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6.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 3903 Ratings

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  1. Jun 18, 2014
    8
    First of all, I must say I was skeptical to this game. Since it was first announced back in 2012, the game had changed its initial promise to bring stunning graphics, so I thought it could have also got worse in its gameplay.

    Fortunately the game is fun to play and the story is enjoyable. Chicago feels alive and the hacking powers are awesome, though the "uniqueness" of each NPC isn't
    First of all, I must say I was skeptical to this game. Since it was first announced back in 2012, the game had changed its initial promise to bring stunning graphics, so I thought it could have also got worse in its gameplay.

    Fortunately the game is fun to play and the story is enjoyable. Chicago feels alive and the hacking powers are awesome, though the "uniqueness" of each NPC isn't eventually what we first feel.
    Although being fun to play, the game stays short in many things when comparing in to some other sandboxes (gunplay, plain characters, car collisions and driving...) and Aiden Pierce himself isn't at the height of a title like this.

    Summarizing, the game has some ups (humor, gameplay, story, innovative online multiplayer) but its downs (graphic details, driving is tough, characters are charmless...) prevent it from reaching the initial concept it was delivered. However, it's remarkable that Watch Dogs is easily the best AAA title available for PS4 and a recommendable buy
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  2. Jun 18, 2014
    4
    The Good

    -A rich and vibrant world
    -Some good level design
    -Enjoyed the hacking element

    The Bad

    -Vehicle handling is poor
    -Sound design is woeful, cars and guns in particular sound awful
    -Side quests can become repetitive
    -Doesn't look great for a supposedly "next gen" game

    Overall, an
    ok game but definitely not the game we we're promised when announced.
  3. Jun 18, 2014
    10
    Looking at the average user score of this game makes me embarrassed to be a gamer. This game is SO much better than that.

    If you like open world games then this games for you. The world in Watch Dogs is HUGE, I mean I was surprised by how big the world actually is. If you compare it to another popular open world game like Infamous: Second Son, Watch Dogs is about 3-4x's as big. And
    Looking at the average user score of this game makes me embarrassed to be a gamer. This game is SO much better than that.

    If you like open world games then this games for you. The world in Watch Dogs is HUGE, I mean I was surprised by how big the world actually is. If you compare it to another popular open world game like Infamous: Second Son, Watch Dogs is about 3-4x's as big.

    And it's not like the entire world is just the city. The middle of the map is the huge city of Chicago, the top left side of the map is nothing but out doors, trees, dirt bike tracks, and trails, along with boats to ride in and all that run stuff. If you go a little lower on the map, it's sort of a rural area with some nice big houses and kind of like a smaller city with theatres and different stores and stuff. And if you go to the south side of the map, you get the kinda gangster neighborhoods, and you also get the industrial complex type of place.

    Another thing that's awesome about this city is you can basically get anywhere's you need to go on the entire map, by using a car or boat. Meaning that a body of water is never too far away

    I love the variation and different settings in Watch Dogs. Half the fun I have in this game is just exploring the city.

    Let me discus a pretty popular topic about this game, It's graphics. The graphics on PS4 and PC(I own Watch Dogs on both)are pretty good looking graphics. The graphics were downgraded a little, but the game still looks pretty impressive. The lighting and reflections at night are VERY impressive, and this game looks SO awesome when it's raining at night, and all the lights are reflecting off of the puddles of rain water. And thankfully, in Watch Dogs, it rains a LOT.

    Another VERY impressive thing about this game is the water simulation. Assassins Creed 4: Black Flag's water looked SO amazing. So it's only natural that Watch Dogs would have body's of water that looked just as impressive, because Ubisoft makes both games. Simply put, I've never seen such realistic water in any game I've ever played, it looks THAT good. While your riding in a boat the waves react like they would if you were really in a boat. And if your driving in a boat through the city, you can literally see all the city lights reflected in the water.

    The textures of the buildings in the city and the textures or rocks and mountains also look good and seem to have high poly counts. And during the day you'll frequently see the sun, with numerous light shafts shining through trees. The only part of Watch Dogs that I feel could have had better graphics is when it's day time, and the sun's light shafts aren't present, or the suns not shining. In those circumstanes the game seems to be missing something, it's not missing textures or shadows, it just needs a little more lighting during the day and more reflections.

    Despite not looking absolutely perfect all the time, Watch Dogs is a CLEAR generational leap forward when comparing it to games like Grand Theft Auto V. GTAV is clearly a last gen looking game, and Watch Dogs is quite obviously a lot better looking titles.

    I'm sure if Watch Dogs would have only been released on the PS4 and Xbox One, it would look even better than it does in it's current state.

    Besides the graphics of the game, the gameplay is quite fun. I like idea of the cover shooting/hacking gameplay. It reminds me of those "over the top" perspective shooters in a way. And I love the way you can get the perspective of the cameras that you hack, and from that cameras perspective you can hack grenades in enemy's pockets, or blow up an electronic right next to an enemy to kill them. I think the gameplay in this game was really just a great idea by Ubisoft, I've never seen a shooter like this at all. I also love the stealth aspect of it, and I found it addictive to want to stealth your way through areas other than going guns blazing. But the gun play is good too. There's nothing really new about Watch Dog's gunplay, but it's solid nonetheless, and this game has a really good selection of interesting guns.

    This game will quite literally keep you busy for well over 100 hours. I've been playing this game for over 100 hours already and haven't 100% the game yet. Of course if I really tried I could have completed it in around 100 hours probably. I just have so much fun messing around the this vast open world that it's taking me this long to complete it. But yes, there's a quite a LOT of content, but it is kind of repetitive, but it's also fun.

    Then of course you have the "Digital Trips", which are in effect a game inside the Watch Dogs game. In one mini game, your a giant spider tank, and you basically just have fun destroying cops and scaling the building of Chicago. In another mini game, your sneaking around the city and shutting down generators one by one while trying to evade these robot looking things with spot lights for eyes constantly searching for you.

    This game is easily an 8.5/10
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  4. Jun 18, 2014
    10
    Incredible graphics mix with very fun and open gameplay. Hacking adds an interesting and amusing twist. Listening in on text and phone conversations is sometimes hilarious. But it also adds another layer of gameplay depth that is fresh. Kudos for a great game. I don't understand the hate. It almost kept me away from the game.... so glad I took a chance!
  5. 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
  6. Jun 18, 2014
    10
    I watched a play through on you tube, theradbrad, and it looks ok. the game actually deserves about a seven but i am putting a ten in to balance out all the psychos that put a zero. this is not a zero, especially if you rate it based on your rig configuration or video card. you are supposed to rate the game content.
  7. Jun 18, 2014
    0
    PC players. If you have this game already, do yourself a favor and get the correction done on Guru3D. Some want to call it a mod, but a mod modifies the game. The visuals were already there, just not enabled by Ubisoft. Which brings me to the score they receive. This is either the most gross of incompetent stupidity or a deliberate gimp for parity on the next gen platforms. While itPC players. If you have this game already, do yourself a favor and get the correction done on Guru3D. Some want to call it a mod, but a mod modifies the game. The visuals were already there, just not enabled by Ubisoft. Which brings me to the score they receive. This is either the most gross of incompetent stupidity or a deliberate gimp for parity on the next gen platforms. While it still has many issues, the correction goes a LONG way to correcting this.

    If you don't have this game yet, do yourself a favor and avoid this until it is the bargain bin and all the patches have been done. Hopefully Ubisoft will unlock the visuals, but if not, Guru3D will still have it and have made many strides by then. This game would have normally received a 6 or 7, but the gimp is inexcusable.
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  8. Jun 18, 2014
    7
    I have mixed feelings about this game. While I love the story line and graphics and side missions at some point it all gets a little repetitive. Chase this guy. Hack this box. But still fun in a way. The radio stations SUCK!! My god they had an amazing opportunity but they suck. Walking and running is amazing though. I would probably average this game around an 8. I would haveI have mixed feelings about this game. While I love the story line and graphics and side missions at some point it all gets a little repetitive. Chase this guy. Hack this box. But still fun in a way. The radio stations SUCK!! My god they had an amazing opportunity but they suck. Walking and running is amazing though. I would probably average this game around an 8. I would have preferred to buy it at a later stage when it is cheaper but I wanted the statue :( Yes I am one of those suckers! Expand
  9. 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.
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  10. Jun 17, 2014
    1
    garbage. Overhyped by a lying game company called ubisoft. Boring open world game, with very dumb ai. Stay away if you do not want to get the feeling of wasting your money..
  11. Jun 16, 2014
    6
    I am disappointed with this game. Not because it is bad. But because it's not up to the hype ubisoft created for it. The made me feel it's gonna be GTA V competitor. In fact it hardly reach GTA III. Even Sleeping Dogs was better in my opinion.
    The game had potential. But boring. I didn't get attached to the game. I just wanted to finish it. Even the side activities where boring and
    I am disappointed with this game. Not because it is bad. But because it's not up to the hype ubisoft created for it. The made me feel it's gonna be GTA V competitor. In fact it hardly reach GTA III. Even Sleeping Dogs was better in my opinion.
    The game had potential. But boring. I didn't get attached to the game. I just wanted to finish it. Even the side activities where boring and repetitive. The world isn't big. And Chicago wasn't interesting at all. The story wasn't interesting as well. Aiden character acting was very bad. There was no need to put this batman voice twist to character. Other NPC characters were more interesting (Clara, T-Bone & Jordi)
    The game has too many bugs and glitches. Also online multiplayer is bad. Not interesting at all. And PvP invasion. You play it couple of times and you get bored of it.
    Just very disappointed. This 6 for me.
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  12. Jun 16, 2014
    0
    Had amazing potential. Was to be my game of the year choice for 2014. Instead we got a graphically watered down version from the one shown at E3. The release date was pushed back 6 months for "polish" and fine tuning.

    I played about 20 hours mostly doing side missions and events working the story up to the 2nd chapter. Good writing, good motion capture and gameplay mechanics. The
    Had amazing potential. Was to be my game of the year choice for 2014. Instead we got a graphically watered down version from the one shown at E3. The release date was pushed back 6 months for "polish" and fine tuning.

    I played about 20 hours mostly doing side missions and events working the story up to the 2nd chapter. Good writing, good motion capture and gameplay mechanics.

    The slow motion or "focus" function becomes lost in the controller and you frequently rediscover it by accidentally activating it from time to time but never actually use it.

    The game is an unfinished product with multi platform game breaking bugs. Such as the loading screen bug that prevents me from continuing my game (corrupted save files) Ubisoft has been very sneaky and has avoided the pressure from thousands of players unable to continue playing the game. Others load into the game to find they cannot hack or have their inventories wiped (no guns etc) along with many performance issues with the PC version of the game.

    If it weren't for the deplorable customer service and game breaking bugs I would rate the game an 8.5 but in its current state of disrepair with no patch ETA the game is useless to anyone experiencing these issues. Hopefully Ubisoft reads the critic reviews and the 300 Page Official Ubisoft forum thread dedicated to the loading issues and realizes it has angered thousands of people who are now rethinking ever buying another Ubisoft title.
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  13. 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
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  14. Jun 16, 2014
    2
    I'm not gonna start blabbing on about how the game is nothing like what they showed us 2 years ago, because let's face it, no game ever looks as good as its E3 demo.
    No, the reason I'm here is because I played the game, and after 40 hours of endless "stop this crime" missions, I have concluded that Watch Dogs is one of the worst open world games to come out in a very long time. My major
    I'm not gonna start blabbing on about how the game is nothing like what they showed us 2 years ago, because let's face it, no game ever looks as good as its E3 demo.
    No, the reason I'm here is because I played the game, and after 40 hours of endless "stop this crime" missions, I have concluded that Watch Dogs is one of the worst open world games to come out in a very long time. My major issue with the game is how dead and empty it feels. Every single mission is milked and repeated over and over again. Several times I found myself asking, didn't I kill this guy before? Didn't I stop this crime a couple hours ago? Didn't I chase this car yesterday?
    I struggle just to explain how repetetive the game is. It's the same with the story. Every single story mission finds you hiding behind a dumpster trying to hack SOMETHING.
    Which brings me to the hacking, the main gimmick behind the game. How is it? Well, for an hour or so, it's actually quite fun. But once you realize that every single hack is scripted, the joy ends. You see, the hacking is basically "press 'square' to watch an animation of something happening". Eveything from exploding underground pipes to moving bridges is scripted.
    When the ONLY marketing draw of the game is bad, you know the game is screwed. But no, the mediocrity continues.
    Before I talk about the driving, let me get this out of the way. As a main character, Aiden is worse than AC3's Connor.
    Driving, as you must have heard a thousand times, is awful. There are no propper physics and the car damage belongs to the PS2 era. The only vehicle that was remotely fun to drive is the motorcycle.
    In brief, the game is terrible beyond redemption. The only thing that is actually good is the soundtrack.
    We all know Watch Dogs 2 is coming out in 2015, or if things go south, 2016, because it's Ubisoft. So let's hope WD2 takes the same road AC2 took: Turn a mediocre game into game of the decade.
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  15. Jun 16, 2014
    8
    Anyone who gave this game less then a 5 needs to stop writing for metacritic and stop calling themselves a gamer. Watchdogs is a good game. Yes, it is repetitive at times and does need to get a graphics enhancement. That being said, the game is generally fun, good looking and expansive. I can understand some disappointment. But the low scores only hurt innovation. If you want companies toAnyone who gave this game less then a 5 needs to stop writing for metacritic and stop calling themselves a gamer. Watchdogs is a good game. Yes, it is repetitive at times and does need to get a graphics enhancement. That being said, the game is generally fun, good looking and expansive. I can understand some disappointment. But the low scores only hurt innovation. If you want companies to keep making Resident Evil 6 and Call of Duty: Cashgrab 2015, keep it up. Or, if you want things to improve, then stop hating on new games with franchise potential and take them as they are. A first game in a potential series. RE 1, GTA and the original Tomb Raider were not that good. But they got better. Watchdogs deserves the same chance and is a stronger game then the aforementioned titles. Expand
  16. Jun 16, 2014
    6
    Average open world title, that unfortunately gets boring pretty quick.

    Nice hacking aspect, but way too simple 1 button actions. City is just plain boring, not even close to Los Santos.

    technically just average. Dont believe the hype
  17. Jun 15, 2014
    9
    Ok let's get one thing clear. This game is watchdogs not friggin Gta v, if those that love Gta v so much you have an erection for it, then stop writing reviews on here about how crap watchdogs is compared to your beloved Gta, and take it to bed and play. How any true gamer can say this game is crap I find hard to understand. Everybody has their opinion and I appreciate that, but howOk let's get one thing clear. This game is watchdogs not friggin Gta v, if those that love Gta v so much you have an erection for it, then stop writing reviews on here about how crap watchdogs is compared to your beloved Gta, and take it to bed and play. How any true gamer can say this game is crap I find hard to understand. Everybody has their opinion and I appreciate that, but how anybody can score this a 2' or say its crap must be either a total tard or couldn't play the game. What we have here is a mix of good story, free to roam, huge amounts of side missions, stunning visuals for what is still an early next gen game, amazing voice acting and a few little puzzles thrown in. I don't buy many games that I don't want to stop playing yet want to because I don't want to complete it, but this was one of them. A fantastic game, well worth the pennies, but if your after a Gta, come saints row joking gun toting romp round a city with stupid but fun missions then avoid it. Expand
  18. Jun 15, 2014
    8
    Open world friendly and superb fun!

    if you like open world games i.e GTA,Sleeping dogs etc. you'll definitely like this one.

    its story and gameplay are decent and enjoyable.

    don't listen to those who gave it zeros or 1,2,3,4 and 5 they are completely dishonest.
  19. Jun 15, 2014
    10
    Absolutely great game. Only Infamous Second Son can be compared with this game, leaving GTA5, Saints Row4 or other open worlds, waaaay behind.

    The game is original, the whole idea of hacking your surroundings is an interesting one, and even though the gameplay around it is very simple now (you push one button), it can be greatly polished in the future and can easily be improved. The
    Absolutely great game. Only Infamous Second Son can be compared with this game, leaving GTA5, Saints Row4 or other open worlds, waaaay behind.

    The game is original, the whole idea of hacking your surroundings is an interesting one, and even though the gameplay around it is very simple now (you push one button), it can be greatly polished in the future and can easily be improved.

    The graphics looks stellar. A couple of bugs here and there, and the problem that people pop-in close when you're driving at high speeds, but that's a small price to pay compared to how great the overall visuals look. The character is detailed and polished, the environment is well designed, and everything creates a realistic and beautiful atmosphere.

    Solid story, interesting and fun to follow.

    Great multiplayer as well.

    10/10
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  20. Jun 14, 2014
    8
    I played this game thinking it was going to be everything I wanted, but it wasn't...it was even more than I expected. I enjoy all the fine details of the game such as simple robbers to convoys of criminals in the organ selling black market. The graphics aren't the best nor do they look how I originally hoped the game would look, but they still look great (to me). Some say, "this game isI played this game thinking it was going to be everything I wanted, but it wasn't...it was even more than I expected. I enjoy all the fine details of the game such as simple robbers to convoys of criminals in the organ selling black market. The graphics aren't the best nor do they look how I originally hoped the game would look, but they still look great (to me). Some say, "this game is GTA," it's similar, except you can hack the citiy, SAVE people, and be good or bad. I enjoyed the hacking control that this game offers. In the trailer where Aiden says, "I've never had so much control" Ubisoft wasn't lying. You do control the city and feel like you have immense power while still being a civilian. I also enjoy the three ways to get through missions: Stealth/Non-violent, Stealth/Violent, and all out attack, while all using the power of technology against itself. It's not perfect, but it delivered just about everything I expected and more. Expand
  21. 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
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  22. Jun 13, 2014
    9
    I thoroughly enjoyed this game, it is no GTA V, and does not match up to Saints Row 2, but it is a fun game, with a good story that does not do a whole lot wrong. I never cam across a big game-breaking bug or any gameplay elements that i really hated or that were really badly done, no major flaws that I could see but quite a few niggling ones. On the other hand it does nt do anything outI thoroughly enjoyed this game, it is no GTA V, and does not match up to Saints Row 2, but it is a fun game, with a good story that does not do a whole lot wrong. I never cam across a big game-breaking bug or any gameplay elements that i really hated or that were really badly done, no major flaws that I could see but quite a few niggling ones. On the other hand it does nt do anything out of this world, the driving is average, the shooting is decent, the hacking is really quite nice but I am disappointed by the fact you can't Deus Ex your way through with minimal mass murder. This game is a lot like the original assassins Creed, there is something missing here but the foundation of a great game is there, except it is no where near as repetitive as Assassins Creed 1 and has a better **** finale with all of Chicago's technology being used against you rather than a billion English soldiers to counter kill. Expand
  23. Jun 13, 2014
    0
    It's freaking unfinished. This is why AAA games can never be trusted. Sometimes I get so disappointed with mainstream games that it forces me to post on this retarded site. Stop paying reviewers off Ubisoft and actually make a decent game.
  24. Jun 13, 2014
    8
    Solid game. I haven't finished yet but I've put enough time into it to judge. I may be giving it a better review than others because I did not follow any of the hype leading up to its release. From what I hear, compared to what it was originally intended to be, Watch Dogs is a bit of a let down. Good open world, hacking the environment is original and fun if a little repetitive at times.Solid game. I haven't finished yet but I've put enough time into it to judge. I may be giving it a better review than others because I did not follow any of the hype leading up to its release. From what I hear, compared to what it was originally intended to be, Watch Dogs is a bit of a let down. Good open world, hacking the environment is original and fun if a little repetitive at times. Tons of side missions and things to find. I would still say GTA V has the best open world city if that helps anyone see where my point of view lies. Some of the music is good, i like how simple it is to change songs or turn music off. I wish I could play my own mp3s but that's neither here nor there.

    You can go stealth or full out warfare or a mix and match successfully. Lots of guns to play with and the gadgets are great if you remember to use them. I didn't utilize the slow motion as much as I should've but it's a cool feature. Good, solid game.
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  25. Jun 13, 2014
    8
    Playing the campaign mode first and sticking with it may give users a better feeling about Watch Dogs. My first two hours were spent wandering around, escaping police, and general exploring which was play but not very rewarding. When I stayed with the campaign mode only I found the game much more rewarding. Watching a few YouTube videos on game play stratagy also helped. Give the game aPlaying the campaign mode first and sticking with it may give users a better feeling about Watch Dogs. My first two hours were spent wandering around, escaping police, and general exploring which was play but not very rewarding. When I stayed with the campaign mode only I found the game much more rewarding. Watching a few YouTube videos on game play stratagy also helped. Give the game a chance and you may find you enjoy it more then you first think. Enjoy! Expand
  26. Jun 13, 2014
    10
    Not a "Next Gen" game, but an extremely solid title that had me glued for hours at a time. There is so much to do, and such a varied amount of gameplay, that you just can't get bored of it. Online interaction with other players is seemless, and the game does a great job and being able to transition from side mission to online to campaign. The city is ALIVE. you can walk down the street andNot a "Next Gen" game, but an extremely solid title that had me glued for hours at a time. There is so much to do, and such a varied amount of gameplay, that you just can't get bored of it. Online interaction with other players is seemless, and the game does a great job and being able to transition from side mission to online to campaign. The city is ALIVE. you can walk down the street and eavesdrop on conversations; I've heard at least 40-50 conversations, and they've never repeated once. You can hack text messages and read some pretty hilarious private conversations. People are walking everywhere, cars are all over. It feels just right. I've witness car accidents I've had nothing to do with and watched the drivers get out and argue with each other. I've passed by a motel and watched a women yell at a man from the topstairs balcony about infidelity. I've heard freestyle rap, and caught two people "in the act." You can spy on people inside their homes and observe peeping toms (ironic), people dancing in their underwear, and all sorts of shennanigans.

    It's a game with a lot of personality and content. Very solid, but I would hesitate to say it's the "game changer" people were looking for. A solid 8.5-9/10, but a 10 to offset the influx of 0's people gave it minutes after it was released (I.E. without playing it)
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  27. Jun 13, 2014
    7
    Talk about over-hyped
    Pros:
    +The Graphics on PC and PS4 are beautiful +Some side activities and main missions are fun +The physics in the cars have weight in some areas +Hacking is fun +Well Voice Acted Cons: -The story is average at best -The main character is dull and boring -The graphics on the Xbox One and last gen console are gross (not trying to be a fanboy here)
    Talk about over-hyped
    Pros:
    +The Graphics on PC and PS4 are beautiful
    +Some side activities and main missions are fun
    +The physics in the cars have weight in some areas
    +Hacking is fun
    +Well Voice Acted
    Cons:
    -The story is average at best
    -The main character is dull and boring
    -The graphics on the Xbox One and last gen console are gross (not trying to be a fanboy here)
    Recommendation:
    Anyone that only cares about gameplay and nothing else
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  28. Jun 13, 2014
    10
    A truly open-world game, with so many choices and opportunities. The environment is very realistically active and the short biographies you get about the people you profile is both touching and hilarious.
    The story is deep and emotional, the characters are lovable and the graphics are just awesome.
    It really saddens me all the hate this is getting, it means someone is really ruining a
    A truly open-world game, with so many choices and opportunities. The environment is very realistically active and the short biographies you get about the people you profile is both touching and hilarious.
    The story is deep and emotional, the characters are lovable and the graphics are just awesome.

    It really saddens me all the hate this is getting, it means someone is really ruining a triple-A game for them, at the same time, I wish I hadn't finished the game yet, or if I can repeat some of the epic missions without losing any progression. However, the side missions are satisfying.

    All in all, the game is really good, not game-of-the-year good but GTA good. And I don't like comparing it to GTA, since each had its own purpose and both have their merits.
    Play it, you won't regret it.

    Oh, the multiplayer is a nice addition an might the best I've seen in an open-world game.
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  29. Jun 12, 2014
    8
    Fun Game Overall , Lots Of Replay Value With All The Side Quests & Long Story Mode , The Only Disappointment Is The Graphics Could Have Been Even Better But It Still Looks Good , It Features A Mix Of Driving , Shooting And Balances It All For Great Experience , Definitely Better Then A 6.0 Its Averaging
  30. Jun 12, 2014
    8
    what i like:
    obviously the hacking feature is innovative, feels good and rewarding and you also can do most of the missions without shooting at people or even hurting them.
    the open world of chicago is quite lively and dynamic, you will hear alot of dialogs or can watch the people doing funny or sometimes strange stuff. you off course can hack their smartphones, including alot jokes
    what i like:
    obviously the hacking feature is innovative, feels good and rewarding and you also can do most of the missions without shooting at people or even hurting them.

    the open world of chicago is quite lively and dynamic, you will hear alot of dialogs or can watch the people doing funny or sometimes strange stuff. you off course can hack their smartphones, including alot jokes and stuff.
    the online modes are quite cool, my favourite is the 1 vs 1 hide and seek mode where one tries to hack the other and the other has to find the hacker in his version of the city and kill him. works good and is pure fun.
    the story is cool but is stretched and most missions gameplay doesnt vary too much: go to a, hack something, get away go to b, meet somebody and do some other stuff at b... simple structure and almost always hacking stuff and killing or sneaking through ppl involved.
    the main charakters are very cool and illustrated nicely, while the main charakter lacks emotion. i dont get why they did this, maybe so the player can replace the dull personality with some of his own attitudes or stuff, i have no idea

    i totally dont get why others hate the car controlls that much, they feel the same as GTA5 and also the games is not menat to be a racer so its okay to have simple controlls. also i dont need to have a car crash engine that is detailed as **** thats what i played burnout for.
    Side quests are surprisingly rewarding and never get that repetetive and boring cause they are short living fun without repeating random citizen dialogs.

    okay finally lets get to what could be improved:
    1) gimme moar easter eggs, its an open world dammit
    2) mission design could have included more ways to beat the targetor simply more posibilities of what to do, sometimes main missions play like side quests
    3) some kind of death matchy open world mmo death match or mmo hacking event
    4) the story overall could be more epic, its cool but there is soo much room to improve.

    overall, i like the game much more than the overhyped GTA5.
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Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 80 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 64 out of 80
  2. Negative: 0 out of 80
  1. 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.
  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. 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.