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.
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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

All reviews »
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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