Simply put, "Watch Dogs 2" is arguably the game that its predecessor should have been. It feels like "Grand Theft Auto" with a lighter, younger, hipster feel to it, and it fixes many of the problems presented in the series’ 2014 debut. Though it isn’t perfect, "Watch Dogs 2" is fun, polished and just unique enough to separate itself from the competition.
"Watch Dogs 2," a digital copy of which The Post received at no cost from publisher Ubisoft, is a third-person shooter with a focus on hacking and stealth. The player controls Marcus Holloway, a San Francisco-based hacktivist who wants to take down the “smart city” software that is sweeping the U.S. one metropolis at a time. As more devices from toys to cars are connected to the infrastructure, massive amounts of information about citizens’ lives are delivered to private companies to be used for various purposes. Feeding off the personal information and security fears in today’s society, "Watch Dogs 2" does a great job of tying into reality and making it feel like a situation that could happen at any moment.
The dialogue is well-written, and the voice acting is lively, enjoyable and believable. Even though the storyline becomes a bit convoluted and confusing, it’s possible to maintain a grasp on the basic gist of what’s going on. But more importantly, the storytelling is fun and a little goofy — like the characters themselves. The game references pop culture and current events with surprising slickness and satire, like in an early side mission playing off pharmaceutical executive (and online troll) Martin Shkreli’s purchase of a Wu-Tang Clan album in late 2015.
The game improves vastly on the original "Watch Dogs" by creating characters the player can actually be interested in, or, at the very least, be amused and entertained by. Main character Marcus looks and acts like a tech-headed Von Miller, demolition specialist Wrench is a mysterious-yet-energetic guy who hides behind a customized mask and a voice changer, and so on. "Watch Dogs 2" also does a solid job of representing the LGBTQ+ community, women and racial minorities in tech, and those with disabilities. Putting diverse characters in diverse roles is a welcome touch that deserves a standing ovation.
The game’s action features gunplay and a cover system similar to Ubisoft’s own "The Division" combined with the stealth-based snooping of "Assassin’s Creed," all with a high-tech flair. In practice, this usually means that the player will enter a mission quietly and sneak around for as long as possible while surveying the area and using hacking abilities to gain the upper-hand. If/when the player is detected, he or she will have to use weapons and gadgets to mow through enemies to reach the objective before evacuating the area and slinking back into the shadows.
The split between stealth and gunplay in "Watch Dogs 2" is great. Although it’s possible to rely almost exclusively on one or the other, using both where appropriate helps the game flow wonderfully and naturally. Marcus can manipulate the world around him by hacking forklifts, cameras, smartphones, laptops, cars and more. He can cause enemies’ headsets to buzz with feedback or even forge evidence against them to summon cops and gang members to attack them. Considering hacking is the name of the game, it feels great. It works as intended and makes being sneaky actually fun.
Then, once subterfuge loses its usefulness in a scenario, Marcus can use the tight gunplay mechanics to take down foes one by one. No longer can the main character carry dozens of guns at once; the player chooses a couple to take into missions and must use them wisely. As the game goes on, enemies get tougher and wear more armor, making it necessary to use cover, gadgets and tactics rather than a run-and-gun mentality. "Watch Dogs 2" is surprisingly tricky, which is both a blessing and a curse.
It’s hard to say a game like "Watch Dogs 2" strives to be realistic, but in some sense it feels that way. Marcus is a fleshy character who can’t carry a small arsenal of guns or take absurd amounts of damage, and his heavily armored foes can be difficult to take down (as they should be). On one hand, that provides a challenge and requires players to be resourceful on the fly. On the other, certain mission segments can seem nearly impossible, and the action comes to a grinding halt as the player tries to work through the problem and dies over and over again in the process.
To help combat that, a huge skill tree lets the player tailor Marcus’ skills to his or her own play style, whether that’s stealthy, boisterous or somewhere in between. Skills are unlocked by earning enough XP to grant “research points” and by finding key data scattered throughout the open world of San Fran.
Speaking of the open world, exploring the world of "Watch Dogs 2" is fun as well. Ubisoft’s rendition of the San Francisco area is a microcosm of reality, complete with landmarks and popular places. As far as open world cities go, it’s not the most unique in gaming, but it’s still a fun place to waste time in and gain XP. Story-based side missions and odd jobs — like driving for the game’s equivalent of Uber — allow the player to explore the world and gain something from it as well.
Ubisoft has improved the awful vehicle handling from the first "Watch Dogs," so traversing the city doesn’t feel like a chore. Engaging in high-speed chases with the police is a blast, thanks to the abilities to trigger explosions, cause cars to swerve at will, alter traffic signals and more. Causing more chaos causes more police to flock to the player, which creates for some top-notch chases.
In only one area does "Watch Dogs 2" take a legitimate step back from its predecessor: online PvP. Really, the PvP modes are great for the most part, but one unfortunate issue pops up far too often — players can hack each other’s vehicles, rendering them immobile. At that point, the player who has been hacked can either wait in the car until it regains mobility or try to exit the vehicle and run away. The former usually ends with being shot through the window, and the latter ends with being run over. Pick your poison. Outside of that overpowered ability, the PvP modes would be a blast to play, but for now, they’re simply frustrating.
Otherwise, "Watch Dogs 2" is a solid improvement over the series’ initial entry and is, overall, a very fun game to play. It features solid gameplay and a good flow between stealth and gunplay. The characters are interesting and diverse, the story is surprisingly witty, and driving is vastly improved. In short, "Watch Dogs 2" takes several steps in the right direction and kickstarts a franchise that may very well have more promise going forward than Ubisoft’s flagship "Assassin’s Creed."
Score: 4/5
"Watch Dogs 2" was released Nov. 15, 2016 for PS4, Xbox One and PC.
