Ok I got a lot to say here. First of all yes the Wii U version I played is really bad. Low framerate and pop in. (Actually pretty solid visuals compared to ps3 and 360 though) didn't have all the dlc either.
And ok, yes the e3 demo they showed was misleading. Yes it's not a perfect game.
Objectively this game is probably around a 3? But I'm giving it a 5, screw objectivity, the amount of hours and enjoyment this game has provided me is only matched by a very small selection of games. Let me tell you why this game is amazing.
This is probably my favorite open world in any game. Chicago is just stunning. And they got basically all of the attractions and locations down to the minute details. It's a very lived in setting. And it feels authentic, not just from the visuals but with the music featuring artists from the city. The atmosphere this game creates is just lightning in a bottle. Walking the streets at night is magical to me. It makes me feel warm inside. This makes online even better which I'll talk about in a bit.
The games narrative is nothing crazy, but it's actually told pretty well with a really memorable cast of characters. I think a lot of people have come around to Aiden now myself included. He's very stiff and lifeless a lot of the time, but he spends basically every hour looking into the most corrupt and disgusting crimes people commit, no wonder he's so grumpy. I think Noam Jenkins is superb in the role as well. He needs to be in more stuff. His mannerisms add so much to the performance. It's a real shame the next 2 games opted to drop the tone of this one because the darker edge to the story was really interesting. It's just presented and performed so well that I look past its weak areas.
Gameplay wise this game in extremely tight. The controls are near perfection. Snapping to cover is smooth and flows well. The gun section dosent actually matter too much, you only end up using a small list of them, but the gunplay in general is excellent. This is all enhanced by the great parkour system. Vaulting over crates, walls, over car roofs. Not only are the animations extremely crisp, but they offer good traversal options and make combat both feel and look good. The melee takedowns are the same story, and there are just so many animations and ways to knock them out
There is a truckload of content here. Not all of it is amazing, but can you really tell me controlling a spider tank in the open world and blowing things up isn't fun? Or the "Alone" minigame that's more stealthy and intense. Any game with chess is always nice.
I have to also briefly mention to dope soundtrack, both the licensed and in game ost. Fits the game perfectly.
But ok, everything I've mentioned you can refute that this dosent warrant a 5 star. To which I say, if you played Online Hacking you would change your mind.
Online Hacking is one of the greatest online modes made for anything ever. A game of hide and seek in the open world map dosent sound that interesting on paper. But then you factor in everything that's going on: the hacker gets to choose the location, your own tiny arena in this massive map. And you both have the same tools and skillset. So initially the hacker has the edge over the victim, they pick the location and can get a big head start if they start it from far away. But over time the area you're forced to hide in gets too small to give you options. So the hacker becomes the one who has to run and stay away. This is such a perfectly crafted dynamic game of cat and mouse where the roles reverse at just the right moments. And the open world is designed in such a way where nearly every area has something to offer to keep you hidden. I can't express just how amazing this mode is: I'd buy a full game just about that.
Watch_Dogs is rough around the edges, but it holds so much amazing content and some of the most fun I've had in a game that I can't bring myself to dislike it. I love everything about it and will always come back to revisit it.
And ok, yes the e3 demo they showed was misleading. Yes it's not a perfect game.
Objectively this game is probably around a 3? But I'm giving it a 5, screw objectivity, the amount of hours and enjoyment this game has provided me is only matched by a very small selection of games. Let me tell you why this game is amazing.
This is probably my favorite open world in any game. Chicago is just stunning. And they got basically all of the attractions and locations down to the minute details. It's a very lived in setting. And it feels authentic, not just from the visuals but with the music featuring artists from the city. The atmosphere this game creates is just lightning in a bottle. Walking the streets at night is magical to me. It makes me feel warm inside. This makes online even better which I'll talk about in a bit.
The games narrative is nothing crazy, but it's actually told pretty well with a really memorable cast of characters. I think a lot of people have come around to Aiden now myself included. He's very stiff and lifeless a lot of the time, but he spends basically every hour looking into the most corrupt and disgusting crimes people commit, no wonder he's so grumpy. I think Noam Jenkins is superb in the role as well. He needs to be in more stuff. His mannerisms add so much to the performance. It's a real shame the next 2 games opted to drop the tone of this one because the darker edge to the story was really interesting. It's just presented and performed so well that I look past its weak areas.
Gameplay wise this game in extremely tight. The controls are near perfection. Snapping to cover is smooth and flows well. The gun section dosent actually matter too much, you only end up using a small list of them, but the gunplay in general is excellent. This is all enhanced by the great parkour system. Vaulting over crates, walls, over car roofs. Not only are the animations extremely crisp, but they offer good traversal options and make combat both feel and look good. The melee takedowns are the same story, and there are just so many animations and ways to knock them out
There is a truckload of content here. Not all of it is amazing, but can you really tell me controlling a spider tank in the open world and blowing things up isn't fun? Or the "Alone" minigame that's more stealthy and intense. Any game with chess is always nice.
I have to also briefly mention to dope soundtrack, both the licensed and in game ost. Fits the game perfectly.
But ok, everything I've mentioned you can refute that this dosent warrant a 5 star. To which I say, if you played Online Hacking you would change your mind.
Online Hacking is one of the greatest online modes made for anything ever. A game of hide and seek in the open world map dosent sound that interesting on paper. But then you factor in everything that's going on: the hacker gets to choose the location, your own tiny arena in this massive map. And you both have the same tools and skillset. So initially the hacker has the edge over the victim, they pick the location and can get a big head start if they start it from far away. But over time the area you're forced to hide in gets too small to give you options. So the hacker becomes the one who has to run and stay away. This is such a perfectly crafted dynamic game of cat and mouse where the roles reverse at just the right moments. And the open world is designed in such a way where nearly every area has something to offer to keep you hidden. I can't express just how amazing this mode is: I'd buy a full game just about that.
Watch_Dogs is rough around the edges, but it holds so much amazing content and some of the most fun I've had in a game that I can't bring myself to dislike it. I love everything about it and will always come back to revisit it.