A scene from Watch Dogs 2, a game which lets you hack into major corporations in a high-tech San Francisco setting.
A scene from Watch Dogs 2, a game which lets you hack into major corporations in a high-tech San Francisco setting.
Sequel writes the wrongs of the troubled original. (Enter our Watch Dogs 2 competition using the entry form at the bottom of this page)
The main character was dull, his hacking skills were boring, missions were repetitive and driving a car, well that was just whack.
Those were the main complaints aimed at Watch Dogs, 2014's over-hyped open world cyber adventure that burnt many who, based on years of excellent trailers and built up expectations, expected a different game.
It's a shame those complaints hang over Watch Dogs 2, the sequel that flips the script by arriving with none of the hype but delivers an often terrific game.
It fixes Watch Dog's many errors by shifting action to the more colourful location of San Francisco, changing the main character to the street-smart cool of Marcus Holloway, and integrating his hacking skills seamlessly into gameplay.
That's exactly what makes Watch Dogs 2 so much fun. Jam traffic lights and watch car carnage ensue. Evade police by blowing up a water pump to block the street. Zap guards to sleep by setting booby traps on power points. Build up your bank account by downloading dollars from the phones of pedestrians.
It's all as easy as a push of a button - and it's a trick that doesn't get old in Watch Dogs 2.
It kicks off well too. During the game's terrific introduction, you'll meet Marcus, a promising hacker trying to score a spot in cyber group DeadSec, a Mr Robot-style gang consisting of a chirpy masked dude, a quietly intense nerd, and a female hacker best described as Sporty Spice going through a goth phase.
Deadsec's cyber crew forms the basis of Watch Dogs 2. Marcus, right, is the main protagonist.
You'll need to hack your way into a server bank, evade guards, hack access codes and escape through a basement garage. It's a tense and exhilarating start that the rest of the game doesn't always measure up to, thanks to some cliched cyber challenges, a Hollywood movie script tie-in, some long fetch-and-steal stealth missions that go for an eternity. You'll also have to flee from police during a carjacking trip that reminds just how much this game owes to the still superior Grand Theft Auto V.
But mostly, Watch Dogs 2 is a blast to play. Driving a car no longer makes you feel seasick, Marcus is a funny and engaging lead, and it makes the most of its setting with some on-point commentaries about today's tech-obsessed society.
At one point, you'll need to befriend a Martin Shkreli type in possession of a one-of-a-kind hip-hop album. There are failed software update jibes, Facebook riffs, and nifty one-liners. At one point, you're warned: "You are less valuable than the data you produce."
Carnage ensues during Watch Dogs 2.
All that makes it consistently fun and engaging, like Grand Theft Auto armed with a smartphone. That's exactly what Watch Dogs promised to be. It might be too late, but the sequel lives up to that promise.
We have the DeadSec edition of Watch Dogs 2, as well as a bag, bomber jacket and T-shirt (size: XL) to give away. To enter, use the form below. You must be aged 18 years and older to win this prize.
