Watchdogs was developed by the Canadian development team Ubisoft Montreal and joins in the genre of open world action-adventure. The game was released for all major home consoles and the PC, but Nintendo players had to wait longer because watchdogs appear only now for the Wii U. Of course, it is mainly into debt to the genre that watchdogs constantly in the GTA series connection is made, but as a new IP can be the calm that as a compliment.
The action takes place in a near future and in a fictional Chicago, but which has many original buildings, the real city. The protagonist of watchdogs is Aiden Pearce, who is a hacker and so few know how to deal with his cell phone. After a successful hack is an organization that has to do with criminal activities, attention to Aiden and hired someone to remove the hacker. But the attempt leads to a family drama and since that day is the protagonist on a quest for vengeance. But Aiden wants to protect not only revenge for his great loss, but also his family from further danger.
The story is very captivating and at times it can be taken up a lot of serious issues. The emotional story but is often overshadowed by little jokes that diminish the seriousness of the situation somewhat. The humor works in some places forced some and perhaps should have been retained here the serious rail. But there are some situations that make fast the pulse in the air and a drive the beads of sweat on his forehead. Through these moments you will notice that the developers of Ubisoft Montreal understand something of good storytelling and know how captivates the player to the console.
Since it is a open-world title at watchdogs, has the game in many different gameplay elements, and you can reach the intended target using different methods. The big feature that watchdogs apart from other titles in the same genre, is hacking. Well, that over a single network that called CTOs (Central Operating System), are controlled in the fictitious Chicago all systems. The main character has with his smartphone access to this system and can do different things that make life a lot easier.
With the various hacks Aiden can affect the street and traffic lights, for example switch, install bollards or simply bring a gas pipe under the road to explode. If you get the hang of it, the player with these helpful skills, a sense of full control. Especially the chases per vehicle, in conjunction with the roads hacks that enable a new gaming experience. On the run you can either flee with the vehicle to be from a certain limit escapes, or simply gets into the train and lets these nozzles per hack going on.
But even outside of the roadway, the protagonist with his cell phone do much good stuff. If you have too little money for new clothes, you have to get your hands dirty is not necessarily because Aiden can view the account information of the many passers-by Hack to very quiet walking to the bank and to plunder the bank accounts. Unfortunately, there are not very many things that you can do to spend money and therefore does not have to use this feature also.
Modern Open-World Games must also Shooter elements have and also watchdog has the usual shooting passages that demand again after GTA comparison. You can wear different weapons with him and these can then be selected or changed via a Waffenrad. Weapons can record from defeated enemies or weapons in the many shops that are spread throughout the city, buy. Who even future cyber weapons expected here will be disappointed because the weapons selection is limited to old acquaintances that occur in shooter games repeatedly. In addition to various firearms there are hand grenades and grenade sticks, which you can trigger the explosion at different times.
The exchange of fire can, in most cases, however, also bypassed because there are also many stealth elements built into the game. What benefits the slow passages, the hacking skills of Aiden. The communication equipment of the guards posted can be cracked in order to receive access codes to locked doors or to distract the watchdog. If you have the rustic style rather, it is also possible to trigger enemy grenades to blow up the enemies. If you just want to injure or irritate the opponent, you can move trucks, or make small explosions.
Very exciting are the chases that are very common in watchdogs. And this has probably the reason that Aiden are so many different options available to escape from hazards. One of these functions you get to know very early on and this feature is also likely to be the most popular. The professional hacker can namely care in dangerous situations of confusion and this works best when you switch off the power at night. In the darkness, you can more easily escape and pull his own head out of the noose. The sensors of the police helicopter can be bothered to ensure a safe flight.
The vehicles play an important role in watchdogs because the map of the fictional Chicago is not exactly small. While there is a quick trip function, but to cruise the car makes a lot more fun. On the asphalt you can move around with motorbikes, cars or even trucks. There are different categories of vehicles, which can be a lot of control very similar. The handling is not perfect and does not come close to current racing games, but for an open-world game extends the repertoire of vehicles completely out. And also on the water are enough transport, which you can control yourself and indeed are the different sized boats. That does not make quite as much joy, because it looks as if one moves in slow motion.
In addition to the campaign, around Aiden's vendetta, it is also a lot of side missions and mini-games challenge. This can in turn receive skill points that you need to learn new skills. There are different types of side missions and some I want to bring you closer:
Crime: Again and again places are displayed, where soon a crime will take place. Here one must usually stop someone in a criminal offense and smite.
Criminals convoys: Here goes a criminal gang for some distance along and must be stopped before the finish. In most cases, the head of the gang needs to be struck down. The other members can remove or run away from them.
Gang Hideout: Here you smuggled in a locked area and in turn defeated the leader of the gang and escapes followed.
Fixer-order: In addition to this mission you will first have the location of another hacker to find out because this stealing data from a. After mostly follows the flight of the counterparty. If you have caught the culprits have to knock him only to get the skill points.
A fun alternative to the side missions are the virtual trips. It is a modern drug that acts through sound effects and the players beamed to quirky trips. During one of these trips all the colors of the city are presented and robust to hop all over Chicago from flower to flower. Instead you jump on the asphalt to start again at the beginning. The trips consist of different levels, but can always be canceled.
Earned skill points you can use to learn new skills because Aiden are not all hacks and skills from the outset available. This item fits very well to the game, but unfortunately it has quickly learned all the skills and thus this feature falls short play time into the water. And because you have all learned quickly, there is no individual playing styles, as each player has access to all skills.
Watchdogs provides some visual highlights that one has never seen before in video games. For example, explosions with their light particles and smoke clouds look terrific. This also applies to exploding gas pipes under the asphalt, which trigger a shock wave that looks very realistic. But the coin has another side, because many visual effects do not look out for NextGen and were even better implemented on the PS3 and Xbox 360. Many cars look like toy cars and some buildings look bleak and monotonous.
Conclusion
The feeling of having an entire city under control could give me so far, no game, but Ubisoft is with watchdogs managed just that. By hacking has ranzugehen so many ways to the game and makes you feel very powerful right from the start. The enemy AI reacts lifelike and you have to always think about an appropriate tactic. Visually were some highlights, like the explosions, let a converging mouth water. Although some cars and buildings were not just lovingly designed. Provides Watchdogs a sensible alternative to GTA? This question I have very clearly with a YES answer, because the new IP has some new elements to offer that do the genre well. The tension is broken in places by questionable humor, but those moments are ironed out by emotional twists again. Watchdogs has become a great game and fans of open world should not miss the game.
Per
Very extensive
Skill tree
Good synchronization (German)
Soundtrack
Numerous side missions
Digital Trips
Very good AI
Many tactical freedoms
Chop enables new gameplay
Magnificent storm in Chicago
Contra
Strange ride
We learned all the skills very quickly
Partly forced Humor
Unsightly places in Chicago
Emissions are often related
No innovative weapons
Long load times
