David Nicholson: 'Watch Dogs' PS4 Review

Developer: Ubisoft Montreal

Publisher: Ubisoft

Release Date: May 27, 2014

Platform: PS4 (reviewed), Xbox One, PC, PS3, Xbox 360

Genre: Action Adventure

MSRP: $59.99

Watch Dogs is a strikingly vivid experience that combines many familiar gaming sentiments (GTA‘s open-world action and*Splinter Cell‘s stealth-based evasion)*with a conspiracy-based plot that’s decidedly Orwellian in nature.

Ubisoft’s newest release delivers a very distinct pre-1984 techno-stealth adventure wherein players are submerged into a world that’s just beginning to build the*omnipresent authority of Big Brother. The theme of the game is unnerving but poignant, spinning a tale that mirrors our culture’s fears of privacy invasion*by depicting a war*virtual rights and freedoms.

Set in a stunning recreation of “smart” Chicago,*gamers take the role of a hacktivist vigilante with a personal vendetta for revenge as he cuts a swath through the crime and chaos that assimilates among the powers that be. Armed with an expansive webwork of connections, wits, guns and a*trusty smartphone, players bring*a sort of Batman-esque justice to the city while uncovering an ominous*geo-political plot.

The always-on security cameras peppered throughout the Windy City are valuable assets that can be tapped at any time.

We’re Watching You…

In Watch Dogs, players are whisked away to*a hyper-connected Chicago that’s eerily similar to our not-too-distant future, where citizens are continually monitored via cameras and their privacy infringed on a daily basis. The sacrifice of freedom and power in return for technological convenience is a prevalent theme, and in many ways this near-dystopian version of Chicago serves as a warning message to our always-connected society.

Developed by the ethically questionable Blume Corporation, CtOS paves the way to creating the first “smart city” by tethering the entire city to a centralized network. This, in theory, makes the city much more efficient by combining municipal functions with other elements like constant surveillance to minimize crime.

Adopted and installed, citizens go along their daily lives under the all-seeing shroud of CtOS, not knowing that the “smart city” was never about making the city*more efficient–the implications are far more sinister.

After the loss of his beloved niece Lena, Aiden Pearce transforms into the ruthless vigilante.

The game focuses on*Aiden Pearce, a conflicted anti-hero hacker who’s tormented by the death of his niece, Lena, after a botched hacking job. Lena’s death serves as the main branching point that sets Aiden over the edge–think the loss of Bruce Wayne’s parents–and transforms him into a vigilante.

As the “vigilante”, Aiden soon earns a name for himself and catches the eye of DedSec, the rebellious hacktivist group that fights for digital freedom. Pearce soon allies himself with the organization,*and together they unlock clues and work to break the iron grip*of CtOS and free the city of its iron grip.

Watch Dogs features a vividly stylized rendition of Chicago that’s complete with real-world landmarks and a eye-catching photo-realistic environments.

Game Mechanics: A City at your Fingertips

At it’s core, Watch Dogs is very much akin to the*Grand Theft Auto*formula thanks to its third-person control scheme, map system, and on-foot/vehicle transportation. This is pretty much the tried-and-true scheme for any open-world game, and players will notice many different parallels between CtOS-controlled Chicago and Los Santos.

Examining the layers of the game*reveals a very different picture: hacking, expansive skill trees, strategic stealth combat and a huge offering of missions are just the tip of the iceberg. The amount of control and freedom given to players is a sharp contrast to that of the city’s denizens: sure they are free to live their lives, but they unknowingly pay quite a bit for the modern conveniences afforded to them. Aiden can tap into just about anything in the city: pluck cash from thin air, orchestrate terrific traffic accidents, and even spy on every room in an entire apartment complex (it’s amazing what some people do behind closed doors).

Even still, the grey-hat hacker isn’t invincible and as much as it seems he’s in control with the vast power that lays in his glowing LED-lit phone, his behavior is pre-determined by a motivation for revenge. The way he goes about getting said revenge, though, is entirely up to you. Should Aiden be a ruthless renegade and instill blind panicky fear into the city, or should he be a masked savior that brutally punishes criminals with his steel baton?

Security cameras can be used to scout nearby areas, hack passersby, and connect to other cams in the area.

Hacking

Hacking CtOS is an integral part of the game and is the basis of nearly every interaction throughout Chicago. Aiden can use his smartphone to hack everything from strategically placed cameras to traffic lights and even drawbridges, and is can be an valuable asset when overrun by enemies.

Pressing Square brings up the Profiler, which examines every nearby citizen and displays their personal details. These denizens can be hacked by simply holding Square to glean information on nearby crimes, or sate your curiosity by intercepting their texts and phone calls.*You can also wipe out their bank account* at a nearby ATM and pocket their precious earnings.

When hacking certain networks such as mainframes, players will be met with a unique mini-game puzzle to simulate the digital infiltration.

As you explore the autumnal streets of Chicago, randomly generated crime profiles will be triggered via CtOS. Intervening and taking part in these optional side-quests can earn XP as well as Reputation bonuses, which are important if you want to keep Aiden*out of the papers and in the shadows.

Hacking can be done anywhere at any time, even behind the wheel of a car. Seeing as Aiden can’t shoot whilst in a vehicle–but enemies can, of course–this is only fair. Generally this is meant to be a unique feature, as players can thwart police pursuits by hacking a roadblock to cut off the chase, or even raise the drawbridge and fly across the gap while your pursuers skid to avoid the jump.

The four-tiered skill tree features a myriad of unlockable abilities, allowing players to tailor and customize their very own vigilante.

Character Progression and Skills

Watch Dogs uses a RPG-like progression system that revolves around Aiden earning XP and leveling up when completing missions, taking down criminals, and using stealth to combat baddies. Skill points are then granted, which can be applied to our vigilante’s quad-tiered skill tree that consists of Hacking , Combat , Crafted Items and Driving .

Each skill ranges from passive abilities like being able to take more bullet damage to active unlocks like being able to hack environmental hazards like steam vents, roadblocks and spike tracks. A combination of hacking, combat and crafting is a surefire bet to any situation.

The Progression Wheel marks the sum of your endeavors in Watch Dogs, and can also unlock helpful boosts, abilities, weapons and cars.

Apart from XP and skillpoints, players can earn and unlock bonus abilities via the Progression pane. This tracks your progress in everything you can do in the game, from hunting down QR codes in side-quest Investigations, enacting*hilarious Digital Trips (Spider Tank!), finishing off gang members in Gang Hideouts, taking part in online multiplayer or even tackling mainline missions.

Earning rep can also net some bonuses through Notoriety. Rep is gained from either being a chaotic cop-shooting malcontent or by taking your vigilante role seriously and doling out some lawful justice.

Conclusion

Watch Dogs has proven to be a entertaining and action-packed release*that bristles with*a dazzling array of features and content. Ubisoft has crafted an incredibly detailed and sprawling virtual Chicago that’s replete with a socio-political sphere that mirrors our world, creating an wholly immersive environment for gamers to enjoy.

While the game does have its shining moments of stalwart quality, it doesn’t capitalize enough on the deeper implications of its style, instead sacrificing uniqueness for a massive armament of in-game content. Much of the content is enjoyable enough, however a lot of it seems optional and grindy, and lacks substance.

Apart what could have been, Watch Dogs*is a mix of many great themes and genres tied into one very re-playable package. Despite the awkward driving moments, glitches and bugs, and a rocky*launch, the game maintains its foothold in the AAA realm and is a key example of next-gen quality.

Pros

Amazing rendition of*The Windy City

Great visuals and graphics

Hacking

RPG-esque skill trees

Massive replay value

Staggering in-game content

Strategic combat

Compelling story

Hacktivist themes

Digital Trips

Cons

Driving

Finicky environments

Glitches/Bugs

Clustered cityscape

Thoroughly punishes mistakes

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