Watch Dogs 2 First Impressions

[J4MES OX4D 10,276]

I wasn't planning on getting this game at all especially as the preview builds look like a boring, bland, empty and rather dated sandbox and that's not even taking into account the tarnished reputation that the name and developers have after the immensely disappointing original. After seeing plenty of positive reviews of the sequel from the console release two weeks ago and the PC version a couple of days previous; I decided to grab the game on PC knowing a refund option was there to bail me out if the game was as poor as I'd expected long before launch. Actually the game to my bemusement it's actually not all that bad. 

Actually; the game is absolutely brilliant! My expectations were still reasonably high and this game exceeds them on many levels. Visually; the game looks fantastic and far better in the final build than in the previews which is unheard of from Ubisoft as their games are usually 'downgraded' and not seemingly upgraded. San Francisco has great detail, colour and whilst not overwhelmingly packed full of NPC's; there is certainly an amazing vibe with plenty of cars and people - a lot more than seen in the barren preview build. There are so many interactive and unique AI characters and some of their interactions with each other is unbelievably lifelike. There are even dogs you can pet! It is a wonderful setting and superbly detailed and vibrant. 

The story is lighthearted, cheesy and cliche but that's not a bad thing - it's more in-line with GTA's level of humour and it doesn't do a bad job. The characters aren't all that bad either and are very appropriately written and presented. There are some hilarious moments and dialogue too and it really fits with the stereotypical 'hacker' scene that's current. There is also plenty of things to hack and interactive features which can aid you through missions or simply lead to some barmy scenarios. 

A few minor gripes is the car handling is still a bit ropey at times especially in some vehicles and the AI is also wobbly as hell but overall; it's been a truly fantastic experience so far and far better than the original. I think Ubisoft being brought down to earth with how they produce and market games like this has really helped them produce a great game that isn't trying too hard to be good or mislead people. Worth considering if you're after one final game this year. 

[The3rdWalker 1,281]

Game plays like reading meme after meme. Couldn't handle it.

[GazzaGarratt 11,222]

Nice write-up James. I'm still not sold for me though - what's the control mechanics like? That's what really annoyed the hell out of me in the first game.

[J4MES OX4D 10,276]

9 hours ago, GazzaGarratt said:

Nice write-up James. I'm still not sold for me though - what's the control mechanics like? That's what really annoyed the hell out of me in the first game.

Pretty fluid in terms of on foot although the melee and gun combat isn't quite as polished as the first surprisingly. The driving has been vastly improved although still not on par with the likes of GTA but far better than the original. I'm about 25 hours in and enjoyed every second of it to my surprise so it's well worth considering sometime down the line especially if you can grab it cheaper than the usual RRP. 

[phil bottle 10,057]

It's got decent reviews in the end and I'll be keeping an eye out for a sub £20 deal.

Overloaded with games right now so no hurry.