Watch Dogs 2 by Ubisoft, Game Review, played on the PS4 back when it got released.
Why Did I Choose Watch Dogs 2?
After Watch_Dogs with Aiden Pierce, which I absolutely adored the setting, I had to go for Marcus’ story also. And, for most, it didn’t disappoint. However, I’ve played the game back when it was first released, so I believe I heard about it got some updates ever since.
The Basics
You take on the role of Marcus Holloway, a brilliant young hacker living in San Francisco Bay Area—the cradle of the technological revolution. You join Dedsec, a notorious hacker group, and uncover the hidden dangers of ctOS 2.0, which corrupt corporations can use to monitor and manipulate citizens on a massive scale.
What Worked
Animation & Art Style: There’s not much to overthink here—it runs smoothly, and that’s probably the most important thing. Individual animated scenes perform just as well. Driving even feels slightly smoother than in the first part, which is a noticeable improvement.
Characters: This is a major plus point! Several diverse personalities in the hacker group get along well with each other. Their design is well done, and they appear frequently enough throughout the plot. Essentially, they’re the team standing behind the player, each with tasks to handle and ways to support you.
Music: The soundtrack is great—catchy and used appropriately to amplify the desired mood. You can also find songs within the world and set them yourself to listen to, which is a pretty neat option.
Gameplay: You can now not only complete missions but also collect various items: songs, money bags, research points, and core data. There are taxi minigames, driving around the map, and landmarks to explore. Multiplayer mode is extensive with numerous missions to complete with friends or solo.
What Didn’t Work
The Ending: It felt a bit flat—it simply lacked something and could have been expanded further. You can still complete remaining side missions afterwards, but the main story conclusion left me wanting more.
Controls: They take some getting used to after a long break from Watch Dogs. During the prologue, you don’t receive any information about the controls and have to figure things out by guessing and experimenting. Everything gets explained afterward, but that opening frustration could have been avoided.
Difficulty Balance: The installment was made somewhat easier than the previous one. In Part 1, some missions were very difficult and caused considerable trouble. That’s not particularly the case anymore here—which some may appreciate, others may find lacking challenge.
Final Thoughts
A smoother ride with stronger characters, though the ending leaves something to be desired.
Recommended For:
- Fans of the original Watch Dogs
- Players who enjoy hacking mechanics
- Open-world explorers
- Cooperative multiplayer gamers
💬 Have you played Watch Dogs 2 or any of the games?