Watch Dogs

[Stringer Bell]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1B0yvBFsQFI

This game is going to be THE SHIT!

[Kdestiny]

Super excited, first game in a while that I preordered as soon as I heard about it. Looks lovely too

[Grimario]

Looks sensational. First I have actually looked into anything about it.

[Kyle_242]

I've been very cautious about this game. Ever since first seeing gameplay, it screamed Assassin's Creed 1 to me, where Ubisoft takes a really cool idea and focuses too much on executing the idea itself while forgetting to make the game itself any fun whatsoever. And if you read this article, that's pretty much exactly what happened:

http://www.polygon.com/2014/3/6/5477236/watch-dogs-hands-on-video-interview-release-date

Fortunately, they seem to have realized it and delayed it so it can be fixed, so that gave me a huge boost in confidence. But again, I'm still cautious, even a few months isn't very long in game development time. Hoping it's great though, and if not it'll at least lay the way for some solid sequels like AC did.

[VHS]

I look at the gameplay that's come out for this, and it's breath-taking. Beautiful.

That said, I see the basic game tropes that plague video games today. Like for instance the illusion of having freedom to do whatever you want. You enter a mission and you're put in situations where you're funneled to perform one specific ability or task... you rinse/repeat it for the next mission as well... and you come to the same conclusion every time.

[VHS]

More on this... and again I think this game is just astonishing to watch. The multiplayer looks like it's a cool idea and they touch on how to filter out the hackers that are trying to invade you... but what I was curious about it if the player you're hacking decides to unload a clip into the air, thus scaring all the surrounding inhabitants, what happens if the hackers starts running away? If they start running away along with the rest of the people, are listed as a common citizen? If not, then that's a very cheap gameplay flaw. Depending on how you look at it, it could even be an exploit.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6CT3xPxZq9g

edit... I like the idea of being able to "control the environment" by raising/lowering things like forklifts and stuff, but does that mean the opposing team can do the same? If yes, then you'd have people raising/lowering things left & right. Why lower some cover for yourself when an enemy can just raise it back up?

Last nitpick. The sound effects are horrible, mainly the gun effects.

[Jez]

My interpretation of him firing a clip into the air is that the hacker would not want to run away because if he did so the hack would stop. I don't think if the hacker was in the crowd and did run away that it would identify them as a NPC. Either way it's a pretty novel form of multiplayer and provided it's optional could be a lot of fun. I'll be picking this up soon after release after a price drop so I have time to finish The Last of US Remastered :D

[Bert]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hpU_Neg1KA

[T.I (uh oh)]

Watch Dogs may turn out to be a very good game, but I'm extremely skeptical about it. The way Ubisoft has gone about things in the lead up to release indicate that its a case of style over substance, and they are trying banking on getting their pre-order and day one sales before the negative word of mouth takes over.

Ubisoft have a release day embargo on all reviews and impressions, which doesn't instill a lot of confidence in me - especially after they hosted a review junket in France, where they were giving away $500+ phones. Not to mention that the reviewers were given finite time with the game, under supervision of Ubisoft reps. It's all extremely dodgy to me.

I hope I'm wrong, because the concept is awesome, but I'll be waiting until the dust settles, and seek impressions from those who have actually played the game in the wild before committing.

[Grimario]

With you there.

[Bert]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE6OnFKxdi4

[Hlebsfall]

I played it for a bit yesterday. Its shit.

[Bad Collin]

What is shit about it?

I hate that they have embargoed the reviews.

[Alf]

I've been playing it a bit this weekend.

It's ok. It's nothing that we haven't seem before though in terms of the environment and the missions you do. It feels like the extra hacking gimmick isn't really enough to hook an entire game on. It's ok.

[Bad Collin]

How does it look compared to GTA 5?

[Alf]

About the same. I think GTA is a bit shinier and a bit slicker. But about the same. I'm playing it on 360 so it's not up to to xboxone and ps4 scratch... but saying that, I don't think you'd really notice much difference when you get into it. The mechanics are the same. The visuals are only going to be impressive while you're paying attention.

[VHS]

Enter building: press Q
Hack security: press Q
Defeat baddies: press Q
Level up: press Q
Win game: press Q

[Kyle_242]

Q

didn't work

[Bad Collin]

I played it for quite a while last night. It is a good game just not the world beater Ubisoft promised.

[Alf]

How shit are the car chase missions though where you can't shoot out of the window?

The range isn't long enough for you to hack lights and have it work. Same for all the other hacking bits and pieces that effect the road (unless there is a range upgrade later on?). After a good 15 minute chase I had to resort to just ramming him off the road.

[Kdestiny]

I haven't had an issue with the hacking.

the lack of being able to shoot from a vehicle is a problem though

[Morrison]

How shit are the car chase missions though where you can't shoot out of the window?

The range isn't long enough for you to hack lights and have it work. Same for all the other hacking bits and pieces that effect the road (unless there is a range upgrade later on?). After a good 15 minute chase I had to resort to just ramming him off the road.
they suggest going into focus mode to utilize the street hacks better, though it's hardly a suggestion and more them coyly telling you 'the street hacks/traps can't be properly sprung by the average player cause of the speed of the game and the overall range, so you're gonna have enter slow-motion mode to even vaguely take advantage of them.'

i only finished the first mission then went screwing about for a bit; hacking civilians, cleaning out bank accounts, finding QR codes and doing some digital trips. that spidertank game is ridiculously fun. i obviously haven't spent a lot of time yet, but it seems like it'll be a fun enough game, but the mechanics seem oddly unpolished considering it's been in development for so long. maybe there's just a learning curve and i need to play more, though.

[Stringer Bell]

How do you switch to focus mode?

I'm liking it so far. It's not perfect, but it's one of the best next gen games I've played and it'll hold me over fine until something better comes along. Seems like there's a ton of side stuff/minigames to explore which is nice.

[Jez]

I played for maybe an hour last night and I agree with the general feeling expressed in here so far - it's definitely not bad but it's not very exciting or different either. I regret buying at launch as I'd have enjoyed it more if I paid £25 for it.

[S.H. Styles]

I'm either going to buy this or mario kart 8 and get the other one when it's available on gamefly. Is the consensus that this isn't worth a buy?

[Morrison]

How do you switch to focus mode?

I'm liking it so far. It's not perfect, but it's one of the best next gen games I've played and it'll hold me over fine until something better comes along. Seems like there's a ton of side stuff/minigames to explore which is nice.

click the right stick in.

[mr sabu]

im finding the game to be pretty mehh and im no that far in

driving isn't the best

[Bad Collin]

I've played this quite a lot and I am fairly close to finishing the story but I think the biggest problem with the game is that the side missions are very samey. Games like GTA and Skyrim do a much better job of making the side missions unpredictable. With Ubisoft games it's always the same shit on a different part of the map.

[Bad Collin]

Finally got round to finishing this. The ending was as meh as the rest of the game.

If they do Watch dogs 2 then they need to add shooting from cars, flying and the story needs to be tighter.

Despite everything I am still tempted to go back and tidy up the side missions.