which looked great to me, thus I came to the game with no specific expectations. My only concern was that the game would be identical to Assassin's Creed IV which I had found monotonous in it's repetition of the same tasks/gameplay.

    I'm now at the stage where I have just finished up to Chapter 3 and my overall    I hadn't seen any of the hype other than a couple of trailers for the game which looked great to me, thus I came to the game with no specific expectations. My only concern was that the game would be identical to Assassin's Creed IV which I had found monotonous in it's repetition of the same tasks/gameplay.

    I'm now at the stage where I have just finished up to Chapter 3 and my overall opinion is that the game is much better than Assassin's Creed IV (maybe I didn't like the historical setting on that one) but still suffers from what, based on playing two Ubisoft games, is extreme repetition of the same tasks.

    I'm not going to talk to the graphics because in my mind they look fine. Did they blow me away? No. But hey certainly aren't as bad as some people are making out.

    Whilst this is an open world game the city of Chicago actually feels fairly small and one of the biggest problems for me is that despite a couple of differences (Pawnee in particularly) everywhere in the game looks almost identical. With the absence of variety in location this is just further exacerbated by the repetition in the nature of the missions. At the start of the game the hacking idea is new and exciting and I have to confess I do still enjoy the stealth nature of trying to hack into cameras and solve a mission entirely that way. However, after 15+ hours it just becomes far too similar. There are probably around 4 different mission types which effectively repeat throughout the entire game. Therefore, it is very easy to become bored by what you are doing.

    The story itself is nothing new and revolutionary and in some respects felt to me a bit like a tv show where they have 22 episodes to fill what could essentially have been done in 8 so everything is long and drawn out just to extend the life of the story rather than because there are jaw-dropping twists and turns that keep you engaged.

    It's interesting seeing so many comments on the driving mechanics as from my perspective I actually found it far easier than driving in GTAIV or GTA V. I do share the frustration though that even after breaking line of sight far too often you would almost escape in the car only to have the police/enemy suddenly arrive in oncoming traffic from nowhere and the whole chase to start up again.

    The side missions/collectibles I just found incredibly frustrating. The gang hideouts and criminal convoys in particular are actually pretty difficult and frustrating and so don't really inspire completion unless you are someone who has the patience of a saint.

    That also leads me to another issue which really was the significant frustration in how easy it is to die and how repetitive this makes everything. Save points are few and far between and often you end up having to repeatedly sit through cut scenes of 5 minutes+ without having an option to skip them. As mentioned on another review it is far too easy to die after taking only a few hits often meaning you don't even get chance to turn round to face an enemy or get to any cover before you are killed. For me the worst thing in any game is forcing people to repeat huge swathes of action over and over again. The only challenge I find here is not putting the controller through the tv!

    That being said with the exception of Aiden Pearce the other characters are engaging. The novelty of hacking is interesting and for me the stealth aspects of the game are far superior to those in ACIV and really set it above that. I think with either more variety in the types of mission or differences in location then this would have really helped the game.

    In summary, the game is slightly above average for me but is certainly not something that in my mind inspires me to 100% completion or repeat play.    … Expand
  4. Koray16
    Jun 27, 2014
    6
    good, but not what I expected, especially as the next generation presentation and it was gta 5 not having a game competing with gta 4 with the biggest downside is obvious in view of a form

    It also lacks the detail of a game of the same image in each building, for example, been used wood not to appear like the tree in the reflection of the glass
  5. N00BMUNCHA
    Jul 6, 2014
    6
    Watch Dogs is nothing special the hacking is unrealistic and that is the main tag of the game. Critics may have given it a high score but they haven't spent enough time with it to realize that it is just over hyped and the same thing we've seen before. It does perform at times and the game play isn't weak when it comes to shooting but i can't say that it brings anything new. This game doesWatch Dogs is nothing special the hacking is unrealistic and that is the main tag of the game. Critics may have given it a high score but they haven't spent enough time with it to realize that it is just over hyped and the same thing we've seen before. It does perform at times and the game play isn't weak when it comes to shooting but i can't say that it brings anything new. This game does not deserve or need to be on next-gen… Expand
  6. cregor
    Nov 19, 2014
    6
    Really wanted to like this game, it looks amazing and the concept is fresh. Unfortunately the execution is lacking, there is so much going on in the game that the average player can't keep track of it all and you are left feeling numb when you accomplish missions in an unintended manner because you can't pull off the cool move.
  7. jeffwallace
    Aug 5, 2014
    6
    When i first start out this game , is kind of boring cuz the plot was quite confusing...gameplay is ok but GTA is much more better , driving the car is really hard ,keep crush onto human or house , hard to control the car , the only fun part is when u hack into camera and explode the gang member ..not really worth , buy only if u have spare cash.
  8. Silentum
    Jul 29, 2014
    6
    Vastly over-hyped by both the developers and the fans, and terribly undelivered as a result. Watch Dogs was marketed as a "next-gen" pioneer with groundbreaking graphics and game-play, and fell flat. Is it a good game? No, it has many problems. Is it a bad game? No, it still has redeeming qualities. What is it really, then? A painfully average and underwhelming game.

    The biggest and    Vastly over-hyped by both the developers and the fans, and terribly undelivered as a result. Watch Dogs was marketed as a "next-gen" pioneer with groundbreaking graphics and game-play, and fell flat. Is it a good game? No, it has many problems. Is it a bad game? No, it still has redeeming qualities. What is it really, then? A painfully average and underwhelming game.

    The biggest and most noticeable shortcoming of Watch Dogs is that the graphics are not what they were advertized in previous trailers and events, and as a result the game looks substantially less amazing than any of us would have thought. Because of this, the game looks like a letdown. Secondly, the advertized story is completely abysmal with few (if any) likable or complex characters, including the supposed hero, Aiden, who is extremely dull. The story is extremely lackluster and doesn't really achieve anything beyond a simple revenge story with a few detours here and there, while the ending is quite clearly leaving it open for a sequel. Hence, Watch Dogs is not a well written game and it is NOT worth getting for it's story, and I would personally not play the campaign any more than once. The next major problem with Watch Dogs is that outside of the main story, there isn't much to replay in the world itself. Sure, there are the minigames and activities (Poker, Chess, Hacking, unlocking the map, clearing enemy hideouts, etc.) that you would expect from open world games, but there isn't anything particularly amazing with the world itself that makes you want to explore or do something over and over again. Due to this, Watch Dogs is an overall disappointment in these areas.

    However, there are redeeming qualities to this game. First, the sound design/mixing and character modelling is top notch, and something that you may take for granted but should appreciate. Secondly, the world design is beautiful, and every NPC feels alive more so than any other open world game. Instead of being a faceless clone, every NPC in Watch Dogs has some sort of story or secret, making them more unique than most other NPCs in other games. This makes your initial gameplay experience more special than other games, and is something Watch Dogs should be commended on.

    Easily the best part of Watch Dogs is the hacking feature, which lets us interact with the world in ways we rarely see in other open world games. We can move the environment, blow steam pipes, change traffic lights, hack phones, stop trains, set off car alarms, and even cut the power to the whole city. This is where you will undoubtedly have fun and this is what the game is worth getting for. The additional online multiplayer features also utilize this feature, and the Online Hacking and Online Tailing game modes present a unique experience that pits you up against another player, in which anything can happen. As you pursue a player to hack them, you can approach it in any way - Cut the power, cause car accidents, blow gas mains, run in guns blazing for the laughs, or approach them with ninja-like stealth and then hide as you hack them. Regardless of whether you are hacking another player or being hacked by another player, the experience is a combination of tenseness, horror, panic, intelligence, improvisation, and cheekiness, and it is worth buying the game to experience this. Without a doubt, this saves Watch Dogs from being a bad game.

    Overall, Watch Dogs has some fun experiences but is hindered by the shortcomings in important elements of the game, making it not bad and not good, but rather a painfully average game that could have been so much more.    … Expand
  9. Artur95
    Sep 10, 2014
    6
    This game doesn't deserve a grade less than 3 and neither above 8. Watch Dogs is not awfully bad, the game just miss a better story and sidequests, there is no difference between main story and sidequest gameplay. The graphics are last gen, they are not impressive, GTA V has better graphics. The driving controls are the worst i've ever played. Connection with the online servers are tooThis game doesn't deserve a grade less than 3 and neither above 8. Watch Dogs is not awfully bad, the game just miss a better story and sidequests, there is no difference between main story and sidequest gameplay. The graphics are last gen, they are not impressive, GTA V has better graphics. The driving controls are the worst i've ever played. Connection with the online servers are too slow. The music is so boring. Not a big city to free roam.

    Now the good things are the variety of mini games, they are fun to play, the gadgets are powerfull and very usefull. The AI is hard to beat on the hardest difficulty, it makes the game interesting and last longer. The multiplayer servers are slow, but the hacking 1 vs 1 is pretty good. There are a lot of guns, but the inventory menu is insanely complicated    … Expand
  10. prawntoast1
    Sep 14, 2014
    6
    I actually got bored of playing this game and just stopped playing it. It seems to be my sort of game: stylish, sleek and cool with shooting and futuristic elements but was just boring with a boring story.
  11. mikesurbroski89
    Sep 13, 2014
    6
    This game is very stupid. The plot is a joke, the main character is boring but the gameplay is somewhat enjoyable. The online play was bland and the soundtrack to the game was decent but not on par with a GTA. I'm interested to see how much they improve with the sequel.
  12. JRo55
    Sep 27, 2014
    6
    This game is so corny it's not even funny. Characters are stupid, gameplay sucks, graphics are boring, the setting is lame, and everything else is pure garbage.
  13. jobomb
    Sep 29, 2014
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Kind of a fun little sandbox shooter, but in the end the story seems rushed to the finish with a boss fight that is more an impossibly ridiculous cop chase. The side missions were fun and some of the challenges were interesting, a little more intriguing than some you get from GTA and other sandbox shooters, but the game has some glaring flaws. The cover system is pretty rigid and at times when enemies are flanking you or say, throwing grenades, it can be frustrating and unforgiving. The enemies are fairly relentless and can be challenging in their complete lack of regard for their own safety, but at times they just sit in cover and pluck away until you come at them. All in all it's fun, but ultimately forgettable with a weak multiplayer system to back it up and as a premier launch title for the next gens, it looks like a ill omen. This game isn't an 8/10 with some quirks, it's an ok game that had a lot of man hours put into it, but in the end it was pulled out of the oven to early to make money on deadline. Good thing they have those ad agencies to sell this game to the magazine and big league reviewers to hype the masses, but check the score board. 'Proffesional' reviewers: 80, what people actually think: 60-65.… Expand
  14. Youngybhoy1988
    Oct 3, 2014
    6
    Not quite as bad as some reviews make out but definitely disappointing, nowhere near living up to the hype, the main character is boring, the storyline is uninteresting, the driving is poor, the sfx aren't what we were promised and the game is repetitive, the game has a lot of good ideas and fairly decent combat, it had the potential to be really good but the hype let it down, probly worthNot quite as bad as some reviews make out but definitely disappointing, nowhere near living up to the hype, the main character is boring, the storyline is uninteresting, the driving is poor, the sfx aren't what we were promised and the game is repetitive, the game has a lot of good ideas and fairly decent combat, it had the potential to be really good but the hype let it down, probly worth picking up pre owned if you can find it cheap, you will probably enjoy this more if you dont go in with high expectations… Expand
  15. thodietho
    Aug 11, 2015
    6
    This game is a solid game on its own but i definitely know why its hated so much

    The #1 thing most hated about this game is that it lied about the graphics and stuff and there is no going round this fact. It does not look that beautiful (although you can download TheWorse mod to make it look better) The gameplay can be super cool if you are the guy to like it, if you like shooting    This game is a solid game on its own but i definitely know why its hated so much

    The #1 thing most hated about this game is that it lied about the graphics and stuff and there is no going round this fact. It does not look that beautiful (although you can download TheWorse mod to make it look better)

    The gameplay can be super cool if you are the guy to like it, if you like shooting everyone in the face in an action-packed showdown against 50 enemies, this game may not be up your alley. If you instead like stealth and clever maneuvering this game is great. I would also like to point out that the car chases (ignoring the 'unusual' physics engine) are phenomenal and its always fun to run!

    The physics aren't very good i have to say. The cars feel more like hovercrafts, way to heavy but slippery like **** bullets fly WAAYYY to slowly, And the freerunning mechanic just makes no sense most of the time. Although i mentioned that the bullets are unrealistic, the shooting itself feels more real than in most games, you die quickly and the recoil makes it fun and challenging!

    The story is pretty generic and unforgettable, but i don't know if there will be an awesome twist or anything because i have not finished the game yet.

    The graphics look ok, but not as good as promised.

    The 3 things i love about this game are:

    1. The hacking mechanic is cool and revolutionary
    2. I love the 2d artstyle and the 3d minimap
    3. The online hacking is really fun to do and to get thrown into    … Expand
  16. Rainwhole
    Oct 15, 2014
    6
    There's brilliance within Watch Dogs... there really is!

    However, the game never delivers in any of the promises and statements it tries to make. In fact, Watch Dog is a game I probably over-hyped a little too much. Yet, my hype level was raised by pre-release demos of a game that was not what came on the case. Miss-leading advertising should be ILLEGAL, and companies who do it should    There's brilliance within Watch Dogs... there really is!

    However, the game never delivers in any of the promises and statements it tries to make. In fact, Watch Dog is a game I probably over-hyped a little too much. Yet, my hype level was raised by pre-release demos of a game that was not what came on the case. Miss-leading advertising should be ILLEGAL, and companies who do it should be held responsible for it. Nevertheless, this review is for the game we did GET.

    Gameplay-wise, Watch Dogs has all the basic mechanics of any open world game. You can walk, run, drive, swim, and shoot. And they all feel quite competent, but that's an expectation we all have of a company like Ubisoft. Who, despite my low score on this game is a publisher/developer I truly respect.

    Where the game needed to shine was it's "hacking" and "stealth" mechanics. At first it introduces some truly fascinating ideas, but they are all truly simple in application and never deliver anything substantial that make the game stand out in compared to the competition.

    Short and simple, Watch Dogs is a disappointment; one that I hope gets a sequel that improves upon the original and achieves the brilliance that I know resides somewhere inside.    … Expand
  17. foxviewchannel
    Dec 11, 2014
    6
    Watch Dogs is an open world action game developed by Ubisoft. The story takes place in Chicago Illinois, a detailed city that is hooked up to a big centralized operating system called the Corporate Controlled System (CTOS) that monitors everything.

    Main character Aiden Pearson participates in an electronic bank heist at a hotel that goes wrong and ends with unknown Hitmen retaliating    Watch Dogs is an open world action game developed by Ubisoft. The story takes place in Chicago Illinois, a detailed city that is hooked up to a big centralized operating system called the Corporate Controlled System (CTOS) that monitors everything.

    Main character Aiden Pearson participates in an electronic bank heist at a hotel that goes wrong and ends with unknown Hitmen retaliating against Aiden. His niece, Lena is hospitalized after the cross firings and dies after being in coma for 2 months.

    Watch Dogs has an interesting mechanic that’s main focus is on hacking. Aiden has the ability to access the CTOS and can manipulate his environment by using his smart phone that can hack into bank machines, security cameras, people’s phone calls and personal information such as occupation and salaries. The hacking also allows you to escape trouble by distracting guards and accessing their grenades.

    Your phone can also be used while driving by opening gates, raising bridges and blowing steam pipes from the underground. The driving wasn’t very realistic, but I liked the arcade physics which were fun; however, the lack of combat options while driving is disappointing because you can’t fire out of the car window so you will end up driving around and hacking things to get rid of the enemy.

    The shooting is solid but it is the stealth approach that is more rewarding as you can infiltrate secure locations filled with guards by accessing a camera in the building using your phone. You can then project yourself into another camera in the building within range. It is very important to connect with the main character; sadly this can’t be said about Aiden. I was surprised to see by how boring Aiden’s character was. His character was dry, forgettable and with no sense of humor, luckily the supporting casts are better.

    The main campaigns length is around 35 hours and there is a lot of content throughout the game with many things to do like slot machines, drinking games, and chess. The surprising multiplayer is engaging with many fun modes. I personally enjoyed intrusion mode where you spawn into another player’s game session and hack them without being noticed.

    Watch dogs had a lot of potential to be a great game, but the bland main character and weak story does affect the overall experience. Nevertheless, the game is fun with a lot of content for exploration and it cleverly mixes stealth, action and hacking that is entertaining.    … Expand
  18. AndyPatterson96
    Oct 26, 2014
    6
    Playing Watch Dogs gives one the feeling that Ubisoft failed to deliver on their many promises. The game plays like a formulaic, sub-par GTA clone with the addition of a gimmicky, half-assed hacking system which outlives it's novelty after it's first few uses. The protagonist is as cardboard and dimensionless as any of Liam Neeson's recent action roles and the story is as equally bland,Playing Watch Dogs gives one the feeling that Ubisoft failed to deliver on their many promises. The game plays like a formulaic, sub-par GTA clone with the addition of a gimmicky, half-assed hacking system which outlives it's novelty after it's first few uses. The protagonist is as cardboard and dimensionless as any of Liam Neeson's recent action roles and the story is as equally bland, made up for only with some eery and timely social commentary of the dangers and woes of the digital age.… Expand
  19. OperationLions
    Oct 14, 2015
    6
    While the sheer joy of the first 45 minutes are totally worth the sticker price, the game gets stuck in a rut pretty quickly. Also, many of the mechanics just annoyed me. Like the multiple player hacking and the weird puzzle mini games.
  20. Massakers
    Nov 13, 2014
    6
    The more i play UBISOFT game the more i think now its a **** compagny , the make promo like wow , and then you buy the game and you realise that its just a GTA LIKE and its not even comparable to gta cause GTA was a great game .. 2 hours of play and i just cant doing it , return it to eb games .. Same for assassin creed unity , what a shame ubisoft ..
  21. tsakiym
    May 18, 2015
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I do not have to say anything. But i need to write one hundred and fifty characters. i think my score can describe it.................................… Expand
  22. Sky-Line___
    Apr 24, 2015
    6
    SO disappointing. This was supposed to be the game of the year, but it became the deception of the year, because our expectations were too high. It can be a good looking game by some times, but it's so empty, car handling is a joke.
    I didn't finished it entirely, i guess the story wasn't that good either...
  23. shipanda01
    May 12, 2015
    6
    I was really hyped for this game after the amazing E3 trailer. But unlike many of other AAA games, I got bored pretty soon. I managed to finish the story.
    After 10h-15 hours (yeah because Uplay doesn't even record the time I spent on this game), I can finally say that Watch Dogs is a failed GTA clone. Meh.
    Positive aspects: + hacking system + weapon gameplay Negative aspects: -    I was really hyped for this game after the amazing E3 trailer. But unlike many of other AAA games, I got bored pretty soon. I managed to finish the story.
    After 10h-15 hours (yeah because Uplay doesn't even record the time I spent on this game), I can finally say that Watch Dogs is a failed GTA clone. Meh.

    Positive aspects:
    + hacking system
    + weapon gameplay

    Negative aspects:
    - story
    - graphic downgrade
    - nothing to do in the city (compared to GTA)
    - boring game    … Expand
  24. Animator97
    Jun 4, 2015
    6
    Watchdogs is another game that has been hated on unfairly. Most people are still mad because the game we got was not the game that Ubisoft showed us two years before. Luckily, I never saw that video, so I had nothing to be disappointed in. The game is solid. Better than what Ubisoft usually does. They always have the greatest ideas and then they do a half-ass job on the game, not toWatchdogs is another game that has been hated on unfairly. Most people are still mad because the game we got was not the game that Ubisoft showed us two years before. Luckily, I never saw that video, so I had nothing to be disappointed in. The game is solid. Better than what Ubisoft usually does. They always have the greatest ideas and then they do a half-ass job on the game, not to mention the lie about the product. The game has a good, interesting cast of characters, but the main character seems lifeless. He's not he badass you would expect. Some elements of the story are cliché but still entertaining. Many people complain about the driving. I had no problems with it, but I MUST tell you that if you play this game, get comfortable with the driving because most of the game is either driving from point A to B, or doing very difficult car chase sections. I wish there was more gunplay instead of driving and servelance. The game can get quite boring at times, but can still be fun. The tracks for the car radio are complete **** I found that only one song out of 25, I think, I enjoyed. That's bad since you are driving always. The hacks were cool but there could have been more. All in all a solid game. No it is not a rip off of GTA 5,so shut that up!!! GTA has better gameplay and a crazy ass story. Plus watchdogs has a more serious tone, but not as serious and dark as It should have been. The graphics were also good. Not as good as it was originally, but you can tell that they really worked on the look of the game. Not to say that they couldn't have worked harder. This game is good and fun, but I doubt you will make it through a second playthrough. Not a bad buy though.… Expand
  25. AbstractCat
    Aug 21, 2015
    6
    In the modern uber-connected world, Chicago maintains the nation's most advanced and integrated computer system – one which controls almost every facet of city technology and maintains critical information on all of the city's residents. Assume the role of Aiden Pearce, a notorious hacker and former thug, whose criminal history lead to a violent family tragedy. Now on the hunt for thoseIn the modern uber-connected world, Chicago maintains the nation's most advanced and integrated computer system – one which controls almost every facet of city technology and maintains critical information on all of the city's residents. Assume the role of Aiden Pearce, a notorious hacker and former thug, whose criminal history lead to a violent family tragedy. Now on the hunt for those people who have hurt your family, you will be able to monitor and hack all who surround you while manipulating the city's systems to stop traffic lights, download personal and private information, manipulate the electrical grid and more. Use the entire city of Chicago as your personal weapon and exact your signature brand of revenge.… Expand
  26. iCSiMarcelinmBR
    Dec 27, 2015
    6
    Horribly overhyped dull piece of crap. Add to that the horrible police rubberbanding (which makes it utterly impossible to ever, EVER lose the cops unless you have a gadget to prevent them spotting you in the first place. Just not fun.
  27. mikehettfield
    Apr 12, 2016
    6
    Average game, but loved the realistic approach on the looking and the aesthetic, much more enjoyable than any Gta ever, the users deserves more than chainsaws, and rioters on our games
  28. CriticsCave
    Mar 25, 2016
    6
    Watch Dogs most definitely is a great example of over-hyped. The game-play and story trailers made is game look like a crazy love story to gamers, with so many things to do, and so many objects to hack. Well... That's not the case.

    Ubisoft really did make this game look fantastic, but a supposed graphics downgrade and simplified game-play mechanics made it far from reality. Physics are    Watch Dogs most definitely is a great example of over-hyped. The game-play and story trailers made is game look like a crazy love story to gamers, with so many things to do, and so many objects to hack. Well... That's not the case.

    Ubisoft really did make this game look fantastic, but a supposed graphics downgrade and simplified game-play mechanics made it far from reality. Physics are horrible, with last-gen AI, and horrible driving mechanics.
    But if that is really the case, then is it any good at all?

    Well yes. What always counts the most in all media is the story. Everything else can be downright s**t, but the story will keep you interested. That's the case with watch dogs. It has a great story! Not only that, but the characters are very memorable. That is what kept me playing, and most likely you as well.

    Have that and some fun puzzles, and you have a slightly above average open world game! Not the best, but most definitely not the worst either.    … Expand
  29. TheLastOfReview
    Apr 28, 2016
    6
    Alright so I got a "free" game to my console when I bought my PS4. I had been waiting and waiting for this title. I first saw the trailer many years before and I kept waiting but Ubisoft kept extend and delay the release date. At last I got it to my brand new console. This was going to be next gen. Man, I was thrilled.

    Since my expectations were sky high the game never had a chance to    Alright so I got a "free" game to my console when I bought my PS4. I had been waiting and waiting for this title. I first saw the trailer many years before and I kept waiting but Ubisoft kept extend and delay the release date. At last I got it to my brand new console. This was going to be next gen. Man, I was thrilled.

    Since my expectations were sky high the game never had a chance to actually come close to what I hoped for. The graphics weren't next gen even though it still looks pretty good. But it was buggy and I never liked the character all that much. I remember I thought that "On a brand new console the game can't be having all these issues". The loading time is awful. Most of the side missions are just the same.

    Some side games are pretty dull but the Spider Tank is a blast.

    However, the game has its good parts. The villain is splendid - what a guy. He personifies evil and he looks amazing. I really liked the ending. The animations are well done and looks great when they work. It's pretty thrilling being chased by the cops but a bit annoying if your battery runs low. I actually played and completed the game twice and that says something about it too. It's fun but according to all the bugs and loading time it's not the best games I've played.

    Ubisoft still disappoints me after they made me buy Sam Fischers original pistol in the game. Just as my expectations for other Ubisoft titles, such as Assassins Creed Unity and Far Cry, Watch Dogs don't convince me as being a next gen game. There's too many issues that needs to be sorted out.    … Expand
  30. dislexicpotato
    Mar 26, 2019
    6
    What could have been an amazing game ends up feeling like a shallow GTA clone that is ruined by an unlikeable protagonist, boring story and questionable physics. The game had great potential and tons of great ideas exist in this game but they just don't quite come together.
  31. GoodApollo88
    Nov 29, 2016
    6
    Watch Dogs isn't a bad game. There are some good moments and the original concept was great. However Ubisoft didn't deliver on their promise. Hacking is not as innovarive as they made it out to be and too many of the missions involve having to get into a gunfight. The world of Chicago is grey, dull and not a very engaging open world. Driving is shoddy and very arcadey. The protagonistWatch Dogs isn't a bad game. There are some good moments and the original concept was great. However Ubisoft didn't deliver on their promise. Hacking is not as innovarive as they made it out to be and too many of the missions involve having to get into a gunfight. The world of Chicago is grey, dull and not a very engaging open world. Driving is shoddy and very arcadey. The protagonist Aiden pierce is a bit of a drip so that doesn't help. There are some good moments in they main story missions. Side missions are often repetitive and get very tedious after a while. An Ok open world game but a massive disappointment to what could have been so much more.… Expand
  32. jimyslash
    Dec 6, 2016
    6
    I think I would have loved the game if GTA didn't exist. The problem is that I tended to compare with GTA, and that ruined it. However, I will maybe buy Watch dogs 2 to see if they improve on graphics.
  33. JaymTime
    Mar 25, 2017
    6
    El juego en si no esta mal, es entretenido y ofrece una historia algo novedosa, pero es demasiado repetitivo y el downgrade es clarísimo. Falta depuración.
  34. alexslork
    Nov 3, 2019
    6
    Средненькая игра, в которой не хочется находиться больше, чем нужно. Физика автомобилей - кал.
  35. BradMorgan
    Sep 9, 2019
    6
    Watch dogs was a good concept but the product was disappointing. The protagonist felt bland and the world was not really a living place. After all it was a good start of a bigger plan but the hype was bigger than the game could deliver.
  36. AliGoodarzi
    Jul 1, 2020
    6
    Watchdogs has great idea. There are some creative elements in its gameplay but a game just with a new idea can’t become a masterpiece. For such a open world game, map is important . for me a vast map it doesn’t matter if the variety of places is enough but watchdogs has small, tiring map. After 10 hours I couldn’t see any thing That motivated me to complete game except a good story andWatchdogs has great idea. There are some creative elements in its gameplay but a game just with a new idea can’t become a masterpiece. For such a open world game, map is important . for me a vast map it doesn’t matter if the variety of places is enough but watchdogs has small, tiring map. After 10 hours I couldn’t see any thing That motivated me to complete game except a good story and charismatic characters which helped me to finish it.… Expand
  37. Cheojamz
    Jun 23, 2020
    6
    It is not as bad as they say, it is entertaining, although it is not outstanding, it does not stand out at all, but it is not the worst in the world.
  38. FranCosen
    Jul 24, 2020
    6
    Su historia deja mucho que desear y su realismo a la hora de jugarlo carece de sentido en varias partes. Pero a pesar de eso entretiene bastante.
    La idea es bastante original y el hecho de poder hacer una variedad de cosas con tus hackeos lo hace más llevadero.
    Tiene una gráfica muy buena para su época aunque de vez en cuando se ven algunos bugs. Es un nuevo bueno, aunque le faltó algo de    Su historia deja mucho que desear y su realismo a la hora de jugarlo carece de sentido en varias partes. Pero a pesar de eso entretiene bastante.
    La idea es bastante original y el hecho de poder hacer una variedad de cosas con tus hackeos lo hace más llevadero.
    Tiene una gráfica muy buena para su época aunque de vez en cuando se ven algunos bugs.
    Es un nuevo bueno, aunque le faltó algo de desarrollo en la historia y jugabilidad.    … Expand
  39. Grippa123
    Dec 28, 2020
    6
    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  40. iCampoRamil
    Nov 12, 2021
    6
    No fue lo que prometió, aún así mola jugarlo y la historia está bastante bien.
  41. BrianDavid94
    Sep 8, 2022
    6
    Quick background on me the reviewer, I tend to like single player games that is heavy on narrative the most. I also play a lot of racing games and use to play multiplayer games in my high school days but now that it's hard for me and my friends to find a good time to link up so now it’s more rare for me to get into a multiplayer game. Up to try any genre of games and sometimes I findQuick background on me the reviewer, I tend to like single player games that is heavy on narrative the most. I also play a lot of racing games and use to play multiplayer games in my high school days but now that it's hard for me and my friends to find a good time to link up so now it’s more rare for me to get into a multiplayer game. Up to try any genre of games and sometimes I find something new that I didn't think I'd like. I own a PC (built by me), Xbox One X, Xbox Series X, PS3, PS4, PS5, and a Switch. I prefer Playstation due to their focus on narrative games. For scoring, I’ll be using the Gameinformer review scale and of coursed influenced by my personal opinions.

    (7) Average. The game’s feature may work, but are nothing that even causal players haven’t seen before.

    Bad Business Practices
    (-1) False Advertisement. Everything shown about this game at E3 and afterwards showed 10x better graphics

    This game worked fine but was very dull from the story to the graphics to the driving mechanics. The idea behind the game was innovated and unique but the implementation was just poorly done and ended up not standing out in the genre. Could have been beneficially if they left it in the oven for an additional year.    … Expand
  42. Carloss1997
    Mar 31, 2022
    6
    If you are a hardcore gamer and have a bit free time and cannot decide what to do it is a very good game for that.
  43. austenite
    Jun 1, 2014
    5
    The gameplay felt mediocre at best. The driving was positively abysmal, controls felt ridiculously floaty and disconnected. The story didn't go anywhere near to drawing me in. Bland and predictable. I tried to play the game as stealthily as possible and it boiled down to simply distracting guards and pressing "O" over and over. It got old quick. Like most games with bolted on RPG elements,The gameplay felt mediocre at best. The driving was positively abysmal, controls felt ridiculously floaty and disconnected. The story didn't go anywhere near to drawing me in. Bland and predictable. I tried to play the game as stealthily as possible and it boiled down to simply distracting guards and pressing "O" over and over. It got old quick. Like most games with bolted on RPG elements, this one could be easily completed by not putting any points in to any skill trees. The game's rendering of the city of Chicago was monotone and boring to explore.… Expand
  44. Makaveli
    Aug 18, 2014
    5
    I'm re-writing my review of this game I did back in May....
    I just realized that I still had this game to be honest. After I beat it I put it on the shelf and just forgot about it, until my friend today asked me if I thought it was a good game..
    It can not be that good if I have already forgot about its existence. To be honest I don't even remember the story very well, I just remember    I'm re-writing my review of this game I did back in May....
    I just realized that I still had this game to be honest. After I beat it I put it on the shelf and just forgot about it, until my friend today asked me if I thought it was a good game..

    It can not be that good if I have already forgot about its existence. To be honest I don't even remember the story very well, I just remember that your daughter is dead and you are out for revenge.. I also remember the "next gen" handling of cars.. Ya right...

    I mean it is OK, but if you are expecting something to keep you busy for awhile, this isn't it..
    The graphics are not bad, but it's hardly next gen like the devs wanted you to believe... The car handling & physics is defiantly 3 gens back... Every car in this game my as well be a tank because you can smash these cars into a wall 40 times and the car will still be running...
    If this is suppose to be next gen where cars are bouncing off of walls and trains can stop on a dime then my physics teacher was a no good liar...
    Don't call your game "next gen" just because it has a 1 button hacking mechanic that IS fun for about an hour, until you get used to it and gets boring..
    I actually liked AC4 better and that is saying a lot considering Ass Creed has been milked to the bone..
    The pvp kind of uses the same mechanic of Dark Souls, but it defiantly isn't as fun.. Hacking peoples phones and you have to catch them before the download is complete... Give me a break, it's stupid..

    I'm not even a big GTA 5 guy.. I have it, it's good but I got sick off that too considering I've been playing GTA since GTA 1, it just all feels the same, but I will say that it is leagues above Watch Dogs.

    This is my opinion of the game, some people may not agree, that is fine, everyone has their own taste and different experiences. My experience with Watch Dogs was not a good one.. To each their own..    … Expand
  45. GrumpyReviewer
    Sep 30, 2014
    5
    UBISOFT should be embarrassed. For real? This game is a lie. Boring, uninspired, repetitive. A main character that we root against (I did, at least) and the whole promise of being the 'ultimate hacker' is false. You do a couple of tricks, now and then, and they can be fun and all but it won't save this game. UBISOFT promised us something great and we blindly embarked on the hype-train. AndUBISOFT should be embarrassed. For real? This game is a lie. Boring, uninspired, repetitive. A main character that we root against (I did, at least) and the whole promise of being the 'ultimate hacker' is false. You do a couple of tricks, now and then, and they can be fun and all but it won't save this game. UBISOFT promised us something great and we blindly embarked on the hype-train. And it's a train wreck. Watch Dogs is just a mess of an open world game (Sleeping Dogs, for instance, is a way better game). The map of Chicago is a sandbox with 100 things to do and you have no desire to do them. After a few hours, I just wanted to see it finished. If UBISOFT is thinking about making WD2 and expects us to hype once again, they got another thing coming.… Expand
  46. Crunch2407
    May 31, 2014
    5
    I bought this game even though many people said the graphics were terrible...that's the least of your worries with this game. The game has its upside, the voice acting and shooting mechanics ( on console, PS4) are very good, there is and abundance of other things to do besides the main story also. That's it, the rest is pretty terrible, the AI pathing ( the AI in general ), the driving isI bought this game even though many people said the graphics were terrible...that's the least of your worries with this game. The game has its upside, the voice acting and shooting mechanics ( on console, PS4) are very good, there is and abundance of other things to do besides the main story also. That's it, the rest is pretty terrible, the AI pathing ( the AI in general ), the driving is like driving on ice with bald tires and the Audio for everything is un-synced, and very cheesy C-Rate movie sounding, the hacking gets boring and the city feels dead and uninviting. There is some entertainment value, but not enough to get me through the entire game, very repetitive. Rather than spend $60 on it, red box it or use gamefly and just try it out, this game would be better suited at the 39.99 range even then it's a bad deal. This game was delayed for 7 months, SEVEN and it's still extremely buggy and is lacking in a lot of features...The Multiplayer is a gimmick, nothing more. There is NO customization to be had online, and it offers very little replay value. Save the full price, and give Wolfenstein: A New Order a try instead. This game could be great, maybe they get it right with the sequel. Have a nice day
    - Sam    … Expand
  47. OneEyeRed
    May 28, 2014
    5
    For all the hype I am seriously unimpressed. I would rather replay AC4 Black Flag because its night and day above this game. Not impressed with this game at all and I lasted about an hour and half and could take no more. This game just didn't do anything for me. For those of you enjoying the game I am happy for you. The great thing about gaming is we all have different tastes. This isFor all the hype I am seriously unimpressed. I would rather replay AC4 Black Flag because its night and day above this game. Not impressed with this game at all and I lasted about an hour and half and could take no more. This game just didn't do anything for me. For those of you enjoying the game I am happy for you. The great thing about gaming is we all have different tastes. This is solely my opinion of this game as you already know.

    Bland, boring, repetitive in an agonizing way.    … Expand
  48. leaf16nut
    May 30, 2014
    5
    For starters, the game was not downgraded graphics wise, it ran on a PC at E3 and now you're seeing console gameplay, those who think it was are sheep who believe that because of rumours.

    I had cancelled my pre ordered, but decided I would pre order it again a few days before it's release. I had worries that the handling of cars wouldn't be done right, which for me is a game breaker in    For starters, the game was not downgraded graphics wise, it ran on a PC at E3 and now you're seeing console gameplay, those who think it was are sheep who believe that because of rumours.

    I had cancelled my pre ordered, but decided I would pre order it again a few days before it's release. I had worries that the handling of cars wouldn't be done right, which for me is a game breaker in an open world game and I was correct, the cars feel underpowered, I hate that it burnouts every time you smash the throttle, it just doesn't feel right having to slowly increase the pressure on R2. The controller rarely vibrates and the cars bounce off objects like they're made of rubber. Even the little things, like driving into the water and he instantly jumps out instead of potentially drowning. It's like the first few 3D GTA's, they just didn't have everything right at the time.

    The story is boring and does very little when trying to invoke feelings towards the character(s), voice acting is dull, especially that BadBoy character *knock off Batman voice*, the lip sync is terrible, hacking doesn't go deep enough for my liking and I found the map wasn't very well designed, areas such as city and rural are too close, highways are short, the whole map seems to compact.

    Very disappointed, I'm returning the game this weekend while I can still salvage some money for it. Maybe buy it when it's in the bargain bin. not worth the 69.99 price I had to pay in Canada...    … Expand
  49. Schuback
    Mar 7, 2016
    5
    This game is wayyy overhyped. Don't believe the demos or even the trailers. They are lies. Ubisoft, the developers are lying to your face. This game is mediocre at best. It wants to emulate ambitious openworld games like gta or saints row but is so conservative it chooses to be Assassin's Creed instead... An open-world without any soul.

    Graphics are PS3 level. Open-world? Nope not    This game is wayyy overhyped. Don't believe the demos or even the trailers. They are lies. Ubisoft, the developers are lying to your face. This game is mediocre at best. It wants to emulate ambitious openworld games like gta or saints row but is so conservative it chooses to be Assassin's Creed instead... An open-world without any soul.

    Graphics are PS3 level. Open-world? Nope not really there's nothing to do in the world besides reading other people's messages or monitoring their scripted personal lives... Can't punch a random guy in the face. FAIL. You play a guy who talks like a ghoul (in Fallout) and dresses like a hobo without any form of personality. He's unlikable and you are forced to play this random guy. Wtf Ubisoft? Combat mechanics are alright. Poor driving, poor ai, poorly designed npcs. The token Jordi Chin is so out of place... So what's good? Well, I guess hats off for their marketing team =)

    Stick to gta. And Ubisoft, I don't know what to say but maybe... please give your customers some respect? I mean, how dumb do you think we truly are?    … Expand
  50. RazerN
    May 27, 2014
    5
    I was hyped for this game following E3 2012, but feel Ubisoft sold me a lie. From the moment they hyped the graphics, not telling people that it was on a top spec PC and Next-Gen consoles would be a big downgrade, they set themselves up to fall.

    Somebody has put a lot of effort into the game, but let down by the marketing department. Fortunately I waited until somebody else spend £65    I was hyped for this game following E3 2012, but feel Ubisoft sold me a lie. From the moment they hyped the graphics, not telling people that it was on a top spec PC and Next-Gen consoles would be a big downgrade, they set themselves up to fall.

    Somebody has put a lot of effort into the game, but let down by the marketing department.

    Fortunately I waited until somebody else spend £65 on this then tried first. I am a graphics whore, so felt so let down that my money will stay in my pocket.

    Next Gen is not really feeling like it at the moment.    … Expand
  51. SecherNbiw
    May 27, 2014
    5
    Watch_Dogs is a mediocre GTA/sandbox-world game. Boring main character, terrible driving mechanics, endless reminders to join online games, and a bland hacking mechanic make WD a game to rent or borrow.
  52. Sesse
    May 27, 2014
    5
    Ok ignore 0 reviews here is a serious one, this game is normal, is nothing like GTA V or GTA San Andreas is just a sandbox game like Scarface or the god father 1 & 2 or true crime. If you like sandbox try it.
  53. BLESStheMARTYR-
    May 27, 2014
    5
    Meh is how I feel about this game. I was completely underwhelmed. The driving is sloppy, the hacking is really boring and when the peoples occupation and things about them pop up I actually find it distracting, overtaking my screen. You can't shoot your gun out of your car which is a frickin joke. The side missions are a borefest. The main story is like a 12 year old wrote it. Aiden is oneMeh is how I feel about this game. I was completely underwhelmed. The driving is sloppy, the hacking is really boring and when the peoples occupation and things about them pop up I actually find it distracting, overtaking my screen. You can't shoot your gun out of your car which is a frickin joke. The side missions are a borefest. The main story is like a 12 year old wrote it. Aiden is one if the most unlike able characters I've ever had to play has. Ubisoft royally dropped the ball. I wish I wouldn't have bought it.… Expand
  54. unluckydice
    Jun 19, 2014
    5
    I admit I fell for the hype and bought this game, The first 3 acts is basically a tutorial that contains repetitive missions such as tailing and get this guy in some building called A and escape... similar to AC Black Flag, Aiden Pearce is unrelatable and fight's for a greater cause even though he is less greater, other issues such as chunky driving, small side missions and online modesI admit I fell for the hype and bought this game, The first 3 acts is basically a tutorial that contains repetitive missions such as tailing and get this guy in some building called A and escape... similar to AC Black Flag, Aiden Pearce is unrelatable and fight's for a greater cause even though he is less greater, other issues such as chunky driving, small side missions and online modes which run there course after the first few hours of playing, The game though does pick up into the 4th and 5th act but by then i was burnt out, plus the online aspect of hacking and 4 v 4 is enjoyable, my conclusion is buy this when on sale.… Expand
  55. Elucidate
    Oct 3, 2019
    5
    This game is far from a 0 and from a 10. I picked it up for $5 because I really enjoyed playing Watch Dogs 2. Of course, I was expecting it to be worse, which it absolutely is. The graphics, while not horrible, are subpar and look more like a PS3 game. The driving is really poor, with nonsensical physics/collisions wherever vehicles are concerned. The NPC drivers are also awful and crawlThis game is far from a 0 and from a 10. I picked it up for $5 because I really enjoyed playing Watch Dogs 2. Of course, I was expecting it to be worse, which it absolutely is. The graphics, while not horrible, are subpar and look more like a PS3 game. The driving is really poor, with nonsensical physics/collisions wherever vehicles are concerned. The NPC drivers are also awful and crawl along at 5 mph and stop for no reason all the time. This is a big deal for me personally as the driving experience has always been a big part of my immersion into the game world. With such unpleasant driving, I wasn't really interested in doing all the collection/side quests (unlike in Watch Dogs 2).

    Speaking of side quests, it's a shame that Ubisoft opted to include only epeatable side missions that have nothing memorable about them. And for the most part, the rewards for side missions/collectables are mediocre and not worth the time.

    Also, AIden Pearce is perhaps one of the worst protagonists in any video game I've played. His complete lack of personality and comically flat voice acting make it hard to root for him or care about the things that happened to him. Having to deal with this annoyingly dull player character was another reason I didn't bother sticking around for much of the activities beyond the campaign. On the other hand, the side/supporting characters are decent (although riddled with cliches) and better than those in WD2.

    The story was pretty good at the beginning, but soon turned into an overly predictable revenge tale. It felt like it was trying too hard to be serious, especially given the game's lapses in quality.

    In terms of the game's strengths, I thought that the hacking element was rather fun (mostly the campaign and the ctOS towers). It's not as powerful as in WD2, but killing enemies by blowing up electrical boxes through your cell phone never got old. I tried playing the game like I did in WD2 -- without killing, instead relying on hacking and stealth to complete the missions. I quickly found out this wasn't possible. The game regularly forces you to kill an inordinate number of enemies, which is fine, since the combat is fairly good (and certainly better than the clunky car chases). On this note, there is a much greater variety of weapons than in WD2.

    Finally, the game world felt lively, detailed, and well crafted. If the driving weren't so insufferably bad, and the graphics were a bit better, I could easily see myself doing more of the side activities/collectables as I did in WD2.

    Oh, and play it on realistic. Otherwise it's just way too easy.    … Expand
  56. Skullz
    Jun 6, 2014
    5
    As much as I enjoy the game I find it terribly boring. The game was, as a lot of people say, hyped way too much. What I played versus what I wanted was very different. The missions and story weren't very well put together and for a game that's so focused on the tools you can use to fight back with it feels like just a plain 3rd person shooter most of the time, and a painfully boringAs much as I enjoy the game I find it terribly boring. The game was, as a lot of people say, hyped way too much. What I played versus what I wanted was very different. The missions and story weren't very well put together and for a game that's so focused on the tools you can use to fight back with it feels like just a plain 3rd person shooter most of the time, and a painfully boring one....I feel as though the game could have been a lot more in terms of potential when in all reality most of the game is either hit or miss....I tried to like it, but I really just didn't.… Expand
  57. TheEpicSheep
    Sep 6, 2014
    5
    Now, I don't find this game a "piece of crap" nor a good game either. Back at E3 2012 I was so hyped about this opened world game where you can control your environment by hacking and it was a neat idea and of course, it looks beautiful. When next-gen consoles where on there way and I saw this game again at E3 2013 I was even more hyped. When I finally got the final product after UbisoftNow, I don't find this game a "piece of crap" nor a good game either. Back at E3 2012 I was so hyped about this opened world game where you can control your environment by hacking and it was a neat idea and of course, it looks beautiful. When next-gen consoles where on there way and I saw this game again at E3 2013 I was even more hyped. When I finally got the final product after Ubisoft critically acclaimed "5 years in development" game, I had some mixed opinions

    1. The game is NOT next-gen.
    Yes, I know, the whole entire internet is freaking out about how this game is not what the game looked like at E3 2012-2013 and believe it, Ubisoft should be ashamed and could be sued for false advertisement. I don't find it bad graphics but when the PC port looks worst than the PS4, I should be worried that Sony could have given Ubisoft some money to tease people that the PS4 is much better than PC. (Also the physics suck, real bad)

    2. The open world
    Although filled with great animations from the NPC's and a ton of stuff to do you will figure out it's pretty small and you will be going around in circles a lot

    3. Gameplay
    Taking some things from Ubisoft's cover mechanics makes the game easy to learn, after all, your "Hacking" is pretty much holding Square or X. Most of the side quests are repetitive and are mainly fetch quests. Hacking is fun though, which is the games man selling point, watching cars bash into each other by jamming the stop lights or exploding pipes can be fun. And the multiplayer is fun as well.

    4. Story
    Cliché characters, cliché writing, nothing more to say. Aiden (the main character) reminds me of Desmond Miles from the Assassin Creed series (A big red alert for me) And the story is boring and pretty pointless.

    5. The A.I
    Its funny to watch people do stupid stuff and more importantly, Cops won't chase you If your on a boat. This is sad.

    6. The Ending.
    Its literally a "Press x to win" and it sequel baits so hard for a Watch Dogs 2.

    Overall, the game is ok and mediocre at best. I recommend you get it rented, or wait for a while until its around 20$ or free on PS Plus.    … Expand
  58. B4LLS_OF_SK1LL
    Sep 5, 2014
    5
    Forget about the graphics, forget about the spectacular promising trailer that we saw back that day.
    The great story of a man fighting against corporations using hacking tools.
    Everything turned out to be a confusing blend of plot lines which lacks connection with the familiarity that the main plot could bring to us. It's all in clunky and direct "tell, don't show" fashion, with writing    Forget about the graphics, forget about the spectacular promising trailer that we saw back that day.
    The great story of a man fighting against corporations using hacking tools.
    Everything turned out to be a confusing blend of plot lines which lacks connection with the familiarity that the main plot could bring to us. It's all in clunky and direct "tell, don't show" fashion, with writing that often sounds like it was not penned by someone with a great understanding of idiomatic English. The scenery-chewing performances from many of the secondary characters, particularly antagonist Damien Brenks, don't help, nor does the truly awful voice acting for Clara, who seems to emphasize the wrong word in every single sentence she speaks. I don't know why this was so messed up. I heard about the damn investors who ruined the whole **** experience trying to convince people to be GTA like and stuff. Lack of focus, lack of charisma. Everything in this game could be SO MUCH BETTER. I wish I could go back to the trailer and have my expectation back.    … Expand
  59. FrankTCastle
    Jun 11, 2014
    5
    The hacking game play is great and combined with the items (grenades,IEDS, proximity mines) you can craft it makes all the side stuff a great deal of fun in how many ways you can approach enemy encounters. The gunplay is solid but the weapons are all very standard and you can't upgrade or modify them which would have been fun. The story started out ok kind of letting you get to know AidanThe hacking game play is great and combined with the items (grenades,IEDS, proximity mines) you can craft it makes all the side stuff a great deal of fun in how many ways you can approach enemy encounters. The gunplay is solid but the weapons are all very standard and you can't upgrade or modify them which would have been fun. The story started out ok kind of letting you get to know Aidan and a little about his back story but it just became something we have played through so many times before.

    For me the most of the fun came from side missions and running into random events in the open world, there was some good characters but most of them where not fleshed out as much as they could have been. It seems to me this could have been a great game on all fronts but suffered due to it being developed for so many platforms. I hope the next installment is like Assassins Creed 2 in that it expands upon the great ideas the original put forward.    … Expand
  60. Slevin310
    May 31, 2014
    5
    The fools who allow a game's graphics to determine the game's quality are children who are complaining the keys being jingled in their face aren't shinny enough. Graphics do not tell you whether a game is good or not. When it comes down to it the most important aspect is the gameplay. And as much as I want to love this game I feel a bit disappointed. This is not GTA 5 and should not beThe fools who allow a game's graphics to determine the game's quality are children who are complaining the keys being jingled in their face aren't shinny enough. Graphics do not tell you whether a game is good or not. When it comes down to it the most important aspect is the gameplay. And as much as I want to love this game I feel a bit disappointed. This is not GTA 5 and should not be compared to it in any way. What the game should be held up to is Sleeping Dogs or Deus Ex Human Revolution. And in that regard I'd say Sleeping Dogs is a better game, and Deus Ex is leagues better. But I wouldn't say the game is bad, there are some great redeeming factors. But where the game falls short is the missed opportunity to explore the issues regarding Big Brother and NSA issues, the story seems to be misguided. It can't tell whether it wants to be silly like Saints Row 4 or if it wants to be the Dark Knight. The story is the same cookie cutter story you'll see anywhere else. Revenge and betrayal. The driving mechanics are... eh. The cars feel clunky, it's hard to describe what I don't like about the driving. It just doesn't feel smooth or realistic like Sleeping Dogs. Comparing the driving to GTA 5 seems unfair as GTA 5 relied heavily on driving mechanics and with the online mode giving players the ability to race one another they really needed to have the driving down perfectly. Watch Dogs use them as a means of transportation, chasing and escaping. They are not such a big focus as other games had.

    Now, my major issue is the gameplay. Sleeping Dogs wanted to give players a modern open world experience but not have guns be the main focus. They did so cleverly, as the country does not allow citizens to own guns. They could make them extremely rare thus focusing more on combat, and the game's fighting was very well done because of it. This game needed to make the gun a last resort. Watch Dogs throws you into way too many gunfights. When the game should have you focus more on hacking and stealth. At times you'll be able to choose hack/stealth or gun it out. I'd recommend giving yourself the challenge to go with hacking and stealth. That is where the game truly shines. Finding a clever way to navigate heavily guarded areas feels rewarding. But the game makes shooting the faster means of solving the problem. Deus Ex Human Revolution gave players the ability to choose stealth or shoot, but you were much more rewarded for using stealth and not killing people. Stealth non-lethal takedowns gave you much, much more experience. And this is why I bring up that game, Watch Dogs needed to break the mold on shoot em up missions by making hacking and tactics the overall better option. Also the times you'll use stealth and hacking to get around you'll notice how repetitive the solutions are. Some are extremely clever and you'll give yourself a pat on the back for doing so. But many times you'll often repeat that one clever solution.

    The game is still a lot of fun, I love hacking and stealing data although I wish the world was more full of NPC and buildings you can enter. You'll interactive with the many electronics around the world but you won't interact with the world it's self. But I'd still recommend you try it. The online play is fun and the game will throw you some tough challenges. It's a good start and I hope this game becomes a franchise, because I would love to see it improve in Watch Dogs 2. But ultimately I'd say Deus Ex Human Revolution is a much better game, Sleeping Dogs is better too but that's not to say this game isn't good. I'd give it a meh/10    … Expand
  61. thethethe
    Aug 19, 2014
    5
    It's really just okay. The protagonist is so blank and unrelatable, plus the gameplay is very mediocre. Definitely not worth 50 dollars, but probably worth 30 or less.
  62. Darth24
    Nov 5, 2015
    5
    This game and every aspect in it can be described perfectly with one word. Average. Gameplay = Average. Story = Average. Side Activities = Average. Graphics(for next gen game) = Average. I could go on, but you get the idea. Bottom line WatchDogs = Average.
  63. Ramiro1992
    Oct 21, 2014
    5
    Bad game, the IA is terrible, the enemies never see you, the bullets do nothing to your health, your vehicle don't stop after a high speed accident, you never suffer damage for falling high altitudes, this is a really dissapointing game talking about realistic things, overhyped game as always, i hate the IA, one of the worst i see, i think the game deserves maybe a 4.5, but i give it theBad game, the IA is terrible, the enemies never see you, the bullets do nothing to your health, your vehicle don't stop after a high speed accident, you never suffer damage for falling high altitudes, this is a really dissapointing game talking about realistic things, overhyped game as always, i hate the IA, one of the worst i see, i think the game deserves maybe a 4.5, but i give it the 5. I am not looking forward to recommend this game but at least to give it a try, sorry Ubisoft, this is far to be an excellent game, and it is a very dissapointing release, i was expecting a lot more, the driving mechanics don't look good, but the worst thing is the enemy IA, one of the worst i saw.… Expand
  64. discostuAU
    May 27, 2014
    5
    Meh is how I feel about this game.

    Perhaps it was my own fault, however I feel this game was massively over hyped and as such it has not come close to my expectations. Within a few hits of playing I was bored. The story is okay, the tasks that lead it forward however are all different variations of the same things. It just lacks the wow factor of stepping into similar open world games.    Meh is how I feel about this game.

    Perhaps it was my own fault, however I feel this game was massively over hyped and as such it has not come close to my expectations. Within a few hits of playing I was bored. The story is okay, the tasks that lead it forward however are all different variations of the same things. It just lacks the wow factor of stepping into similar open world games.

    Car handling is horrid, 'hacking' is dull, using your hacking skills in the game is only ever good it scripted events, when free roaming its all completely pointless. Graphics are acceptable, but not 'next gen' that's for sure.

    All in all - meh.    … Expand
  65. Jakob
    May 29, 2014
    5
    I have played the version for both "next generation" consoles and the PS4 version has a better image and resolution than the XBox-one version, however the game in both consoles is monotonous and boring no new tricks or challenges at the time to hack things, it is really disappointing it feels like ubisoft rush to finish the game and the results were really far from our expectations. ThisI have played the version for both "next generation" consoles and the PS4 version has a better image and resolution than the XBox-one version, however the game in both consoles is monotonous and boring no new tricks or challenges at the time to hack things, it is really disappointing it feels like ubisoft rush to finish the game and the results were really far from our expectations. This game is another Titan fall, another waste of time and not worth to be played.… Expand
  66. Barefoot_Gamer
    Jun 18, 2014
    5
    This game was all talk and no delivery. It is flawed in so many ways. Constant repetition over and over again of almost identical quests and side quests. No ability to surrender during a police chase without being gunned down for your sometimes minor criminal act. Selecting a weapon in the weapon wheel draws the weapon automatically meaning that every weapon selection outside of a questThis game was all talk and no delivery. It is flawed in so many ways. Constant repetition over and over again of almost identical quests and side quests. No ability to surrender during a police chase without being gunned down for your sometimes minor criminal act. Selecting a weapon in the weapon wheel draws the weapon automatically meaning that every weapon selection outside of a quest could result in 911 being called. This game is one of those nice ideas that just did not measure up when delivered. The developers have a great concept but it needs way more to make it a game that is worth holding onto.… Expand
  67. Whrod
    Jun 11, 2014
    5
    Hugely let down. Just a normal shooter with average shooting with ELEMENTS of hacking in a HACKING GAME. The plot is terrible aside from some stand out character, but this is nowhere near GTA V standards. Even if GTA had a bigger budget than WD , WD is supposedly next gen. I'm not even half one done and I'm definitely returning this. It just can't knock off it's GTA similarities, which isHugely let down. Just a normal shooter with average shooting with ELEMENTS of hacking in a HACKING GAME. The plot is terrible aside from some stand out character, but this is nowhere near GTA V standards. Even if GTA had a bigger budget than WD , WD is supposedly next gen. I'm not even half one done and I'm definitely returning this. It just can't knock off it's GTA similarities, which is a shame for everybody that saw the e3 2012 demo and thought it was true next gen. You're better off with that GTA V next gen port coming out in Fall. This game is average, taking elements from Far Cry 3, Assassins Creed, GTA, and other popular games and makes them bland. Just don't believe the hype.… Expand
  68. AntonArnold
    Jun 10, 2014
    5
    I really wanted to like it.
    I was sold by the hype machine at E3 for the game and eagerly awaited the day I could get my hands on it.
    Now that I am playing it, I feel like it has become a chore to finish.
    GTA5 knocks this game out in the first round. GTA5 had characters and story and a real feel to the world, Watch Dogs is cold and lame and just doesn't capture me.
    Such a disappointment.
  69. austerus
    Jun 14, 2014
    5
    After playing a finishing the game, I return to "fix" my previous rating of 7. This is definitely not a 7.

    I don't really understand how people can say this is a different kind of gameplay. The Watch Dogs (all platforms) gameplay is nearly identical to GTA V or Assassin's Creed. You have the same "main story" structure, about the same actions to perform and same side-quests/minigames.    After playing a finishing the game, I return to "fix" my previous rating of 7. This is definitely not a 7.

    I don't really understand how people can say this is a different kind of gameplay. The Watch Dogs (all platforms) gameplay is nearly identical to GTA V or Assassin's Creed. You have the same "main story" structure, about the same actions to perform and same side-quests/minigames.

    The main difference is that this game contains a much more annoying forcible push to multiplayer but in modes that are unimaginative and repetitive. They get really old and really fast and are much worse than the also repetitive single player "side quests".

    The city isn't breathing life, it's idiotic. Shoot a person? Police are on to you and you lose "street cred", ok. Run over a civilian? No police but you get a drop in reputation. Cause an accident killing tens of civilians or intentionally push a car to crush pedestrians? Nothing.

    Civilians behave idiotically following accidents. Often they remain in burning cars or sit around burning cars waiting to explode. They don't tend to each other, no police goes on the scene and no ambulances come as well, no matter how many dead.

    The story is bland (although not as predictive as some say), the world isn't immerssive (nowhere near Assassin's Creed for example), the characters are stereotypical cardboard and some are downright annoying.

    Also, Aiden is unable to jump over stuff. Sure, he can vault over obstacles, but he can't jump over a half a meter pit to get from a railing to a roof (the kind of jumps they breeze through in Assassin's Creed).

    I am willing to disregard technical issues but the failing in storytelling and gameplay I can't forgive. I'm giving it a 5 because it's slightly better than the PC version    … Expand
  70. MettaWorldPeace
    May 27, 2014
    5
    Pros:
    Good graphics. Not E3 2012 but still good.
    Well designed open world city.
    Cons:
    Badly optimized for PC.
    It's so boring. Boring story and even hacking gameplay is boring.
  71. ToBeHonest
    May 29, 2014
    5
    In short:
    Ubisoft has failed to deliver a good product. Things that are in almost all games since 2000, like for instance the effect of splashes when you shoot on water, should have been implemented. You could say that this is a tiny error. But there are lots of those.
    The story is not interesting at all. The game becomes repetitive and boring very quickly. The multiplayer is be    In short:
    Ubisoft has failed to deliver a good product. Things that are in almost all games since 2000, like for instance the effect of splashes when you shoot on water, should have been implemented. You could say that this is a tiny error. But there are lots of those.

    The story is not interesting at all. The game becomes repetitive and boring very quickly.

    The multiplayer is be fun. But I'm afraid it will get very boring after a while. (I haven't played that for a long time)    … Expand
  72. Gr3y_Wolf
    May 28, 2014
    5
    Wow... where do i begin... at the begining i suppose;

    Casting my mind back to e3 2012 and the first time i saw this game in action i thought wow, thats looks really good, and it did - the graphics looked true next gen and the concept was intriguing. The following year at e3 2013 they showed the game again - this time it looked a little off from the previous year in terms of visuals, but    Wow... where do i begin... at the begining i suppose;

    Casting my mind back to e3 2012 and the first time i saw this game in action i thought wow, thats looks really good, and it did - the graphics looked true next gen and the concept was intriguing. The following year at e3 2013 they showed the game again - this time it looked a little off from the previous year in terms of visuals, but this was (we were told) because it was running on the PS4 (or at least a PC with the same specs), it still looked good so i wasnt too concerned. Anyway come launch day May 27th, i went to my local game store and picked up the game, got home and started to play...

    Initialy the game looked ok at the start, being night time and raining created a nice atmosphere and some pretty looking visuals, not e3 pretty, but nice all the same. But my impression of the game quickly changed when i saw the day time, lets not beat around the bush - it looked bad, in fact i have seen better looking last gen games that this. The lighting during the daytime is awful, its bland, dull and washed out, with very soft shadows that lack any real definition, the who lighting system lacks contrast, nothing stands out, instead it all just blends together in a drab mash of grey and beige. In my opinion GTA V looks more next gen...

    Some objects look ok, things like trees look ok although they are nothing special and look like they would be right at home in the console version of skyrim, they lack any self shadows which can make them look a bit flat. Colors in the game are muted and washed out. Character models are probably the best looking things in the game, but while they are not bad, they are also nothing to write home about either - also some NPCs can look like they are glowing, especially in shadowed areas.

    For the most part buidings look fine, even if they do look slightly last gen, although some buildings just look down right bad, they look very flat, especially in the distance where they look like upscaled PS2 buildings.

    Textures are boring, flat, drab and lifeless with not real definition at all, most of them being the exact same shades of grey and beige, and it looks like ubisoft just copied and pasted these all over the game.

    Car models are OK, but ive seen much better. They look very last gen, and the textures on the cars is rather dull.

    Driving in this game is among the worst ive ever encountered in a game, with cars being both very twitchy AND unresonsive and heavy at the same time (dont know how they did that), to give you some idea of how bad it really is - try to imagine driving a car both underwater and on ice at the same time, then you will have some idea of how bad the driving physics are. Cars can also feel like they are floating at times - speaking of floating, i have actually seen some vehicles that do for a brief time float a couple of inches off the road, before quickly falling down again to the roads surface... Also the slightest press on the accelerator sends to car to full throttle with tires screaching, its very difficult to move at anything other that flat out in this game. Car damage is terrible - for example, you can smash into a group of cars at full speed, hitting them with such force that they burst into flames, yet your car can be completely undamaged - no im not joking. Everytime you hit something you will see sparks and bits of glass and debris flying everywhere, but a quick check shows you have received absolutely NO damage to your car what so ever.

    But i hear you cry - its not all about the visuals... and yes you are right - so how is the story and gameplay? Well the story is not great either, it is very cliché and is one of revenge. The main character Aiden Pearce is unrelatable and boring, you certainly wont feel anything for him at all, his voice also becomes very irritating after a while. The hacking at first feels fresh and new, but quickly gets old once the novelty wears off. Missions feel very repetitive, having you do the same things over and over again, sort of assassins creed style. Some of the games characters can be interesting and humourous, certainly more interesting than Aiden... The main story will take about 30hrs to complete, after that there are plenty of side missions and minigames to do - although these feel more like padding just to bult up the game.

    I havnt the multiplayer so cannot really comment on it, but ive heard that its similar to GTA Online which i have played and found a bit boring.

    In summary this game is completely over hyped and over rated - possibly the most overhyped/ rated game in recent history. Having just paid full price for this, i am completely disappointed in it. If you havnt bought the game yet or are not sure what to do - take my advice, spend your money elsewhere, it will save to the disappointment.

    Score 5/10    … Expand
  73. TBONE1138
    May 28, 2014
    5
    Watch Dogs is the most average, uninspired, by-the-numbers triple-A game I've played in a long time. Considering an Ubisoft game's usual high level of quality and polish I'm amazed by how flat Watch Dogs is from a gameplay and story perspective.

    Gameplay: Driving feels like a PS2-era GTA III clone. Coming from GTA V/GTA Online driving to this is shocking. It also just doesn't feel fun.    Watch Dogs is the most average, uninspired, by-the-numbers triple-A game I've played in a long time. Considering an Ubisoft game's usual high level of quality and polish I'm amazed by how flat Watch Dogs is from a gameplay and story perspective.

    Gameplay: Driving feels like a PS2-era GTA III clone. Coming from GTA V/GTA Online driving to this is shocking. It also just doesn't feel fun. Travel in an open-world game like this should not be an unpleasant chore. The gun play is flat like the driving. On foot the controls seem more refined and your guy walks around with decent animations, and can climbs and run around convincingly. In general, the story missions and side missions just aren't fun, and I don't feel the player agency I get in games like GTA V.

    Story: I hate the story, the characters, even the stupid cap/over coat outfit that is your only wardrobe choice. I remember people complaining about the characters in GTA V (not because they were boring , flat or not fleshed out but because they found Trevor repugnant) I wonder how these people will feel about watch Dogs protagonist Aiden Something or Another? I'll take interesting but unlikeable over the Watch Dogs guy any day.

    Graphics and Sound: Other than the fact that Watch Dogs runs at a higher resolution there's not a thing that visually exceeds what's been accomplished with GTA V on last-gen consoles. I saw reviewers mentioning the water effects. They aren't on par with GTA V's water. Also the music sucks, but the ambient city sounds make up for this. The playlist approach to music gives you no context for the city as a character (like GTA V!) so again, one more thing that makes the game feel flat and uninspired.    … Expand
  74. bsyben
    May 28, 2014
    5
    This is the game I and my roommate have been waiting for too long since 2012-2013 E3. My roommate had some connections and got into E3 2013. He came back and told me how good the game would be. So, we purchased PS4 the moment it released and waited for the game. Sadly it is not exactly what I expect. But make no mistake, the game is good, or at least OK on next gen console. I will goThis is the game I and my roommate have been waiting for too long since 2012-2013 E3. My roommate had some connections and got into E3 2013. He came back and told me how good the game would be. So, we purchased PS4 the moment it released and waited for the game. Sadly it is not exactly what I expect. But make no mistake, the game is good, or at least OK on next gen console. I will go through my feelings about it.
    Graphics: If this game was only available on last gen console, I will applaud for its graphics. Especially the lighting effects are very attractive. I believe that most people would agree that the city looks better at dawn or in mid-night. When comes bad weather, it is also phenomenal. Not just raining effect, but also true storm feelings.
    So what are bads for graphics?
    1. Details are not as we expected. Facial motions, damage, etc.
    2. Even though lighting effects or partical effects are good, the HORRIBLE optimization ruined this game. These effects are good, but are they so good that PS4 can only play it in 900p? If you check PS3 version, you will notice that fps drops dramatically every time when you turn around your visions in the game. Pay attention to the background environment, they don't even vertically lined up.
    3. For PC, I don't want to comment. The recommend system setting is an evidence of bad optimization. Sandbox games are cpu killers, but for graphic cards, you usually do not expect them to be this high level (FPS games do on the other hand).

    Gaming experience: since we haven't done online part yet, I will leave it behind and only comment on the single player part. Again, like GTA V, Watch Dogs has the fundamental elements you expected for sandbox games. They are functional, and some aspects like chasing part are better than GTA V. I always find that GTA V has some weird running ways that sometimes make me laugh. In Watch Dogs, it is much better, and very cinematic. I guess most people, who do not satisfied what the game offering, are just like me, who find this game somehow boring. I think the problem is because of the hacking system. The hacking system is a brilliant idea, but maybe because of first time attempt, it executes in a wrong way. What I expect is that the system is not only a police-fooling toy, but also a way to interact with the city and all NPCs. Apparently, this is not the case in the game. You can hack bystanders' bank account, but the thing you can do are limited, not even could you decide how much money you want to withdraw. You can also find personal information about strangers, but so what? It won't affect the way you solve those missions. Believe me, every time ends up with a chase and ass-kicking. When those information being just messages instead of intels or tools to solve a puzzle, what is the fun of hacking? If not hacking, then why am I purchasing this game instead of playing a classical masterpiece like GTA V?
    Again, this is just a review from a somehow disappointed gamer. I like this franchise and the idea behind it. But Ubisoft really need more time to get out of the shadow of GTA V and build a new world that people want to hack into.    … Expand
  75. HHJ
    May 28, 2014
    5
    I played Watch Dogs on PC for a few hours and the one thing that kept repeating in my head was: This is GTAV without the humor. Yeah, their is hacking in the game, but really it's just a superficial mechanic. Ultimately the goal is still the same - just with a new obstacle in the form of hacking "puzzles" that require no real intelligence to solve.

    I could have dealt with that if the    I played Watch Dogs on PC for a few hours and the one thing that kept repeating in my head was: This is GTAV without the humor. Yeah, their is hacking in the game, but really it's just a superficial mechanic. Ultimately the goal is still the same - just with a new obstacle in the form of hacking "puzzles" that require no real intelligence to solve.

    I could have dealt with that if the missions didn't force me into a linear play style. In certain scenarios you MUST knock your opponents out rather than shoot them down. That alone killed the immersion for me. The main character can massacre an entire gang yet he must knock out 2 of those gang members without good reason. If you're gonna be batman you gotta be batman all the way. Batman doesn't kill 100s of people and knock out a couple random dudes. It just doesn't work.    … Expand
  76. LokinDetonados
    May 29, 2014
    5
    First I want to say here that in my opinion graphics are not important , but what Ubisoft has crossed the line and tricked the entire gaming community .

    Watch_Dogs fou advertised with surreal graphics course in the PC version , with realistic physics and realism by the AI . The game looked stupidly gorgeous and wonderful visuals. But came to E3 2013 and the first downgrade of the game    First I want to say here that in my opinion graphics are not important , but what Ubisoft has crossed the line and tricked the entire gaming community .

    Watch_Dogs fou advertised with surreal graphics course in the PC version , with realistic physics and realism by the AI . The game looked stupidly gorgeous and wonderful visuals. But came to E3 2013 and the first downgrade of the game was visible . Here's a visual look and there it spawned a revolt in the community , then came the joke referring Ubisoft will GTAV and then the game was delayed EIGHT months and Ubisoft excuse was : " We need to enhance the game , fix some bugs "

    And if memory serves me , the more gameplays Watch_Dogs emerged in the period of late 2013 and early 2014 and a further downgrade was visible again , the visuals of E3 2012 were gone and the game was getting ugly. After Ubisoft released a trailer for a SEASON PASS for Watch_Dogs and this widespread revolt , at least for me .

    After the game was leaked and many people downloaded it for PC , of course it was not the full version but the game was completely different from the game we saw at E3 2012 and slightly worse than the version of E3 2013.

    The game has several flaws , starting with the graph, which loses old games like GTAIV , gameplay , physics of cars and DAMN DETAIL REFLECTIONS plus SEVERAL bugs .

    The positives are the history and fun Easter Eggs , otherwise the game does not deserve to be bought , so my rating is 5 .

    Forgiveness for the bad english , I'm using Gogle Translate because I'm Brazilian and do not dominate the American language .    … Expand
  77. jovanpierre
    May 29, 2014
    5
    Why are there so many reviews about other people's reviews? That's their opinion and here is mine. Watch Dogs was suppose to be the first game I got for PS4. Then it got delayed so Ubisoft could "fine tune" it. So after all the wait and hype I finally get my hands on this game and my lust for Watch Dogs quickly faded. I wanted to love this game, but it was just such a let down. AlmostWhy are there so many reviews about other people's reviews? That's their opinion and here is mine. Watch Dogs was suppose to be the first game I got for PS4. Then it got delayed so Ubisoft could "fine tune" it. So after all the wait and hype I finally get my hands on this game and my lust for Watch Dogs quickly faded. I wanted to love this game, but it was just such a let down. Almost every aspect of this games seems so unpolished and rushed. They turned a very good concept into a very lackluster game. I would not recommend wasting $60 on this game.… Expand
  78. Moeras22
    May 31, 2014
    5
    I'm very disappointed by this game. First of all the graphics are good but so far away from the E3 2012 trailer. I don't understand why this game has been delayed when you see the outcome.
    The gunfights and the AI are very good but that's all. The driving gameplay is just horrible, there are no shadows with the lights of your car, the physics is 5 years dated. The hobbies the game    I'm very disappointed by this game. First of all the graphics are good but so far away from the E3 2012 trailer. I don't understand why this game has been delayed when you see the outcome.
    The gunfights and the AI are very good but that's all. The driving gameplay is just horrible, there are no shadows with the lights of your car, the physics is 5 years dated. The hobbies the game proposes are pointless but fun. The story is simple and give me a feeling of "Deja vu". My point is Watch dogs is over-hyped and he don't get things done. Sorry Ubisoft but maybe Watch Dogs 2 will be as good as this one should have been.    … Expand
  79. UnoDtantos
    May 31, 2014
    5
    Poor, not next gen, large, funny moments, it's not the game they show us, ubisoft liers... No es lo promotional ni de lejos. No vale la pena el dinero q piden. Conduccion mala. Historia mala, tiroteos se salva. No es un juego coherente pero al nenos es largo
  80. Sentral57
    Jun 2, 2014
    5
    From the user reviews I've read so far, the people who gave high ratings, say that people who gave it low ratings was only because they had high expectations. While that may be true for some people. I didn't even hear about this game until a couple months ago. The concept seemed cool, but it fell on its face, when i started playing it i quickly realized "this is GTA but lets just addFrom the user reviews I've read so far, the people who gave high ratings, say that people who gave it low ratings was only because they had high expectations. While that may be true for some people. I didn't even hear about this game until a couple months ago. The concept seemed cool, but it fell on its face, when i started playing it i quickly realized "this is GTA but lets just add environmental interaction through 'hacking' ". While some parts of the game are fun, not being able to shoot while driving, being forced to sneak around for some parts. I would recommend installing the game on your hard drive, because if you mess up a mission the loading times are irritating. The side missions are passable, most of them are not that fun, Most of the time you will mess up more than once and you have to learn the encounters(not what i'm looking for in a game like this). I only really like stopping the crimes. Some redeeming factors of the game that i like is the main story, it's actually intriguing. I like that you can hop the L-train and fast travel or just go for a ride to where you want to go if you're feeling leisurely. I also liked they way they introduced a form of PVP in the game with the mobile app to console play, it's fun but also sometimes can be unfair when another play is hacking you, It can be on the annoying side when you're about to start a mission then all of a sudden you get invaded out of nowhere (you should choose to PVP and not almost be forced to). It's a cool concept but, i think it needs some improvement Also one review i read said that it was a similar to how 'assassins creed 1' was, If this were remotely true i would have enjoyed it more. I was quickly bored with this game, other than the main story (I'll give Ubisoft that, they write some good stories for their games) Watch Dogs was not what i had expected the 'hacking" should be more prevalent and less of the guns and shoot em up aspects(it didn't really fit the main character to be a hacker but just be ok with shooting people, doesn't make sense to me), i had more fun playing Saints Row 3 and 4, Sleeping Dogs, and GTA V, Watch Dogs seemed to Hype up changing this genre of games but it fell flat to me.… Expand
  81. xShaunaOH
    Jun 2, 2014
    5
    Watch Dogs was one of the most anticipated games when it was first shown at E3 back in 2012. Two years later and we finally got a chance to play it, and does it live up to the hype and anticipation? Some say yes, some say no, some people are still unsure, and others never cared in the first place! As far as I’m concerned the game is a total flop. Some things work, most don’t at all, andWatch Dogs was one of the most anticipated games when it was first shown at E3 back in 2012. Two years later and we finally got a chance to play it, and does it live up to the hype and anticipation? Some say yes, some say no, some people are still unsure, and others never cared in the first place! As far as I’m concerned the game is a total flop. Some things work, most don’t at all, and the issues are extremely distracting from the game.

    First of all I don’t know what I was expecting, but I think I was expecting a little more than GTA V or Assassins Creed but with hacking. It feels like an older concept and I was really hoping for something fresh. The repetitiveness of missions gets old after about five hours. An endless cycle of car chase, sneak/hack aspect, and then another shootout; eventually it makes you want to rip your hair out. Don’t get me wrong the hacking is fun and cool to a point, but it just wasn’t enough to save this game. It’s countless other issues make it less enjoyable and more frustrating to be honest.

    The voice acting isn’t great, but it’s far from terrible! A lot of the characters, mainly Jordi Chin, shine strong while others fall flat and add little to nothing to the story. Speaking of the story, it’s cool I guess but it feels forced and it frequently gets sidetracked! All in all this aspect of the game adds nothing and it may as well just been an open world hacking game.

    Easily the most frustrating component of Watch Dogs is the online hacking, where other players can interrupt your story to hack you for points. It’s not that it’s difficult to deal with, but that you cannot progress with the campaign if somebody is hacking you. It detracts from the interest in the storyline, which is already boring enough on it’s own.

    I wouldn’t say Watch Dogs is a bad game; it’s just barely mediocre. Certain aspects are positive; such as the driving that everybody seems to be complaining about but I love, some of the main characters are entertaining and well-acted, while the hacking eventually bores it is very cool and new, and it is truly visually stunning! Other components have ruined the game for me and that’s unfortunate because I was really looking forward to it for a while. So while I could not stand Watch Dogs, I see it’s appeal and encourage fans of GTA or AC to check it out. ShaunaOH gives Watch Dogs a 5/10!!    … Expand
  82. warlock7
    Jun 2, 2014
    5
    It'd get a better score if this were a good representation of Chicago. There are no mountains with hydroelectric dams anywhere near Chicago. Six total dams in Illinois and none of them are in a mountain!!! Did they ever visit Chicago? I've read that they did, but they got SO MUCH SO WRONG!!!

    There is no stadium to the South West of Chicago either. There's three in town and none are    It'd get a better score if this were a good representation of Chicago. There are no mountains with hydroelectric dams anywhere near Chicago. Six total dams in Illinois and none of them are in a mountain!!! Did they ever visit Chicago? I've read that they did, but they got SO MUCH SO WRONG!!!

    There is no stadium to the South West of Chicago either. There's three in town and none are where the "May Stadium" is located.

    As a game, it's okay. Graphics seem pretty dated. Gameplay mechanics also seem pretty dated. Looks like the cross-gen development really hurt the game.

    Did the players of Infamous Second Son feel like their town wasn't represented properly?!?    … Expand
  83. KingSephir
    Jun 3, 2014
    5
    It's nice to see how polarized the critics are on that game. Either you like or you don't. I stand right in the middle, where after ~20 hours of gameplay, I'm not sure what to think of that game.
    I've never been a fan of Ubisoft, for their habit to milk the s*%t out of a franchise and force it down your throat (just like Activision is doing, however they got MP right!). Watch Dogs seems    It's nice to see how polarized the critics are on that game. Either you like or you don't. I stand right in the middle, where after ~20 hours of gameplay, I'm not sure what to think of that game.
    I've never been a fan of Ubisoft, for their habit to milk the s*%t out of a franchise and force it down your throat (just like Activision is doing, however they got MP right!). Watch Dogs seems to be another attempt at pushing something down your throat, something you already experienced somewhere in other Ubi games and that they tried to hide (Ubi is found of their towers and unlocking them to reveal the map...)

    For a start, this is not a next gen game. Especially after playing Second Son or Kill Zone. This game doesn't look better than The Last of Us or GTA V but on par. TLOU and GTAV were on last gen console by the way. There is a tremendous let down compared to what they showed at E3 2 years ago.

    While the game might have been delayed because of GTA V, I don't see why it took so long to release something that looks unfinished: the free running missions, digital trips and NVZM missions look like they're patched over the game, for no reasons at all. While other side missions are part of the game and fall into the flow of the game, some others seem like a botched attempt at adding content.

    The game aslo suffers of the "Skyrim" syndrome, where you can just go everywhere and do what you want, without guidance and boundaries. Right out of the box, you get thrown in there with no real incentive to do the main quest. On top of that, side quests keeps poping in you HUD, like they're trying to convince you to do other stuff than the main quest. By the time I was at the 3rd mission of act one, I already had unlocked 7 guns, without shooting anything or anyone. You get rewards for side quests, that aren't relevant to the main quest, therefor overpowering you quickly.

    Ubisoft has the tendency to throw tips and help at your face when you start to play a game. However, instead of making short and concise, they give you a whole freakin paragraph, that you need to read, while getting shot at, hacked, hanged by the balls and raped... Just to learn how to run... Either show me how to play slowly, or give me quick tips, with concise sentences : "Press R2 to run", "Hold O to jump over obstacles", etc.

    There is one thing that I don't understand. While Ubisoft is know for milking their franchises, some of them got really good, like AC. Controls are spot on in AC. So I don't understand why they decided to remap the whole controller with new controls instead of using those from AC. They might claim that it's a new game and they don't want us to associate it with other games they made, but we know you Ubi, so why pretend when we know that most of Watch Dogs mechanics come from other games?

    The main story is fun, secondary characters are well written and interesting. Online is new and fresh, but often bring bugs into the game when you leave a MP match.

    Controls are clunky, driving is bad (like driving a Zamboni with a Turbo), side quests are irrelevant and badly implemented, HUD is overcrowded with info. Can't shoot while driving and hitting the car doesn't affect it much, though the AI is pretty dumb when you race a NPC.

    Watch Dogs is awfully standard at best. Far from next gen, this game isn't worth 69.99 CAD. Then again, when there is nothing to play on PS4 you might think about getting it. If I were to get the game again, I would wait for a price cut. This is not GOTY material: scale isn't everything... Ask Arkham Asylum ;)    … Expand
  84. Sugoda
    Jun 4, 2014
    5
    Very disappointed with the game. The main character is so bland and the story itself is very generic. Ubisoft clearly tries way too hard to make this their Grand Theft Auto and congratulations, it's a sandbox game with no heart and soul.
  85. Foehammer
    Jun 5, 2014
    5
    Well, massive disappointment, it's not that it's really bad, or glitchy. It works ok, and that's just it, OK sums up the entire game. It's not managed to live up to any kind of PS4/ next gen expectations. The whole game has had me just thinking 'meh' every step of the way! Sure it's got lots to do in the game, I have lots of housework to do and odd jobs around the house, doesn't make itWell, massive disappointment, it's not that it's really bad, or glitchy. It works ok, and that's just it, OK sums up the entire game. It's not managed to live up to any kind of PS4/ next gen expectations. The whole game has had me just thinking 'meh' every step of the way! Sure it's got lots to do in the game, I have lots of housework to do and odd jobs around the house, doesn't make it fun to do. And so, like my odd jobs around the home I do them little and half heartedly as I know there is other things I'd rather be doing! The campaign is dull, the side missions are dull, the cars are dull, the music is dull, the... Look, it's just dull. OK?

    I just got a couple of campaign missions further and I turned it off to buy and download Worms Battlegrounds... why? because I was pretty bored, and I shouldn't be.

    the 0's given to this game are from butt hurt kids no doubt, but the 8-10's need to seriously question whether they are really satisfied with this kind of mediocre 'entertainment'

    The delays on launch of this game were because they honestly knew this would have disappeared off the gaming map if they hit the next gen console launch date! Just like Killzone Shadowfall did. Instead release it when the market is dry, charge a fortune for it and walk away counting the money.

    And that's why I can understand the low reviews, they hyped the hell out of this game, the media machine was huge and in full swing for this one. And it had no chance to deliver. ever.

    I'm bored of this game. I'm done with this game. I will forget entirely about this game in a few months. I just hope Destiny is hell of a lot better!    … Expand
  86. chaos50
    Jun 5, 2014
    5
    There are 2 things significantly wrong with this game and I'll list them in order of Gameplay and then Technical issues.

    Gameplay: 1) The controls are not intuitive on PC controls. The use of middle mouse button clicks and then scrolling to control menu is slow, cumbersome and frequently inaccurate. Its impossible this was not highlighted in play testing. 2) The crouch hide mechanism    There are 2 things significantly wrong with this game and I'll list them in order of Gameplay and then Technical issues.

    Gameplay:
    1) The controls are not intuitive on PC controls. The use of middle mouse button clicks and then scrolling to control menu is slow, cumbersome and frequently inaccurate. Its impossible this was not highlighted in play testing.
    2) The crouch hide mechanism is daft. It only works when you are in specific area otherwise you character will just stand then taking fire. And then when it works is still doesn't work corretly and you'll find yourself hiding in the wrong side of a barrier.
    3) Frustrating elements of having to take down (non lethal enemies). This is stupid. You are tasked to attack and probably kill tons of enemies armed to the teeth but you must melee them to take them "down". Totally useless especially when these target can killed by explosives accidentally and you have to restart.
    4) When you finish the game you cant redo old missions you can only replay those mostly crappy VR games.
    5) Driving controls are crap in the game and the game forces you to use vehicles that you dont want. If you enter a mission (first time) with a vehicle you want you get one try. If you fail and restart it will remove everything you had before that like you own vehicle. So sometimes these driving/chasing missions are depend on luck if you get a good vehicle for you. Other times they force you to use crap vehicles. This just feels forced and a waste of time.

    Technical (on PC)
    I tried to like this game but its a horrible pile of code on the PC. With a decent rig the game will and sometimes take out the OS as well. It also will degrade performance if you restart / reload too many times. Then game will get gradually slower until unplayable (about 3-5 reloads / mission restarts) then you have to restart you the game or your computer to get back to normal performance. Tested on two different machines and a google of performance issues on Watch Dogs will give you tons of hits.

    Lack of in game save of PC is just stupid. You cant select different save slots etc you only have checkpoint saves that you cant chose. So you something goes bad and it check points you then you are practically screwed. In essence you cant experiment because unless you played a mission before you dont want to end up in a situation where you experimented but are check pointed badly. The only alternative is then restarting the entire mission. Possibly a game limitation for old (PS2) era limitations but surely not for modern consoles and definitely not for PC.

    I see such high meta scores, I'm wondering if Ubisoft are paying them off or something... sounds fishy.    … Expand
  87. Hoshidesu
    Jun 10, 2014
    5
    I'm a little dissapoint of this game. The most comercial game and dont work propely because Ubisoft AGAIN show how not know the word Optimalizaction. The Hacking is very nice but is only a little plus.
  88. Sjthjs
    Jun 12, 2014
    5
    First off, Watch_Dogs isn't a horrendus game. Its main flaw is the GTA V was released. Whilst GTA V felt like a next gen game in last gen's body, this feels the opposite. The one major twist that this game has going for it is the hacking element, which is a one button deal, but adds an extra element of gameplay to missions, both on foot and off. However, On certain missions, I found myselfFirst off, Watch_Dogs isn't a horrendus game. Its main flaw is the GTA V was released. Whilst GTA V felt like a next gen game in last gen's body, this feels the opposite. The one major twist that this game has going for it is the hacking element, which is a one button deal, but adds an extra element of gameplay to missions, both on foot and off. However, On certain missions, I found myself not even having to enter the "restricted area" to complete the mission, making the game a matter of finding the right camera to do the job, rather than a game of skill.
    The major bane of mine though is the driving. It is awful. Beyond words. Cars feel very cartoony, smashing through anything apart from trees always in a massive cloud of dust and sparks, yet losing little momentum. Cars feel the same, with variations only in speed, and have no weight to them. Another thing about this game (and not only this game) is how the game seems to rush. An example. Your character never walks anywhere. Another example. He gets in a car, and somehow, the engine is started before he even sits down and shuts the door. The whole process of breaking in a car to driving away lasts about 2-3 seconds.
    And the character. He is dull. And just seems to mess up not only his own life, but his family's lives. And he never apologises for putting them in danger. Also, for someone who cares sooo much about his family, he doesnt seem too concerned with taking the lives of civilians, stealing their money or spying on them. The best characters in the game are the side characters.
    Tech wise, this game has a veneer of prettiness, that is all too easily scraped off. Why is the reflection on the side of a skyscraper a reflection of an empty city road. On every building? Why do the L Train tracks sometimes run nowhere? Why when it rains, do cars not get wet, or splash as they go through puddles? Why are there so many people in Chicago related to Olympic athletes? And why oh why is Chicago so lifeless and devoid of traffic?
    Storyline wise, Im not sure sometime what is going on. I am aware of the general direction, that he is avenging the death of his niece, but missions confuse me sometimes. Why was Jordi holding some people hostage in "Not the Pizza Guy"? Why will no one meet Aiden face to face without leading him on a merry chase?"
    Chicago itself is a dull place. Too quiet, boring and lifeless. Look at Los Santos. Full of character, always something happening, a joy to explore. Chicago has none of this. There is no inspiring areas to play about in, everything just feels the same.
    Music in the game is terrible, so much so that I switched it off. Look at GTA V. The music hand picked to suit the feeling of the city Enough said.
    All together, Watch_Dogs is an OK game at best, but is by no means a next gen game. Wait for GTA V to come out and show Ubisoft what a next gen open world should be. Ubisoft should seriously consider finishing their games before release, this has the same unfinished feel as the AC games. From now on, I shall not be buying any open city game unless the Rockstar Logo is on it, I have been massively dissapointed by everything else.    … Expand
  89. asspavesspa
    Jun 16, 2014
    5
    I feel like i've wasted $60 for a game that is not totally bad as many haters reviewed, but its absolutely not the 'next-gen' experience we've been promised.

    This game does not look that bad but it pales in comparison with Infamous Second Son, with the graphics during daytime looking bland and washed out. Ubisoft also for me, failed to nail the scale of a bustling city. Hate to say it,    I feel like i've wasted $60 for a game that is not totally bad as many haters reviewed, but its absolutely not the 'next-gen' experience we've been promised.

    This game does not look that bad but it pales in comparison with Infamous Second Son, with the graphics during daytime looking bland and washed out. Ubisoft also for me, failed to nail the scale of a bustling city. Hate to say it, but truthfully no one has ever come close to GTA V in replicating a really realistic living breathing city, not even Infamous Second Son. This felt like a wasted opportunity.

    I'm disappointed that after reading a few reviews from reviewers that I've held in high regards, I could not seem to get to enjoy Watch Dogs at all like they did. I've bought it on launch day, and since then has only played this dull game 6 times. I'm seriously considering selling this game.

    For those who enjoy taking your time to soak in the atmosphere, driving leisurely around open world maps and stopping at certain places to enjoy the atmosphere, this game is not for you. It feels like a botched up job and the ultra big budget marketing campaign feels like an exaggerated lie.

    And the driving physics is just plain wrong. For an open world game where the majority of the time you have to traverse the large map by driving, I feel that Ubisoft really crashed and burned on this aspect of the game. There are no two ways about it. Its just dumb elastic car physics. You will fail a lot when trying to turn. It's so unrealistic how the cars turn it felt like a cheap low budget racing game you play on your phone.

    Try the game first before you buy    … Expand
  90. Note-Taker
    Jul 1, 2014
    5
    I'm gonna try to avoid rambling here:

    This game is -not- bad. The five is for something average, mostly functional and playable. It's decent fun most the time. It's not the groundbreaking blockbuster it was advertised as. It's not the next Half-Life. It's a lackluster but alright game, and if your lack of PS4 games is driving you crazy enough, it's worth buying to play. But even    I'm gonna try to avoid rambling here:

    This game is -not- bad. The five is for something average, mostly functional and playable. It's decent fun most the time. It's not the groundbreaking blockbuster it was advertised as. It's not the next Half-Life. It's a lackluster but alright game, and if your lack of PS4 games is driving you crazy enough, it's worth buying to play. But even then, there's other games you could get.

    E.g. You should get Last of Us if you didn't already. I'd advise PS4's Killzone over it, too, on the level of fun and graphics. And Towerfall: a fantastic, old-styled, platform type arena game that's got great singleplayer/co-op and multiplayer. It's simple, well-made, and difficult. Don't Starve, Strike Suit Zero are both games worth trying, as well. All on the PS4.

    Specifics:
    It doesn't have GTA 5's questionable ethics in places (its subjective ethics, the way it talks about different groups of people, etc.), which is a plus if that or GTA's attempts to shock bother you, but I enjoyed it less on every level. It made me appreciate how good GTA is at being GTA.

    Hacking: Everything revolves it in the story, but it doesn't feel real, seems like the creators are trying to fake it the whole way. It gets credit for being better than some, it never -looks- as bad as a cartoon for toddlers, made by people who don't use computers. The mechanics feel gimmicky and limited. Cool detail when you glance at every citizen, but that doesn't make a game. What you can do is cool, but it's always the same hack, including when plot related. There should be a larger range of types of hacks or objects TO hack. The player hacking adds up to holding the square button, or doing an okay and meh mini-game to break security.

    Story: Not gonna get deep into this. The punk girl, Clara, and the hacker alcoholic guy are likable, tolerable. Sister's dull distressed damsel material, and gives a weird, incestuous romance vibe with MC Aiden sometimes. Nephew is possible worse. The old mentor/friend is unrealistic, leaning toward Saturday morning cartoon villain. The story confuses itself on what its focus, themes and moral stance are, and falls into obnoxious preachiness more than once, only to drop it later. The tropes (blanking on a better word) are well-tread and predictable. Better than the worst, but that's not saying much.

    Gameplay: Even beyond the hack concept, it's flawed. If the player's view is directed toward two different objects to hack, the same button activates both, and the game might hack something you didn't want to. This can lead to accidentally setting off an explosion, which alerts the AI, or going to a camera when someone's about to corner you. More annoying are helicopters, which during a police chase are a giant pain in the ass to get in view and disable, and otherwise are a pain to outrun or hide from.

    The O button is both the silent/non-lethal takedown AND the climb button. This is infuriating. Both I and friends would accidentally climb off the cliff in a parking ramp level and die, or climb on top of the object we were covering behind (now in plain sight), trying to takedown an enemy nearby.
    The neutralize option, which gives you the option to hack and crash an enemy at the second they pass a spot you can hack (usually behind you) was neat. It was the only way to make traffic lights effective.

    The multiplayer's decent, this coming from a skeptic. The different group missions are fun, as well as the one-on-one to a lesser extent. The problem are invasions. Invasions are a great concept, it actually integrates multiplayer into singleplayer, but Watchdogs makes them mandatory in a stupid way. It interrupts all and anything else you were doing, and won't let you do something else. The interruption should come from the intruding player, and shouldn't put the game at a dead stop until the invasion's over. It makes a cool idea (ala Demon/Dark Souls) a frustrating nuisance.

    The AI and the way they detect you during stealth is iffy. Stealth becomes a problem because of things like the O button mix-up, or the game failing to recognize that you're trying to switch covers while someone starts to notice you. The basic detection AI is fine: they notice you when you're in plain sight, they notice when they hear a shot or an explosion, or someone's knocked out/dead. They shoot where they found you were last. But the AI gets weird sometimes, where it doesn't feel like people noticing or failing to notice.

    As I said, alright overall. Just don't go in with the hype from E3 in your mind.    … Expand
  91. Womenlovegames
    Jun 30, 2014
    5
    Graphically amazing, breathtaking, gorgeous. I couldn’t help but become lost in the dynamic world of Watch_Dogs and watch the other NPCs go about their lives, or just watch the night lights from a tall building. The trees sway realistically and the water ripples at the slightest touch, all with impeccable detail. The world feels incredibly real, yet unreal at the same time.

    Aiden’s    Graphically amazing, breathtaking, gorgeous. I couldn’t help but become lost in the dynamic world of Watch_Dogs and watch the other NPCs go about their lives, or just watch the night lights from a tall building. The trees sway realistically and the water ripples at the slightest touch, all with impeccable detail. The world feels incredibly real, yet unreal at the same time.

    Aiden’s character design looks and feels like a gem, however all the other characters that we deal with (i.e. his sister, his nephew) are a letdown. They feel under touched, underappreciated, almost as if this was a 2013 PS3 game (not the Naughty Dog type).

    Now apart from the gleaming visuals, the gameplay and parkour is so-so. I felt underwhelmed most of the time; and this is a little shocking because of Ubisoft’s foundation in Assassin’s Creed. I felt like they never took that leap of faith.

    Despite breaking 24-hours sales records (>4 million copies in 1 week), I felt that this game did not live up to my expectations.

    Should you buy it? Definitely. There’s a game drought until September 9th (Destiny) folks!    … Expand
  92. B1R0NG4
    Jul 6, 2014
    5
    Jogo extremamente maçante. A história principal não agrada, os personagens não tem personalidade impactante, o que não nos faz ter empatia por eles. Sistemas de direção e tiro são pobres e beiram o ridículo, sendo superados por muitos jogos da geração PSone. Sem dúvida, Watch Dogs é uma boa idéia que estava não mãos erradas, na hora errada. A Ubisoft não soube transformar todo o hype deJogo extremamente maçante. A história principal não agrada, os personagens não tem personalidade impactante, o que não nos faz ter empatia por eles. Sistemas de direção e tiro são pobres e beiram o ridículo, sendo superados por muitos jogos da geração PSone. Sem dúvida, Watch Dogs é uma boa idéia que estava não mãos erradas, na hora errada. A Ubisoft não soube transformar todo o hype de seus trailers em experiência prazerosa na jogatina. Watch Dogs é só mais um dos exemplos de jogos que são bonitos e divertidos em teasers!… Expand
  93. Ichabodslipp
    Jul 15, 2014
    5
    I don't have time for video games, so when I play them, they better be good. The city is really well done and fun to explore. The game play was less than desirable. It was really hard to want to play this game as hard as I tried. Bottom line, not enough fun! Developers really need to focus on what people want from a game and not get side tracked with fluff.
  94. Murredly
    Jul 28, 2014
    5
    For a variety of reasons, I held off buying this game -choosing to borrow off of a friend before choosing to buy. I am extremely glad I did.

    First and foremost, the game looks nice but it is very clearly not pushing the next gen systems by any sense of the word. There is a lot of little graphic hiccups during cut scenes but in my opinion there are a lot of points where it looks like a    For a variety of reasons, I held off buying this game -choosing to borrow off of a friend before choosing to buy. I am extremely glad I did.

    First and foremost, the game looks nice but it is very clearly not pushing the next gen systems by any sense of the word. There is a lot of little graphic hiccups during cut scenes but in my opinion there are a lot of points where it looks like a poorly pirated copy.

    The driving is incredibly bad and not overly fun.

    The idea of the smartphone hacking is cool, considering you see people on their phones everyday/everywhere, but in playing the game it just seems repetitive and somewhat boring.

    They did a good job of making a dynamic environment but there is a lot of weird crap that can happen. For example, early into the game while scanning for crimes I would find that the potential suspect or criminal could be detected through a build, while outside of the "crime zone", triggering the event and I would literally have no opportunity to see what was going on. As a result, multiple interventions failed because you could not get around the building in time to do anything.

    Better still, would be random tutorials that pop up midchase or mid-quest. Most of the time it is for something completely unrelated to the quest you are on.

    Anyways, this is just my opinion. I have tried to get into it and will definitely try again. That said, if you are borderline either way for a big price drop, rent it, or borrow from a friend before heading out to add it to your collection.    … Expand
  95. JEMS1300
    Jul 25, 2014
    5
    I liked Watch Dogs a lot and it was fun to play, but it did not meet my expectations, and this game was way too overhyped, sure the visuals look great on PC, Xbox One, and PS4, but it looked nowhere close to the original game on 2012's E3, and Ubisoft didn't deliver on its original promise, in my opinion Ubisoft should be punched in the face for not delivering on its original promise, BUTI liked Watch Dogs a lot and it was fun to play, but it did not meet my expectations, and this game was way too overhyped, sure the visuals look great on PC, Xbox One, and PS4, but it looked nowhere close to the original game on 2012's E3, and Ubisoft didn't deliver on its original promise, in my opinion Ubisoft should be punched in the face for not delivering on its original promise, BUT the game isn't terrible, neither great
    First lets start with the PROS
    +The soundtrack for Watch Dogs (Not the radio stations) is really great
    +Well detailed map
    +Game looks beautiful especially when its raining during night or when there's a sunset
    +The supporting cast is well developed and interesting
    +The crime interventions are fun (There's a con for this too)
    +The information that is given to you while you hack a AI really does make the world feel alive
    +Really fun cop chases
    +There's a large quantity of side missions when you're not doing the main quest
    +The hacking really does help in combat, and extremely fun to use
    +Great visuals
    +Multiple ways to approach, stealth, guns blazing, or just hacking your way in without being detected at all
    +Hacking another player is tense, since the player is always looking for you, while being hacked, and trying to look for the player who's hacking you, can be really fun
    +The multiplayer mode that's somewhat capture the flag, can be a fun experience
    And here are the CONS
    -Lackluster story
    -Aiden's personality (main character) feels empty, and at times you couldn't care less for Aiden
    -There's some bugs that can be game breaking like for example trains stop automatically when a vehicles are in front them
    -A HUGE misstep of the cop chases is that you can escape them, with a taxi boat, no kidding
    -The songs in the radio are not really great
    -Driving could feel a little bit wonky
    -Playing multiplayer could lead to a lot of lagging and screen tearing
    -Playing Free Roam with other players feels empty, because there is no missions to do
    -The themes that Watch Dogs are a mixed bag
    -Feels formulaic, especially if you played the Assassin's Creed Series, or Far Cry 3
    -Watch Dogs has a lot of Pop in (Stuff coming out of nowhere, like AI, benches, cars, etc.) to the point its really noticeable, and considering that Grand Theft Auto 5 is Last-Gen and has less Pop in that you really couldn't tell if there was, really does blow my mind
    And the number one CON that have with this game is...................................... REPETITIVE SIDE MISSIONS! Each side mission feels exactly the same mission you completed before.
    Watch Dogs isn't the Next-Gen game you were expecting, instead you get a dumbed down version of the original game from E3, probably because of Last- Gen, or they wanted parity between consoles and PC, no I have not played the PC version, but I heard it was poorly optimized when they ported the game to PC
    Otherwise its a solid start for a new franchise, if you're planning to buy this game, I recommend you wait till the price drops    … Expand
  96. Matodox
    Sep 7, 2014
    5
    I really like this game. It's fun to play. But that's just about it. The story is really thin, and all the characters (except for T-Bone who's just plain awesome), are too square and dead boring. We never get any background story for any of them. Not even our hero, Aiden Pearce. He's just THERE, like he was Batman or something. The thing i love most about Watch Dogs, which doesn't make itI really like this game. It's fun to play. But that's just about it. The story is really thin, and all the characters (except for T-Bone who's just plain awesome), are too square and dead boring. We never get any background story for any of them. Not even our hero, Aiden Pearce. He's just THERE, like he was Batman or something. The thing i love most about Watch Dogs, which doesn't make it a disaster, is the hacks. This game really made stealth fun to me. Normally i just bring out the AK47 or Rambo machine-guns and go all out on everyone, but i actually found myself using cameras, the environment and the silent handgun more often than not. But i have to say, in my opinion there's too few skills and after a while i'm bored because of how little the gameplay varies throughout. The side missions get real old after a little while, the same things you do over and over again, it's not fun! The main story missions are too short also. You complete the game after 3 days, if you have a life to attend to outside your living room, otherwise i could've probably finished it within 7 hours straight not completing side missions too. The thing i hate most about this game though, is that you can't use your baton like in GTA as a melee weapon. You can only hit someone with it if you're standing in front of them pressing one button and then Aiden does the rest for you and puts it away again immediately afterwards. I don't know how else to explain, you'll understand when you play. Also, why can't i shoot out of the car while driving?!? It's really annoying you have to run against whoever you're chasing with your car or hack the environment to stop the other and then you have to get out of your car and chase them on foot. And why can't you just kill instead of knocking down in every mission, it's f*cking ridiculous! And the graphics look like it was 2009 all over again. The only things saving this game are the gameplay, and the multiplayer part. That i thought was inventive. When the sequel get's out, they better learn from the fails of this and not repeat them.… Expand
  97. mrfloyd
    Aug 3, 2014
    5
    REALLY MEDIOCRE GAME, don´t buy! Ubisoft you SUCK! I bought this game with a friend, neither played more than a couple of days. ITS SO LIMITED, the controls are horrible, the ia is horrible, the graphics are mediocre, the animations and art style stink
    worst spend money in years!!
  98. PapaBurgundy206
    Aug 8, 2014
    5
    Watchdogs is an okay game. It wasn't bad nor was it by any means an outstanding game. The game play is fun, but the storyline is just okay. I thoroughly enjoyed the side missions, especially the Gang hideouts. I also heard that there were a lot of glitches in this game but it may have just been primarily the PC version I did not notice any on the PS4. The graphics for the cutscenes lookedWatchdogs is an okay game. It wasn't bad nor was it by any means an outstanding game. The game play is fun, but the storyline is just okay. I thoroughly enjoyed the side missions, especially the Gang hideouts. I also heard that there were a lot of glitches in this game but it may have just been primarily the PC version I did not notice any on the PS4. The graphics for the cutscenes looked great but as far as the environment of the game I was a little disappointed.
    I really wanted to love this game but I couldn't. It was definitely not one of Ubisoft's better games which surprised me because most of their games I really enjoy playing over again. This one I would not play over again.    … Expand
  99. AzarinIsard
    Aug 25, 2014
    5
    I bought this game on PS4. This game had the potential to be excellent, but was frequently hamstrung by mistakes and poor decisions. Ignoring things such as graphics and physics, which seem to be the major bugbears for other reviewers, I had different problems.

    Firstly, I like my online and my offline separate. I didn't realise I was playing online missions at first. I was just trying    I bought this game on PS4. This game had the potential to be excellent, but was frequently hamstrung by mistakes and poor decisions. Ignoring things such as graphics and physics, which seem to be the major bugbears for other reviewers, I had different problems.

    Firstly, I like my online and my offline separate. I didn't realise I was playing online missions at first. I was just trying to start a campaign mission and I was then informed I'm being hacked. My first encounter was a few missions in and I had to chase and kill another hacker, who proceeded to ram me, get out, and shoot me in the face with his assault rifle while I'm still using my starter pistol. So, I had to get myself ready again, travel all the way to the quest marker again, but en-route I was hacked a second time. I was supposed to chase someone, who whenever I got close would open a bridge and park on it. If I went to jump to his side, he jumped to the other. When I go back, he'd go the other way. This dance continued for far longer than I'd like to admit, before I managed to swerve in time and have a mid-air collision, we both crashed into the river. He then began to swim slowly, I followed, and eventually we both got out, and I was able to shoot him before I got into a new car. After all this, I went to the options to deactivate the online intrusions, which informed me without them there's certain upgrades I'm ineligible for and all online XP I've acquired will be wiped and I have to start again. Fine, I hadn't got far anyway. I turned off the online and never turned it on again.

    The campaign and the side quests seem entirely disjointed too. There's references of course, but most seem entirely pointless. First, there's some chess mini-games required for certain upgrades/100%, if you're not into chess, you can look up the solutions on youtube. There's a cup and ball street trick, three cups, one ball, you have to point out where the ball is at the end of a lengthy shuffle. You need three in a row to get to the next level, where the gamble stake goes up, and you need to complete several levels for the unlock. Fortunately, there's a graphical error where if you turn up your brightness and pause, the polygon outline of the ball can be seen through the cup allowing you to pass this chore. There's a free running game which is easy enough, an odd VR alien shooter which feels entirely out of place, there's additional games called "digital trips" which again, were a distraction I wasn't interested in. Convoys and fixer contracts were generally pretty simple, and there's so many of them they get repetitive by the end. The only reason to do them all isn't for enjoyment, but for trophies/achievements. Then, there's an annoying drinking game. In order to win, you need to control your cursor when it moves in erratic directions, hover over different targets, and press the corresponding buttons. In later levels, the buttons move and the requirement button changes. The whole thing gave me a headache trying to play it, and when you fail you wake up in a ditch in the wilderness around the town where the drinking game is, so you've got to run back and try again. I wasn't very good at this, and this is where I decided I'd never complete it, so I gave up on 100%'ing the game. This is also why I never returned to the online.

    So, after all these pointless, annoying, infuriating distractions I went back to the main campaign. The characters and plot could have been far better, but there was decent variety in the missions. They were however heavily planned, in that there is clearly a set path you have to go through, there aren't often more than one alternative. At best, if it's intended for stealth and you're good at combat, you can kill your way through unless you cannot be detected without failing the mission. But, if combat isn't your thing, don't expect to be able to stealth/hack your way around it, at times you face endless swarms, impossible situations, and enemies who appear out of nowhere to chase you when you escape undetected. When this game wants you to have a fight or a car chase, there's no escaping it.

    By the end, I'd gathered most collectibles, done many side missions, and completed the main quest. But that was about as much as I could stomach, the thought of having to go back and play the content I haven't finished seems like a chore rather than play. If this game is cheap, I'd definitely say go for it, especially if you're not a completionist and don't mind leaving side content unfinished. If you pick and choose, you can focus on the enjoyable parts and ignore the rest. In this case, I feel much of the extra content is there for padding reasons, and Ubisoft have forgotten to focus on making the extra content fun. I really do hope Ubisoft step back and go back to what made their past hits enjoyable, because both this and Assassins Creed: Black Flag felt like chores and errands stitched together with weak, almost non-existent, plot.    … Expand
  100. heathplusg
    Aug 31, 2014
    5
    This game was a huge disappointment. It has downgraded graphics. It has a very boring main character. It has repetitive gamplay (uses one button for almost everything). The game is so boring I was only able to get through the first act before I got rid of it.
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Awards & Rankings

37
#37 Best PS4 Game of 2014
4
#4 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2014
9
#9 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 80 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 64 out of 80
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 80
  3. Negative: 0 out of 80
  1. Softpedia
    Aug 6, 2014
    85
    Watch Dogs is a fun open world experience. However, the repetitive chases and the formulaic gameplay tend to get tedious and boring after a while. As such, you might want to enjoy the different multiplayer experiences and take frequent breaks to just roam around the city.
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  2. CD-Action
    Jul 25, 2014
    70
    It’s a bold first step on the new terrain for Ubisoft. The game is enjoyable, offers some interesting mechanics and lasts for long enough, but is bland as a whole. The characters lack personalities, the city could use more distinctness and the story is instantly forgettable. [07/2014, p.46]
  3. SpazioGames
    Jul 18, 2014
    85
    Overall, it is almost without a doubt the best platformer that has popped up on the current generation of consoles and is a bedrock on which Ubisoft could build a brand to remember.
    Read full review
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