Watch Dogs

 Xbox One
User Score
6.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 907 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 458 out of 907
  2. Mixed: 223 out of 907
  3. Negative: 226 out of 907
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  1. JamesDeLuca
    Jun 26, 2014
    5
    Lousy GTA clone + interesting concept = Watchdogs

    Watchdogs offers some original content to the GTA clone genre, but its still just a lousy GTA clone. I would call the driving physics in WD awful, but that would be an insult to games with awful driving physics. Not only do the cars drive like N64 but they look like N64. There is no texture, detail or appeal of any kind. The    Lousy GTA clone + interesting concept = Watchdogs

    Watchdogs offers some original content to the GTA clone genre, but its still just a lousy GTA clone.

    I would call the driving physics in WD awful, but that would be an insult to games with awful driving physics.

    Not only do the cars drive like N64 but they look like N64. There is no texture, detail or appeal of any kind.

    The cityscape is okay, but lacks realism. Overall, GTA 5 on 360 looks better than WD on 1.

    The only exceptional aspect of this game is character and plot progression. Ubi Mtl always nails it.    … Expand
  2. LUFCXI
    Jun 26, 2014
    7
    Enjoyable gameplay. Sadly graphics don't live up to anything near what they showed at E3 2012. Tough levels, lots of hrs of gameplay. If you like GTA V, this will tie you over until Oct 2014 when GTA V is released on next gen consoles but it is only a stopgap sadly. Saying that, I am giving it a 7 because I love the multiplayer aspect of it and the ctOS app is brilliant for battlingEnjoyable gameplay. Sadly graphics don't live up to anything near what they showed at E3 2012. Tough levels, lots of hrs of gameplay. If you like GTA V, this will tie you over until Oct 2014 when GTA V is released on next gen consoles but it is only a stopgap sadly. Saying that, I am giving it a 7 because I love the multiplayer aspect of it and the ctOS app is brilliant for battling against friends, regardless of the console it is on.… Expand
  3. cwcoverick
    Jun 25, 2014
    3
    Watch_ Dogs had a lot of hype when it was at E3. But when it was released, there was mixed reviews either hating it, loving it, thought it was okay, or just didn't care for it. I was scared of buying this game so I borrowed it. I played, and I hated it. The experience was dreadful, online sucked, the free roam isn't as fun as well, and the hacking was dumbed down. It's just press X to win.Watch_ Dogs had a lot of hype when it was at E3. But when it was released, there was mixed reviews either hating it, loving it, thought it was okay, or just didn't care for it. I was scared of buying this game so I borrowed it. I played, and I hated it. The experience was dreadful, online sucked, the free roam isn't as fun as well, and the hacking was dumbed down. It's just press X to win. When you hold X, you could get thousands of dollars in just a few seconds! In the end, Watch_Dogs is a disappointment. It sad to know that this game is not a good game. I wanted it to be, but it wasn't...… Expand
  4. ILikeEyeBalls
    Jun 24, 2014
    10
    I've never disagreed with the critics' reviews of a game more. I almost didn't by this game and am so happy I ignored all the reviews out there. Usually I agree with the critics but this game is a huge exception. It took about 10 hours to get used to because the gameplay is so unique but once I got the hang of things, my opinion of this game completely changed. It might one of the bestI've never disagreed with the critics' reviews of a game more. I almost didn't by this game and am so happy I ignored all the reviews out there. Usually I agree with the critics but this game is a huge exception. It took about 10 hours to get used to because the gameplay is so unique but once I got the hang of things, my opinion of this game completely changed. It might one of the best games I've ever played and it blows my mind that so many people are reviewing this game so poorly. Everything is extremely polished and it's obvious they put a ton of work into this game. The blackout move is one of the coolest special powers I've ever seen in a video game and the random invasions by other players through online multiplayer is such a cool concept. I couldn't recommend this game more highly and hope more people ignore the ridiculous reviews out there and give this game a chance. It's definitely the best next gen game yet.… Expand
  5. SimonSaysRage
    Jun 24, 2014
    0
    Do not buy!!! This game SUCKS!!! Rarely do I ever play a game that I immediately try and take back after only playing for 3-hours. I lost $80 yesterday because Best Buy wouldn't take it back even though I had it for literally 3.5 hours. Do Not Waste Your Time Or Money On This Game. Terrible story, worse gameplay, and the driving...oh my **** god! How the **** can they not figure out theDo not buy!!! This game SUCKS!!! Rarely do I ever play a game that I immediately try and take back after only playing for 3-hours. I lost $80 yesterday because Best Buy wouldn't take it back even though I had it for literally 3.5 hours. Do Not Waste Your Time Or Money On This Game. Terrible story, worse gameplay, and the driving...oh my **** god! How the **** can they not figure out the simplest of mechanics that have been around since the dawn of gaming. Ridiculous!… Expand
  6. happymonster
    Jun 22, 2014
    10
    Let's be honest. Watch Dogs couldn't possibly live up to the lofty expectations place on it. It is the first next-gen open world urban sandbox. And it follows the release of GTA V, which is the benchmark for all open world games. But I think the game is great. By my standards it is definitely a next-gen game because my wrists get sore before my eyes do. The framerate is good, there isLet's be honest. Watch Dogs couldn't possibly live up to the lofty expectations place on it. It is the first next-gen open world urban sandbox. And it follows the release of GTA V, which is the benchmark for all open world games. But I think the game is great. By my standards it is definitely a next-gen game because my wrists get sore before my eyes do. The framerate is good, there is little aliasing, and minimal screen tear. The game grows on you, once you get used to the greasy feel of the driving and the questionable main character. The missions are actually enjoyable, as are the side missions, which is more than I can say for a lot of other open world games. Ubisoft did a great job with their vision of Chicago, and if you give Watch Dogs a chance and can avoid spending the whole time comparing this game to that game, there's a lot of fun to be had there.… Expand
  7. DirtierNewt
    Jun 21, 2014
    7
    Entertaining, but lacking any certain zeal to separate it from Grand Theft Auto. The story line and objectives were very similar, and, if given more time, I'm sure that the team creator could have made a very memorable and pleasing game.
  8. silversun101
    Jun 20, 2014
    3
    A highly disappointing, mixed bag affair that claims to be about using clever hacking skills to outsmart your enemies but quickly devolves into rote shoot/drive GTA-style gameplay without any of the personality or flare. Watch_Dogs brings nothing new or interesting to the table, aside from a distracting and invasive multiplayer mode that I couldn't turn off fast enough. And on a personalA highly disappointing, mixed bag affair that claims to be about using clever hacking skills to outsmart your enemies but quickly devolves into rote shoot/drive GTA-style gameplay without any of the personality or flare. Watch_Dogs brings nothing new or interesting to the table, aside from a distracting and invasive multiplayer mode that I couldn't turn off fast enough. And on a personal note, Aiden is the most unlikable protagonist I have ever had the misfortune of playing; a sleazy hypocrite who is touted to be some sort of vigilante hero for the people all while stealing cars, emptying bank accounts, and invading people's personal lives via hacked webcams and phone conversations.

    Do yourself a favor and give this a pass.    … Expand
  9. Keledron
    Jun 20, 2014
    4
    There is no denying that there is fun to be had in Watch Dogs, but that fun is short lived.

    The graphics are decent, though I really wouldn't call them "next gen". The Xbox One version (which is the version I played) was far from the mind blowing graphics that we saw in E3 trailers (this is common knowledge at this point). But graphics are something easily forgiven when a game is    There is no denying that there is fun to be had in Watch Dogs, but that fun is short lived.

    The graphics are decent, though I really wouldn't call them "next gen". The Xbox One version (which is the version I played) was far from the mind blowing graphics that we saw in E3 trailers (this is common knowledge at this point).

    But graphics are something easily forgiven when a game is great. Watch Dogs really isn't anything new or ground breaking. There are LOADS of mini games and side distractions, and they're each fun on their own. The problem is that there really isn't any "reason" to do them in the game. This is more a fault of the plot than anything. And that, to me, is where Watch Dogs utterly fails.

    There needs to be SOME story in a game like Watch Dogs. It's touting an open world, which is completely revealed to you after the first hour of playing, right down to points of interest that you should explore... so how exactly is that exploring and finding cool stuff if you're told where to go? The story should drive that somehow, and this story doesn't.

    Normally I wouldn't even bother factoring in the story for review to impact it so negatively, but Watch Dogs plot is SO bad, so utterly strung together with clichés and wanna-be hacker jargon (the devs must have brushed up on that by watching Hackers several times), and the story itself makes little to no sense at all. I won't put any spoilers in this review, but play through the main missions and by the time you're halfway through you're probably asking yourself, "Wait, why am I busting into a sex slave ring to get a guys cell phone to track down an arms dealer?"

    The online integration is definitely fun, and probably the only real bright spot in the game. You could be in the middle of going to the next mission or a side quest, and all of a sudden you're notified that you're being invaded. Another player is coming after you to steal information. This becomes a rather awesome game of cat and mouse and staying hidden from the invading player.

    Like the mini-games, the multiplayer is fun, but the problem is ALLLL this stuff to do doesn't add up to any coherent whole. Watch Dogs is a jumbled together mess of bad (make that horrible) plot and tons of distractions, but that doesn't make it a good game. And let's not forget the horrible main character. Aaron is easily the worst main character of any video game. You will end up hating him within an hour or two, be warned. This is more a fault to the game's awful writing, as the voice acting is pretty good.

    In summary, Watch Dogs is fun for a few hours, but is ultimately a forgettable game. The Open World aspect gives you no real reason to explore, the plot is horrible, and it's definitely not the "Game that will herald in the Next Gen consoles" as it was so touted. You're better off waiting until this thing hits the bargain bin. After playing it to its confused, muddled and inane conclusion, I can't honestly recommend this game.    … Expand
  10. footysurfrat
    Jun 19, 2014
    2
    Argh....there's nothing worse than waiting eagerly for a game to come out, waiting a long time as well, then you load it up and within a couple of hours think....this is kinda dull! It looks pretty, it has some semi interesting ideas, but ultimately its been seen and done before...and better. Maybe if I stuck with it it would get better but I just found I didn't care, I didn't care aboutArgh....there's nothing worse than waiting eagerly for a game to come out, waiting a long time as well, then you load it up and within a couple of hours think....this is kinda dull! It looks pretty, it has some semi interesting ideas, but ultimately its been seen and done before...and better. Maybe if I stuck with it it would get better but I just found I didn't care, I didn't care about the character, I didn't care about the story and I couldn't be bothered to invest my time in the game when there is much better out there.… Expand
  11. DownByTheRiver
    Jun 18, 2014
    8
    I'm happy that Watch Dogs sorta lived up to the hype in the end. This game does a lot of things right and some things can be better I feel. The story is actually pretty good and has a lot of good depth, with some pretty interesting characters. I love the hacking in this game it adds something new to the sandbox game and there are loads of things to do in this Chicago. The multiplayer is okI'm happy that Watch Dogs sorta lived up to the hype in the end. This game does a lot of things right and some things can be better I feel. The story is actually pretty good and has a lot of good depth, with some pretty interesting characters. I love the hacking in this game it adds something new to the sandbox game and there are loads of things to do in this Chicago. The multiplayer is ok it could've been much better. Though there are loads to do some of it feels like it's there for no reason, and the car chases/races are fairly boring. Overall I thought it was a good play and I think it would be worth a play, and has great potential for the future… Expand
  12. Collegewood8382
    Jun 17, 2014
    9
    I loved this game. You can truly tell how good an open world game is when the side missions are just as good or better than the main story. Visually the game looks fantastic and I love the ability to hack everything. Makes a lot of fire fights and stealth action way easier and kind of spoils you for other games like Assassins creed. The best part I can say about this game is that youI loved this game. You can truly tell how good an open world game is when the side missions are just as good or better than the main story. Visually the game looks fantastic and I love the ability to hack everything. Makes a lot of fire fights and stealth action way easier and kind of spoils you for other games like Assassins creed. The best part I can say about this game is that you definitely get your moneys worth and it is truly one of the most rewarding games I've played in a long time… Expand
  13. patt3
    Jun 16, 2014
    8
    This game has excellent gameplay and tons of content. The story's supporting characters are also excellent. Still, after finishing the gang hideouts and story missions, I have unlocked a bunch of new weapons but have no one to use them on. The game looks great, but frame rate drops are frequent. Plus, many of the missions feel overly familiar and besides hacking watch dogs fails toThis game has excellent gameplay and tons of content. The story's supporting characters are also excellent. Still, after finishing the gang hideouts and story missions, I have unlocked a bunch of new weapons but have no one to use them on. The game looks great, but frame rate drops are frequent. Plus, many of the missions feel overly familiar and besides hacking watch dogs fails to distinguish itself. Nonetheless, I would definitely recommend this game for its awesome mechanics and dense open world.… Expand
  14. shroomduck
    Jun 16, 2014
    8
    What's not to love here? It's got hacking, it's got GTA style open world and it's got mini games. If you can ignore the graphics controversy you will find a decent game that provides you hours of enjoyment. The only thing this game is missing is killing hookers and innocents. Definitely give it a shot.
  15. Na7Viac
    Jun 16, 2014
    6
    This game under-delivered. With all the hype around it, I was expecting it to be much more immersive and diverse than what I got. The story was interesting, but the characters (especially Pierce) didn't seem that deep. I loved the concept and the ability to hack a lot of things in the world was fun, but did get repetitive. The world was expansive and visually really neat. But I've lived inThis game under-delivered. With all the hype around it, I was expecting it to be much more immersive and diverse than what I got. The story was interesting, but the characters (especially Pierce) didn't seem that deep. I loved the concept and the ability to hack a lot of things in the world was fun, but did get repetitive. The world was expansive and visually really neat. But I've lived in Chicago and the game honestly did not feel like you were in a major city.. Here are a couple examples for my comments [spoilers below]

    Hacking: You can hack a ton of stuff in game, sometimes it's fun just running or driving around changing lights or blowing up stuff. But I felt like there were several times (especially late in the game) when hacking is completely unusable. For instance, one late-game mission you are being chased by cops (who have the amazing ability to never stop coming and chase you down time and time again). At most points in the game, you can outrun them an hide, just not this mission. You have to reach several points on the map and deal with cops chasing you WITHOUT the ability to hack anything. The whole point of the game is hacking, then it's randomly taken away?

    Combat: I thought the combat was done pretty well, some of the side missions with gang hideouts, convoys, and getaways were fun. But I felt like the stealth component was lacking pretty bad. It seemed like most missions you start out trying to stealthily take down someone only to be spotted and have to change to a guns-blazing, grenade throwing, and IED setting madman. Oh, and sniper rifles are just about completely useless in game.

    Story: The story was alright, but nothing outstanding. A man seeks vengeance for the death of his niece, ends up making matters worse, then saves everyone and walks away at the end. I was never impressed with any of the characters (TBone was probably the best). There were a couple plot twists that didn't make a whole lot of sense and left me thinking "well, that was dumb." But I did feel like they made some good connections with why Pierce was on his vengeful quest.

    There were some good points, overall it was enjoyable to play. It was engaging, the hacking was a cool feature, the online interactions with hacking other people was fun, the world was fun to look at and explore, and combat was pretty engaging once guns started firing. The enemies aren't complete idiots, and will hide behind cover and try to flank you.

    Overall, I give it a 6, almost 7. The 6 only because I felt like I was told this game was going to be the next big thing. But it wasn't. It was a decent game, not extraordinary. Keep going Ubisoft, I know you can make quality stuff, I believe you can make this better.    … Expand
  16. vandoja
    Jun 15, 2014
    8
    Just finished this game and I really enjoyed it. Watch Dogs is a lot like other open world games except for the hacking aspect. It is a very unique gameplay element and is probably the best part about the game. Graphics wise the game is just good. It is just a upgraded port from the 360 version so it doesn't really show off next-gem hardware. It still does look good especially at nightJust finished this game and I really enjoyed it. Watch Dogs is a lot like other open world games except for the hacking aspect. It is a very unique gameplay element and is probably the best part about the game. Graphics wise the game is just good. It is just a upgraded port from the 360 version so it doesn't really show off next-gem hardware. It still does look good especially at night when it is raining. The only real negative I can say is that the story is kind of confusing. There are many enemies that are painted as being the main enemy but then they are just a side quest mission to take out. It's not a bad story and I did enjoy the ending but the middle of it is kind of muddied. Overall I really liked the game and I really hope the next version is next-gen and PC only so they can go all out with the next game. Also if you really want to enjoy the game, try not to compare this game to GTA V.… Expand
  17. Gcforce
    Jun 12, 2014
    5
    Does not live up to the hype. The game is full of boring characters, boring story, boring side-missions, and dull gameplay. The story is bland and predictible, the only good part is the fun open world.
  18. ezerik
    Jun 11, 2014
    6
    I was excited for this game in light of the small selection of games on Xbox One. Gotta say I'm disappointed. It feels like Watch Dogs tries to do GTA but it doesn't come close to doing GTA as good as GTA does GTA (if that makes sense). Hacking is unique and brings a good amount of cool features. Otherwise, it feels like a poor man's GTA. That's the best I can describe it. Multiplayer isI was excited for this game in light of the small selection of games on Xbox One. Gotta say I'm disappointed. It feels like Watch Dogs tries to do GTA but it doesn't come close to doing GTA as good as GTA does GTA (if that makes sense). Hacking is unique and brings a good amount of cool features. Otherwise, it feels like a poor man's GTA. That's the best I can describe it. Multiplayer is clumsy - you can invite friends to the same game, but I haven't figured out how to assure we're on the same team. Driving isn't as smooth as you'd like. Graphics are straight, not spectacular. Haven't felt like playing it much, already back on Titanfall more regularly. It's not awful but it's ok.… Expand
  19. Greenmember
    Jun 10, 2014
    8
    In between the realm of Grand Theft Auto and a modern day Assassin's Creed we have Watch Dogs. It's a game with a tremendous amount of hype that doesn't live up completely to the anticipation, but solidifies itself as a new IP with a promising future. Watch Dogs works with abstract controls that once you find the right groove, work very well. Hacking is simple, has an impact, and can shapeIn between the realm of Grand Theft Auto and a modern day Assassin's Creed we have Watch Dogs. It's a game with a tremendous amount of hype that doesn't live up completely to the anticipation, but solidifies itself as a new IP with a promising future. Watch Dogs works with abstract controls that once you find the right groove, work very well. Hacking is simple, has an impact, and can shape the world around you. The main story is interesting enough to hold attention throughout the entire game and I enjoyed it, but it won't be winning any awards anytime soon. After you beat the game there's tons to do around a massive and interactive Chicago. The problem here is that you can't play Watch Dogs for hours on end, the game starts to loose it's replay value and I didn't want to binge play it. Driving could be improved but is actually done pretty well. Aiden as a character isn't very compelling, and graphically it's not as stupendous as what we were promised. With these shortcomings, Watch Dogs still holds up to be a unique game that I'm very happy to play.… Expand
  20. Magicalseal
    Jun 10, 2014
    4
    For me as I'm sure it was for many of you the game seemed to be a complete disappointment from the first cut scene. Below par graphics for a next gen console and a far below par storyline for such an anticipated game. It falls short of everything I expected it to be. Most games I get grabbed and pulled in to but with this it was just a chore to play with the never ending plain mundaneFor me as I'm sure it was for many of you the game seemed to be a complete disappointment from the first cut scene. Below par graphics for a next gen console and a far below par storyline for such an anticipated game. It falls short of everything I expected it to be. Most games I get grabbed and pulled in to but with this it was just a chore to play with the never ending plain mundane objectives. Waste of time and money and I didn't even finish the game.… Expand
  21. lordeleo
    Jun 9, 2014
    0
    DOES NOT WORK.
    Simple as that.
    We pay for a game that doesn't load.
    We get stuck on loading screen at about 90% FOREVER ...
    I'm sure Ubysoft didn't had TIME to TEST their game.
    Score? ZERO!
  22. macwade
    Jun 8, 2014
    0
    I actually decided to sell this game within a day of buying it. The graphics are no where near up to standard for the 360, never mind for the Xbox One! To sum up this game, it's just a poor man's GTA. Very unoriginal game with average graphics. Would not recommend buying
  23. Dragonmastr
    Jun 8, 2014
    8
    Watch dogs is set in Chicago, and you're Aiden Pearce. With just your phone you're able to hack into the cities network, traffic lights, road blocks etc. With all the controversy on the graphics it's rather fine to me, while I did want those next gen graphics, it didn't happen. Throughout the city they're multiple side missions, criminal convoys, crimes detected, and mini games such asWatch dogs is set in Chicago, and you're Aiden Pearce. With just your phone you're able to hack into the cities network, traffic lights, road blocks etc. With all the controversy on the graphics it's rather fine to me, while I did want those next gen graphics, it didn't happen. Throughout the city they're multiple side missions, criminal convoys, crimes detected, and mini games such as poker, digital tapes. Poker can be addictive at times and so is the digital tapes as you can be a spider tank! Now, later on the side missions start to get repetitive, crimes detected start to get noticed as rinse and repeat. The gameplay is also rather simple, you got your guns, sub machine guns, pistols, assault rifles, grenade launchers, sniper rifles. And with the ability to slow down time and take out your enemies with ease. There is no melee combat at all other than take downs ONLY on criminals/bad guys. There is also no jumping. The driving also seems a little on the sleeping dogs side, but the driving starts to get to you, you'll get used to it a little more. Hacking into peoples bank accounts to get a ton of money to get that car you want is sure pleasing. The story has many emotions but lacks more in-depth storytelling. Which I was slightly disappointed by. Despite frame rate lag issues sometimes throughout your free roaming experience. Also you got a compatible skill tree system with some useful sources to upgrade your hacking and combat, the only useless one you might run into is the driving, pretty much nothing changes when you upgrade it. It's not the best skill tree but it's good. I'd give Watch dogs a try. Go for it!… Expand
  24. SciFiDreamin
    Jun 8, 2014
    4
    Single player is great. Nothing is done as well as I would like but the sum of the parts is an enjoyable experience. Online play which was a focus of the hype of this game is the huge let down. More often than not online play turns into a single digit fps (frames per second) crap that will leave you angry and frustrated. Occasionally you can get a sense of the greatness that onlineSingle player is great. Nothing is done as well as I would like but the sum of the parts is an enjoyable experience. Online play which was a focus of the hype of this game is the huge let down. More often than not online play turns into a single digit fps (frames per second) crap that will leave you angry and frustrated. Occasionally you can get a sense of the greatness that online play could be, but 30 seconds later your screen will be jerking in random directions and you'll be left wanting to spike your controller into the ground. Im taking my copy back to gamestop while it still has good value.… Expand
  25. toecutter
    Jun 6, 2014
    10
    PLEASE READ THIS HONEST REVIEW:.. I WAS A Sceptic at first for watch dogs...I thought here we go, just another sleeping dogs and saints row copy cat...What i found at first was kinda dull At the start.... Than 30 mins into it, I found this amazing gem...Watch dogs reminded me a bit of assasins creed,grand theft auto and splinter cell, in a way of you crouch behind stuff u can sneakPLEASE READ THIS HONEST REVIEW:.. I WAS A Sceptic at first for watch dogs...I thought here we go, just another sleeping dogs and saints row copy cat...What i found at first was kinda dull At the start.... Than 30 mins into it, I found this amazing gem...Watch dogs reminded me a bit of assasins creed,grand theft auto and splinter cell, in a way of you crouch behind stuff u can sneak ,shoot,steal cars,buy weapon and cars and hacking alone is awsome...You can hack peoples phones and stop crime...There is alot upgrades for weapons and bullet proof vests and hacking skills and way to much to list... I gotta be honest its worth a 10.... i been a gamer for years since the atari 2600 released...The graphix are awsome...my best bro owns a ps4 so he has a copy of this game also and sony fanboys claim better graphixs so we tried xbox one version and ps4 version and the difference was ps 4 version seemed little brighter and shading looked different but we both agreed that otherwise you can not tell....thats truth my gamerz...Buy This Game...give it time and you will love watch dogs.....Do Not Listen To the Idiots On Here Who Gave This A Bad Review They Are Trolls...… Expand
  26. someusername
    Jun 6, 2014
    5
    The game is pretty fun, but hacking gets repetitive. The car controls are EXACTLY the same as in Saints Row 2, which came out in 2008. I was shocked at how horrific they were. The story was not unique or special, and I couldn't relate to the main character. As far as graphics, cut scenes are okay but the general game doesn't look any better than a 360/ps3 game. I finished the game and didThe game is pretty fun, but hacking gets repetitive. The car controls are EXACTLY the same as in Saints Row 2, which came out in 2008. I was shocked at how horrific they were. The story was not unique or special, and I couldn't relate to the main character. As far as graphics, cut scenes are okay but the general game doesn't look any better than a 360/ps3 game. I finished the game and did all the side missions but was left with just a "meh" impression, nothing memorable.

    Oh I forgot about the police/enemy chases: whoever programmed them is sadistic. You run miles away from the enemy and they magically just spawn right next to you, and rubber band to you no matter what you do. It's practically impossible to get away from them, even when I changed the game to easy mode. I wanted to break my tv quite a few times.    … Expand
  27. AGrrrr
    Jun 5, 2014
    7
    Oh, what it could have been....Those are the words which continuously run through my mind while playing Watch Dogs, the new game from Ubisoft. To me, this reminds me of the Assassin's Creed series where the concept is great but the developers aren't able to fully utilize it.

    When I first picked up the game and started playing it, I was impressed by the realistic driving and the many    Oh, what it could have been....Those are the words which continuously run through my mind while playing Watch Dogs, the new game from Ubisoft. To me, this reminds me of the Assassin's Creed series where the concept is great but the developers aren't able to fully utilize it.

    When I first picked up the game and started playing it, I was impressed by the realistic driving and the many activities you are bombarded with out of the gates. However, none of the activities have lasting power and will shortly start to feel like work instead of play. There are the typical collection missions, puzzle missions and "go kill this bad guy" missions which all feel bland in general. Because of the hacking element, there is a different makeup for these side activities but are still obviously cookie-cutter molds from previous games.

    The online play is where Watch Dogs shines...at first. Hacking other players while they are in game is a great idea and I really wished they would've expanded on the experience. The idea is you can "hack" a random player while they are between missions on their single player campaign. You will be spawned into "their" city within close proximity of the player you are attempting to hack. Then you are assigned the task of hacking your opponent within a time limit of 5 minutes (which consists of getting close enough and within view of your target while holding 'X'). Once the hack is started, you must not be identified by the target while the process is finished and staying within the radius of the "hacking circle." This takes a reasonable amount of time and at every interval of %25, the search area becomes smaller which makes it more difficult to hide. This makes for a great game of cat and mouse and really gets the heart pumping no matter if you are hacking or the one being hacked.

    The problem is, much like single player, there's nothing to keep you coming back to do it again. Once you have learned how to effectively hack others and defend against hacking yourself, it becomes a chore to participate in these sessions. The other online modes give a good change of pace like online decryption and CTOS mobile, but suffer from the same fate. Ubisoft needs to understand multiplayer is the where the lasting power comes from and if a deep and immersive online experience isn't presented then interest will fade quickly.

    Hopefully, they will provide an update or DLC which will expand on the world they have created but as of now, they are in the same category as the Assassin's Creed franchise: Great idea but could have been so much more.    … Expand
  28. Valdanator
    Jun 5, 2014
    7
    I'm writing this for the Xbox One version. The game looks great and the gameplay is ok. It does get a little repetitive and it does feel a lot like an unpolished Assassin's Creed. The driving is absolutely horrible, the vehicles are stiff and the damage they take is unrealistic. The story line is cheesy If you think you're buying a futuristic GTA V, then think again, this game is a lotI'm writing this for the Xbox One version. The game looks great and the gameplay is ok. It does get a little repetitive and it does feel a lot like an unpolished Assassin's Creed. The driving is absolutely horrible, the vehicles are stiff and the damage they take is unrealistic. The story line is cheesy If you think you're buying a futuristic GTA V, then think again, this game is a lot different than that. I think I bought it because I wanted something different to play and was expecting something more closely related to GTA. However, the game is somewhat fun and I'm looking forward to playing it again and see what happens. I have yet to beat it, but I don't think it's going to get much better than what it is now. I do not think that it is worth the 59.99 I had to cough up for it. If possible, I think one should rent this game. Overall, the game looks great and it plays ok. It does seem as if it needs more time on the development department.… Expand
  29. IamDeWitt
    Jun 5, 2014
    10
    I have been waiting for another good open world game for a while and this has ended that. The main missions are fun and different, the side missions are not repetitive and they are awesome! The investigations are interesting and really fun to complete. The online tasks are exciting and funny to do when your target runs around wildly trying to find you. The hacking is great and the chasesI have been waiting for another good open world game for a while and this has ended that. The main missions are fun and different, the side missions are not repetitive and they are awesome! The investigations are interesting and really fun to complete. The online tasks are exciting and funny to do when your target runs around wildly trying to find you. The hacking is great and the chases are great to see how you can stop your hunters. The stealth is surprisingly one of my favourite parts, I found it fun distracting my enemies then beating them with the batton. The Online free roam is amazing, no missions or tasks to do but with my 3 friends just messing around is so much fun and my favourite part. 10/10… Expand
  30. CircaNOW73
    Jun 5, 2014
    8
    I really love this game. I didn't know what to expect from UbiSoft. I thought it might have Assassins Creed type gameplay in a modern tech driven story line. I was wrong, definitely reminds me of Grand Theft Auto with the massive open world. The availability of cars and motorcycles and boats to jump into. In a nutshell the game is like GTA with a brain. The story is ok, you've got to haveI really love this game. I didn't know what to expect from UbiSoft. I thought it might have Assassins Creed type gameplay in a modern tech driven story line. I was wrong, definitely reminds me of Grand Theft Auto with the massive open world. The availability of cars and motorcycles and boats to jump into. In a nutshell the game is like GTA with a brain. The story is ok, you've got to have one, and the campaign broken down into its individual acts have its own set of highs and lows, same with the characters. For me the side games and the multiplayer modes are where this game shines. I have spent a lot of time playing the game and 90% playing these other modes. Reading the fickle ratings some people are giving this game I get the impression they have not tried these out. There is a lot of content jammed into this game. My favorite game on the XBOXONE to date. TitanWHAT?!?!… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

32
#32 Best Xbox One Game of 2014
9
#9 Most Discussed Xbox One Game of 2014
16
#16 Most Shared Xbox One Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 15 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 15
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 15
  3. Negative: 0 out of 15
  1. Pure Xbox
    Oct 21, 2014
    80
    If you were expecting Watch Dogs to take the genre in new directions then you’re going to be sorely disappointed. With that being said, Watch Dogs is still an engaging and often times surprising action game.
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  2. The Digital Fix
    Jun 25, 2014
    70
    With this introduction to the world of hacking Ubisoft have created a behemoth of an IP, one that promises much. Like its predecessor though, we’ll have to wait for the tighter and more focussed second iteration, removing what didn’t work and improving that which did, to realise that full potential.
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  3. X-ONE Magazine UK
    Jun 3, 2014
    70
    Consistently entertaining but lacking in originality, Watch Dogs boasts a hugely promising concept but finds itself coasting along on the triumphs of others. You won’t be disappointed, but you won’t be surprised either.
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