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Going for a mooch and opening the profiler was genuinely some of the most entertaining occupation of negative space I’ve seen. Never know when you might encounter a right creature.
I’ve always had a soft spot for Watch Dogs 1. I always saw it as a weird techo mix of John Wick and maybe a little Batman? Idk I just like the vibe of the game and Aiden as a character
I just replayed it for the first time since it came out and was shocked by how much I adored the vibe. Then I was unfortunately curious and downloaded Watch Dogs 2, I finished the tutorial and uninstalled the game. Sucks we never got anything else like the first game.
The hallmark of a true Ubisoft experience is playing their game, realizing how much potential it has, but still feeling massively disappointed. The only difference nowadays is throwing in micro transactions that try to drain the wallets of their consumers.
Shame how they've thrown away the franchise seemingly with Legion having not had much success. Leave it to Ubisoft to milk a franchise for all the money they can with seemingly no regard for the fact they may need people to be happy with them
Unless it's their most known franchise like say AC or Far Cry they will always try and find a way to make it work even going as far as changing it into a open world RPG with AC Origins and later games, but I guess Watch Dogs is their black sheep they just don't care about it.
Of the 3 Watch Dogs games we have 1 is definitely the best. Its hacking is a little disappointing, but just being a grey hat in the middle of s**t was more compelling than actually being part of Dedsec. Watch Dogs 1 with 2's mechanics would have been amazing. No one should even mention legion.
Takedowns aren't just expressive - they also refill your focus meter! Focus protects you from getting shot from an unexpected direction while rushing to close the distance. Getting close affords more takedowns, giving you more focus for more security while pulling even more aggressive rushes, and on and on the cycle goes until you've shot everyone in the head. It would be another two years before Doom (2016) would popularize this style of push forward combat with resources that replenish each other when you use them
Fantastic video, I would like to share my perspective on Aiden as a vigilante. I think his actions are not solely driven by justice and retribution, but also serve to strengthen his power and control over the city. He uses vigilantism to manipulate public trust rather than relying entirely on technology. With constant surveillance of his activities as a vigilante by ctOS, he creates an audience of spectators, similar to a gladiator. As people view him more favorably than those he opposes, they are less likely to report him and may even respect and endorse his actions. Aiden is morally ambiguous, but instead of directing his violence and criminal inclinations towards crime, he channels them into relentlessly pursuing the truth behind his niece's murder, becoming something more than just a harbinger of vengeance, but a symbol that exposes hidden evils for all to see, in similar fashion to DedSec. His rough leather coat gives off an aura of mystery, his non-lethal use of violence through a police baton is both a subversion of the tool and an expression of his will to extend and deploy his power, thanks to ctOS he can make better assessments of who to target and execute, granting him godlike judgement over his enemies, his larger-than-life figure certainly fits many themes of a clever roguish western outlaw set in the modern day, and despite popular opinion, I think he's a well done character, especially for an action adventure game, in conclusion, Aiden Pearce is only a vigilante as a means to social engineer the citizens of Chicago into aiding his personal mission.
“A Potential Wasted”...Got that right😪Loved and still love WD1 and I mostly liked WD2, after WDL disappointment and the criticism I really thought they were gonna do WD4 like a mix of WD1&WD2, and now the franchise is 99% done😪
Watch dogs 1 is really getting more attention and praise in the youtube sphere and im all here for it
7 месяцев назад+7
I don't understand how Ubisoft seems to be one of the few studios (definitely the biggest one) that makes this kinds of social commentary narratives in games and yet still manages to become the target to the very same commentary they are making.
I think a major misconception about Aiden is the title "The Vigilante". It's a title the people gave him. I doubt that he thinks of himself that way. He doesn't care if his actions are just or unjust. All he cares about is his family and his revenge for his niece. He outright tells that to Clara multiple times. Only after the credits he can see himself as some sort of Batman. I think that's the reason why his choice to let Maurice live or not is set after the credits. At any other point in the story Aiden would've shot him without thinking twice.
Yeah the ending was really setting him up to be that type of guy. What he’s doing is not just for himself anymore but because he believes it right. Then Ubisoft saw the backlash and quickly pivoted their brand new franchise into a pseudo GTA clone.
The best part of the game for me was infiltrating a sex trafficking ring and taking out the people running it. It was honestly what revealed to me the potential that this game had and what it could have been. Playing as a vigilante who has the power to bring justice to those that the law cannot touch, now that's an interesting premise. It's like mixing Taken and the Bourne films together. Also, I like that you brought up Watch Dog's unconfirmed connection (although it totally is, personally) to Assassin's Creed, because once the connections were revealed when I first played this game, I realized that Watch Dogs had the best way to do a modern-day storyline for Assassin's Creed. Incorporating technology and new ways of remaining in the shadows could have opened the door for more innovation and possibly even a way to see a conclusion to the Templar/Assassin war. It makes me wonder what their plans were if they had continued its connection. Now that a full decade has passed since Watch Dogs released, something I've come to fully realize about 'wasted potential' is how that is its legacy. And just not Watch Dogs' legacy, but also so many other games out there. It's sad because that will never change, not even with a decade to look back on. It really goes to show that when making something that has potential, make the most of it and don't waste it.
A game that had the potential to surpass gta but Ubisoft just don’t see the gem they got in they hand an what made it so beautiful is that it felt like what a modern day assassins creed game was pose to be
Since Aiden never actually joined DedSec, I wish he got contacted by Rebecca or Shawn to join the modern day brotherhood. To be fair, even if he did join DedSec, he could still be contacted. But I thought maybe being part of two organisations would be a bit much
I don't know how to put it but the Watch Dogs 1 world scale is the best I've seen in the games that feel like real life, maybe it's the camera placement or something but buildings and cars or character height feel life-like
This is something about WD1 that I always felt but never was able to put into words. Thank you for doing so lol, and yeah it is one of the most under-appreciated aspects of WD1
What I've always loved about Watch Dogs is that the games do something that Assassin's Creed couldn't do. And that's showing what happens in the modern day of this universe
I find it strange how often people say the driving is too slidy. They will often show clips of them going full max speed down a street then doing a 90° turn without slowing down. That should flip the car not just slide be thankful it's jusy sliding
Crazy how I just started playing Watch dogs 2 and there's so much about this series that's just come out recently, I hope maybe Ubisoft takes some of this criticism to heart, cause the series had so much to offer.
Watch Dogs is 10 years old... Minecraft is 14... Skyrim is 13. Sometimes looking back it doesn't feel that long ago I first played Skyrim, that I got my first Minecraft key, or that I sat there playing watch dogs on my PS3 like it was GTA. Now I sit here as a 21 year old, wondering where it all went. Would ger how I feel so old when I'm so young. Feelsblike my child hood was wasted, despite these games. Game like these were all I had and now they grow old and some keep changing. Becoming mutated mockeries of their former selves. Old enough now to have video essays of nestolgia about them.
One of my fav game franchises of all time (the first and second one, wasn't keen on Legion). It amazes me how little people I know who have played these games - they're SO GOOD!
They're just ok. I love this first game since I enjoy the driving and John Wick gun-fu animations, but admittedly it's a pretty shallow game with a whole bunch of repetitive filler and literal checklists bloating it, not to mention the story is whack. I do adore the fact that it have so many unexpected quality yet at the same time pointless side content, couldn't believe how many hours I've spent playing chess and poker along with the digitrips in this game. Second game improved stealth and hacking significantly but is worse in almost every other aspect.
@@shira_yoneSaying the WD1 story is wack is just slander. Aidan’s character is definitely complex, but people will just look at the harsh setting and say “edge lord”, while WD2 is very out of touch with the original game’s style.
@@zero.9831 nice strawman but I like Aiden and I still think the story is a massive waste of potential, and even bad for the most part. We have the coolest setting imaginable and they went with a _"save my sister (who we don't care about) from this insane guy I used to work with"_ plot instead of anything remotely interesting, it's also a lame revenge story that practically have nothing to do with the implications of dystopian world with constant surveillance and zero privacy. I love WD1, but the story is simply not good. If you want a good example of a story using similar setting, look up Psycho-Pass.
I find videos like this every so often that I enjoy them like you can't imagine. I've loved this game since 9 years ago. And I love seeing the game receiving some deserved praise since 5 years ago.
If they would of admit watch dog an assassins creed was connected ppl would been more hype and if they would made a game where ur a hacker who seek revenge for ur parents who was kill by Blume an the Templar so u have to join dedsec an work with some assassins to find out the answer Ubisoft would of been know as the best of the best if they try to make a with both of them combined
Some people say 2014 was the year of the ubisoft's downfall. Fall from grace if you will. For me though, i think this was ubisoft's magnum opus with ac unity and watch dogs :)
I've always wondered. Watch Dogs is a game I barely remember playing, but I remember when 2077 came out, and I looked at the core fundamentals of the quickhacks system, I was like "Hmmm this is faintly similar to something I remember from the past". It kinda made me think Watch Dogs was Ubi's attempt to make Cyberpunk as a genre something marketable to a more mainstream audience; watering it down some shallow, lite experience. Also, playing "Beneath the Mask" during the ad was such a nice touch! I love how that track is so ingrained in my brain, I can tell what it is from the first couple seconds lmao
Watch dogs really got left to rot with the rest of their dead vault I think watch dogs should’ve stuck to the atmosphere of the first game with watch dogs 2 movement and tech and I honestly think bad bloods story was better then main game I would love a watch dogs game from a blume agent attempting to infiltrate deadsec and reach the council of Dave’s
Have been a long time viewer of your videos and have learned a lot about AC and now Watch Dogs thanks to your video essays. Looking forward to the next one.
@ThePreciseClimber yeah Max Payne was good, but it didn't have quite the contextual weight of Aiden. I have very real stories of this game while playing the Wick mode where lots of it seemed movie-like due to Aiden stumbling and instinctively bracing against walls when a Shockwave from an explosion hits and the overall physics of the game. Personally, I still consider this a more fun John Wick simulator due to how difficult that playstyle can be, especially in the beginning sections of the game. But the thrill of succeeding after doing it is far far greater than Max Payne which is specifically designed around that playstyle. Watch Dogs wasnt necessarily designed to be played like John wick although its possible. The story seems to want you to play a covershooter most of the time. Not sure on the intentions there though
@@jaycrownshaw3902 In terms of environmental physics, Max Payne 2 was very impressive for its time. Max Payne 3 added some realistic body physics as well. But it did have the side effect of making the controls feel more sluggish.
@ThePreciseClimber I wont disagree with that but I still think Watch Dogs does that better. Its not that Max Payne is bad or that its controls arent impressive for the time, irs juss that I believe Watch Dogs hits the John Wick vibe more solidly. The story itself is very John Wick feeling too with Aidens revenge story.
Ubisoft the kings of wasted potential for over 10 years now, but at least we get some absolutely captivating retrospectives out of it. There is always something in these videos that I haven't seen before or something that changes my opinion, that's why I love them!
I can't help but think Watch_Dogs was supposed to have a shared universe with AC but that Ubisoft got so hot-headed they thought they could make not one but two giga franchises, so now instead of having one amazing connected universe we've gone completely off the rails
Just stupid all they had to do was say yes it’s connected an fans would of wanted some type of game where your a hacker seeking out dedsec for help an u run into the modern day assassins an find out y’all have the same enemy Blume and the Templar all that no potential
Potential wasted by Watch_dogs 2. Watch_dogs was released before John Wick and had the backstory, style and gameplay that were similar to the movie. We know that John Wick blows up and people like to imitate and watch the playstyle. Instead of continuing the route using Aiden Pierce, Ubisoft tried to cater for the masses and reviewers with Watch_dogs 2
You know one thing to point out about the system. It's not called morality. It's called reputation. I always figured it was about what the public saw not who you are. After all good or evil ruthless or kind. Aiden is Aiden. The only thing that changes is what people think of him. So of course an anonymous hack with no way to trace back to Aiden wouldn't affect his reputation. No one knows its him.
Now that I played the whole campaign of Watchdogs, I would highly want that he was the protagonist of Watchdogs 2, and not the clowns that we got in that game, I really couldn't take them seriously, sure, Pierce could be unlikable and somewhat hypocrite in his actions, but at least he wasn't a buffoon like the protagonists of Watchdogs 2.
"It had so much potential" can be said about most Ubisoft games and franchises. They seem entirely dedicated to take great ideas and turn them into the most unispired, bland and by the numbers game.
Love your breakdowns my guy! Fabulous work 👏. I agree I feel like Watch Dogs as a whole has never really reached it's hypothetical potential. I've only played WD1 the others appealed to me but just never really got around to play them. My interests just died out.
Yeah Watch Dogs was one of my favorite open world games of the last decade... with a main character I connected with and the world. It's a shame people saw him as bland because he didn't act like Edward or Ezio or Pagan... that would not work in this type of game or his story. It's a shame Watch Dogs 2 was not headed by Aiden in the dark tone. His story was wrapped up in a dlc in a game I will never play (Legion) how sad. Ubisoft just really... really suck. On a positive note, you still knock the video analysis out of the park... never change James you are appreciated.
Even back in 2014 I thought the first game, Watch Dogs, was just Assassins Creed meets GTA with the unique feature of hacking, and honestly I don’t think that was a bad thing. If Ubisoft had leaned more into AC elements and refined the gameplay mechanics in the sequel I think it could have been a worthy adversary for GTA and as you have mentioned it could have successfully spawned spin offs of AC, but alas it is Ubisoft after all lol.
And not make all the protagonist total clowns, like they watched an episode from Big Bang Theory and through that how nerds are, Pierce would be a far better protagonist in Watch Dog 2, and Blume, I not think that Pierce would call the police and let them handle Blume by the end, he would do his special kind of justice.
in the niki sequence you dont have to guide her out, you can just slaughter all of the guards. this could also work in theory for the rabbit sequence, however he has a single hit point and his Ai cant take cover on its own so i have never managed to save rabbit in this way.
Really loved this watch and breakdown ❤, you always hit the nail on the head with these analysis videos. Ubisoft had such a gem on their hands and they fumbled the bag
The movie for watch is pose to come out this year an it was rumors that the devs want to do a slightly reboot of it by making the game take place in Tokyo in the future you get to choose to play as a female or men an they going back to the darker tone but they wanna see how the movie is gonna do
i know people talk about the "downgrade" but i gurantee if ubisoft just showed the game as the released version was, people would have praised it cause for a 2014 game it looks great. and as far as the game itself it was super fun, especially the mini-games which many open world games nowadays hardly have any. aiden was a decent enough protag and it explored the dark underworld of crime if only legion was a fixture of dark themes of WD1 and the awesome hacking in WD2 we would have a masterpiece in our hands
even though they lied about it this game still holds a special place in my heart,from the soundtrack to the story,gameplay... one of the best ubisoft games
Would you say the player agency in creating a dissonance in Aiden's actions; like taking down a criminal but then choosing to murder a whole bunch of civilians, which then clashes with the events that occur in the story; is as bad as Odyssey letting Kassandra slaughter an entire town, then choose to execute a cultist because they're murdering innocents? Personally, I've never understood why they allow Aiden to go down the path to being a menace and commit criminal actions when he claims to be a vigilante and how it conflicts with certain story and character moments. It's always confused me with this game.
Somewhat, there’s similar criticisms to be made, the difference with odyssey is how the game is about choice, watch dogs isn’t so it’s not a game breaking inclusion, it’s just a bit weird.
Then simply don't be a menace, don't commit criminal acts. I never understood the narrative dissonance logic with actions you're not required to do, but are just optional.
i watched the punisher show with jon bernthal and this game felt like a mix of punisher and micro as a playable character. from the getting revenge to the hacking to how i played through the game it felt like a punisher simulator and it was amazing 2 i havent been able to complete and i doubt id be able to play 3
Watch dogs one could have been even better if they left many of the unused cutscenes in the game that was able to expand on aidens character. Ubisoft should’ve also made the investigation missions more complex having cutscenes and unique missions rather than turning them into a mindless chore only to get a collect able by the end of it
took me a while to get around to watching it (partially life, partially i closed the tab and forgot), but not long after i find you, you review genuinely one of my favorite games of all time. and once again, 4(+?) videos in, you continue to be the sense maker one minor issue i noticed, you stated the narrator of the madness digital trip is like, Evil Aiden (insert inverted aiden with ms paint red eyes here), but it's actually jordi, it's tied to him in the game files. which still makes sense for your interpretation i think, aiden doesn't wanna become like jordi, someone whose "principles change with the amount of money involved". someone who doesn't care about killing, and enjoys it. i can't blame you for getting it wrong, especially since in bad blood it actually is t-bone talking to himself. and honestly, i actually heard you say that and misremembered it being damien, and i found a few other people thinking that as well. i see where you read that it was aiden too, the reddit post that mentions nicky's colors. the voice is really distorted and you hear it behind a loud car and slamming into a million things, so like. i get it LMAO it's also worth noting that if the spider tank is a manifestation of an uncontrolled power fantasy, it's a common power fantasy. digital trips are supposed to be like, some sort of hallucinatory drug created by defalt. and multiple people talk about the spider tank trip, and it's actually a real robot in wd2, which (though not implied at all) i'd say is a defense contractor going on a little ride and writing it down one thing i question about this interpretation, where digital trips are a hallucinated manifestation of people's inner demons, is how personal to aiden they really are. although there's obviously some more personalized aspects, i don't think most people are hearing nicky or jordi, the general themes and their manifestations seem to be common. which somewhat makes sense, i think all of them are insecurities and paranoias anyone could relate to in some way, but it feels like they should manifest in more different ways, and there should be digital trips described that we don't play ourselves. it's implied they're more like personalized video games you pick and choose, and everyone goes through vaguely the same thing. it feels like they should be more unique for individual people. i dunno if that makes sense? at the same time i like the idea that they are unique but everyone happens to converge on wanting to be ultra powerful driving a massive spider tank getting off the digital trip topic though, one really small thing you didn't touch on (understandably, i'm just being a nerd), is how they repurposed the (REALLY FUCKING COOL) online companion app mechanics for the story. i imagine you didn't notice, the app was killed back in 2017, and even then the online in general just. doesn't work if you bought the game on steam. i've been complaining about it for years. i've opened multiple ubisoft support tickets. they insist it's my fault even though countless people have the same exact problem. ANYWAY. the section where damien has control of the city is actually weaving the companion app mechanic into the main story. on the actual app, you're like, a police dispatcher. and you send out police units and control things to try and crash the player. it was SUCH A COOL IDEA. I'M SO MAD THEY KILLED IT. but they did somewhat preserve the idea by weaving it into the story and that makes me happy, i really like that a lot i think this video has made me want to try and persuade my partner into playing this game. particularly because you reminded me how good the gunplay is, and they like gta5's gunplay, and they like very fast aggressive gameplay, so like. getting them into this game should be easy :p also you wanna talk about missed potential, you mentioned the alone people having camera heads, but you didn't make a skibidi toilet joke. disappointing
Hope this isn’t too much of an ask but could you link or list the names of the soundtracks used in this video? Watch Dogs has some banger tracks in there
WD1 might be one of my favourite games of all times, since the first time i played it back in 2015, despite of having so many problems, from which i wouldn't even call the game perfect, but far from it, (curious how i felt and had the exact same thing happened once again with cyberpunk) and i enjoyed each part, to the point its one of my top played games Nonetheless, the way ubisoft handled the series after broke me, from all aspects, from the theme switch in wd2 and later legion, to even the small things like the "ac connection" and how they keep taunting some fans with stuff like the origins' aiden photo. While i know many people loved and defend wd2, i really really despite how ubisoft decided to change the entire series based on the backlash they received from the first game, instead of just building and improve upon it Hell, even i dare to say wd2 was, and still is, what ac odyssey was for many assassin's creed fans
Honestly I love odyssey is one of my favorite Valhalla I like to but it put me to sleep like fr an watch dog 2 is very pretty an fun an the movement is nice an the side quest are not bad but if they would of stick with the dark tone an flash Aiden out more for a second game idk ain’t really no point of talking best thing we can do is wait for the movie to come out an see if it’s good if it is then the game could be save
Agreeed, that's how I feel. WD2 really improved on the gameplay, but the tonal 180 was a BIG mistake. It almost could've been THE sequel like AC2, and Saints Row 2.
Niccce, I love Watch Dogs. It's my favorite Ubisoft game. It deserved a more faithful sequel than WD2 with its tonal 180, and Legion with its "player as anyone" experiment that failed.
Yours footage is really screwed up. Footage where TFOWC mod used has ugly reshade effects (specially sharpening hurts the eye). At 1:48, 3:27 etc you have reshade's AO, it is straight up bad. Footage is too dark overall too, not sure if it is reshade or low brightness in settings.
Yeah, the game doesn’t look as weird as my footage does, no real clue why this happened. (Other than the AO which I was altering as I played and noticed issues), sorry about that.
You are still bitching about the downgrade of graphics after ten years? Even that now at days, most people cant play AAA games, because they high specs are so high and they digital storage is so large that you need at least 150G in your computer, to a high spec computer to play them, and let not speak of the graphical glitches that photo realistic graphics caused, making most of those broken games.
Wasn't really "bitching" just pointing out the obvious fact the retail game doesn't look like the advertised game in a video made to be a critical analysis. I quickly go on to say it literally doesn't matter and I won't hold it against the game.
Yeah these retrospective videos are just cheap ways for him to talk about things that nobody gives a crap about, just look at his views and comments. It’s the same people every time 😂
Thing is I actually liked Aiden. Yeah he was not Ezio but still, I don't really saw what everyone was about when hating on him so severely. I sincerely liked him more that Marcus and whatever they tried to do in Legion.
Serious question Would you say that Aiden is the most complex character of all ubisoft modern games? (Ac, Far Cry, Watch Dogs, Splinter Cell, Ghost Recon)
Planning on watching this video later, but no matter what, this game will always be very special to me. It took itself seriously (unlike WD 2 and Legion) and I did appreciate the story. I wish they could’ve stuck with the serious tone.
My top 15 game series of all-time: 1) Crimson Desert (Release date 2025 and I predict it will become a series). - Pearl Abyss (South Korea). 10/10 2) Stellar Blade (Just released on April 26th and I predict it will become a series). - Shift Up (South Korea). 10/10 3) The Elder Scrolls - Bethesda (USA). 10/10 4) Beyond Good & Evil (Still waiting patiently for BG&E 2 to release). - Ubisoft (France) 10/10 5) Ghost of Tsushima - Sucker Punch Productions (USA) 10/10 6) Mass Effect - Bioware (Canada) 10/10 7) Starfield - Bethesda (USA) 10/10 8) Horizon - Guerrilla Games (Netherlands) 10/10 9) Two Worlds (RIP) - Reality Pump (Poland) and now merged with TopWare Interactive (Germany) 10/10 10) The Saboteur (RIP)) - Pandemic Studios (RIP) (USA) 10/10 11) Cyberpunk: 2077 (A definite series in the making), - CD Projekt Red (Poland) 9.5//10 12) Tomb Raider - Nixxes Software (Netherlands) and their older games by Crystal Dynamics (USA) 9.5/10 13) Deus Ex (RIP) - Nixxes Software (Netherlands) andt their older game by Ion Storm (USA) 9.5/10 14) Watch Dogs) - Ubisoft (France) 9/10 15) Hitman - IO Interactive (Denmark) 9/10 Homorable mentions: Bright Memory: Infinite - FYQD Studio (China) 9/10, Kingdom Come Deliverance - Warhorse Studios (Czech Republic) 9/10, The Witcher - CD Projekt Red (Poland) 9/10, Uncharted - Naughty Dog (USA) 9/10 and Red Dead Redemption - Rockstar Games (USA) 9/10 P.S. I love Pirate games too, but have yet to play that close to perfect pirate game that I've been hoping for, for around 30 years. Someday before I die, I hope.
Too bad Ubisoft forced them to release it too soon, this game had an amazing potential, and still is a great game, Watch Dogs 2 and especially Legion are nowhere near the first one, story of Aiden Pearce was amazing and I was really hoping that they would continue his story in WD2. I am genuinely hoping for a Remake or at least "Next-Gen" remaster with better lighting, shadows and ofc option for Ray-Traced lighting, reflections and shadows, the game would look phenomenal, with some gameplay improvements, better vehicle handling, reworked camera...
Though it was a ubisoft game and had all the trademark ubisoft flaws, I miss when they made games like this that felt complete and created with intent to make a particular sort of experience. I feel like I don't see a lot of identity in games nowadays. Monetization took priority I think.
I never finished WatchDogs 2 and didn’t even have any interest in Legion (except for when Aiden became a character in it ironically enough) agree with this video 100% especially within its link to Assassin’s Creed and I know Desmond was dead at that point but I would’ve liked seeing Desmond and Aiden interact I think this video is the most positive I heard James talk about Odyssey, besides his teaser reaction when the game was announced 😂
Wish they would actually try to make a game like the demo made it out to be. That's what I was excited for in 2012. Each game in the series went further away from what I wanted.
It's a shame this series felt the need to reinvent itself so much because I feel if they'd just consistently improved upon it, it could be second to only GTA. Like there's no game in the series that does everything the previous game did better. I played the older games on launch, but only recently properly played Legion. I didn't mind it, and in a lot of ways I thought it was fun. Going back to the first two though, it's insane how much better the gunplay and general gameplay loop is. Watch_Dogs 1, aside from the godawful aim assist and mouse acceleration has some of the coolest John Wick style combat in any game hands down. Watch_Dogs 2 feels like a hacking sandbox, the world's alive, and there's so many ways to prepare and use the environment against your enemies. Then Legion comes around, as someone who's been to London many times, the world is really awesome to explore, but the gameplay is so watered down. Hacking is in many ways the worst its been, your tools are insanely limited, melee combat is terrible, and the gunplay feels so clunky. Beneath the problems, there was something cool to the play as anyone stuff, and Resistance mode is fun and I like the new layer that adds to help make the world feel like a police state, but that comes with the additional problem of enemies having massive pools of health to where it takes 3 bullets to the head to take them down. I personally like the tone of the first game, and I also really like where Bloodlines took Aiden's character. I think the dark character was great, it just needed to be explored a little deeper to where he eventually could have a proper arc and be a bit more dynamic. I think it'd be great to have a darker story with the sandbox and hacking elements of Watch_Dogs 2, the combat of Watch_Dogs 1, and I do think there could be a way to make a recruitment system work, I just wouldn't have it be in lieu of a main protagonist. You could have an Aiden or Marcus character where they've got their own story but you can build a team from people in the world with various skills. Like in Legion, no one actually works together, you're not really a team. You can recruit a getaway driver, but there's no point in them because they have to be a solo operative.
I remembered back in Middle School I was so Excited for this game and loved the 1st Game Atmosphere. But then the 2nd Game is where they have a Lighter Tone. Then Years upon Later Legion is where it gets Messy. But honestly I’m glad the Series Ended.
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Going for a mooch and opening the profiler was genuinely some of the most entertaining occupation of negative space I’ve seen. Never know when you might encounter a right creature.
What moddd(s) did you use to make the game look like it shudd?
Idk why but I encountered many furries with the profilers
I love your videos man please do more GTA 4 content
I’ve always had a soft spot for Watch Dogs 1. I always saw it as a weird techo mix of John Wick and maybe a little Batman? Idk I just like the vibe of the game and Aiden as a character
I just replayed it for the first time since it came out and was shocked by how much I adored the vibe. Then I was unfortunately curious and downloaded Watch Dogs 2, I finished the tutorial and uninstalled the game. Sucks we never got anything else like the first game.
The hallmark of a true Ubisoft experience is playing their game, realizing how much potential it has, but still feeling massively disappointed. The only difference nowadays is throwing in micro transactions that try to drain the wallets of their consumers.
Shame how they've thrown away the franchise seemingly with Legion having not had much success. Leave it to Ubisoft to milk a franchise for all the money they can with seemingly no regard for the fact they may need people to be happy with them
Unless it's their most known franchise like say AC or Far Cry they will always try and find a way to make it work even going as far as changing it into a open world RPG with AC Origins and later games, but I guess Watch Dogs is their black sheep they just don't care about it.
Of the 3 Watch Dogs games we have 1 is definitely the best. Its hacking is a little disappointing, but just being a grey hat in the middle of s**t was more compelling than actually being part of Dedsec. Watch Dogs 1 with 2's mechanics would have been amazing. No one should even mention legion.
I think the same man.
Takedowns aren't just expressive - they also refill your focus meter! Focus protects you from getting shot from an unexpected direction while rushing to close the distance. Getting close affords more takedowns, giving you more focus for more security while pulling even more aggressive rushes, and on and on the cycle goes until you've shot everyone in the head. It would be another two years before Doom (2016) would popularize this style of push forward combat with resources that replenish each other when you use them
I genuinely did not notice this somehow, I wish I had, it's insane I didn't I just assumed focus recharged super quick lmao
2014 was the goated year of Ubisoft false marketing and lying to their audience, a feat that has yet to be replicated
Hey, AC Unity looked just as good as the trailers.
It ran like ass, but still. :P
Wasted potential describes EVERY Ubisoft game. Even ones most acclaimed
That’s pretty true, even the ones I love have potential that was never tapped, they never fully reached the heights they could’ve otherwise.
*Splinter Cell Chaos Theory.
Except Driver San Francisco
You say wasted potential. I say solid foundation.
Similar things. In 2014 it was a solid foundation, but in 2024 it’s wasted potential.
@@LazerzZ Similar? My point isn't about the passage of time. Rather how language can be used to spread optimism or pessimism.
Both can be true, it can be a solid foundation but due to it not being properly utilised it becomes wasted potential
@@kura6184 Practice observing, not absorbing.
@@PeverellTheThird im sorry but that went right over my head what does that even mean?
Fantastic video, I would like to share my perspective on Aiden as a vigilante. I think his actions are not solely driven by justice and retribution, but also serve to strengthen his power and control over the city. He uses vigilantism to manipulate public trust rather than relying entirely on technology. With constant surveillance of his activities as a vigilante by ctOS, he creates an audience of spectators, similar to a gladiator. As people view him more favorably than those he opposes, they are less likely to report him and may even respect and endorse his actions. Aiden is morally ambiguous, but instead of directing his violence and criminal inclinations towards crime, he channels them into relentlessly pursuing the truth behind his niece's murder, becoming something more than just a harbinger of vengeance, but a symbol that exposes hidden evils for all to see, in similar fashion to DedSec. His rough leather coat gives off an aura of mystery, his non-lethal use of violence through a police baton is both a subversion of the tool and an expression of his will to extend and deploy his power, thanks to ctOS he can make better assessments of who to target and execute, granting him godlike judgement over his enemies, his larger-than-life figure certainly fits many themes of a clever roguish western outlaw set in the modern day, and despite popular opinion, I think he's a well done character, especially for an action adventure game, in conclusion, Aiden Pearce is only a vigilante as a means to social engineer the citizens of Chicago into aiding his personal mission.
“A Potential Wasted”...Got that right😪Loved and still love WD1 and I mostly liked WD2, after WDL disappointment and the criticism I really thought they were gonna do WD4 like a mix of WD1&WD2, and now the franchise is 99% done😪
Watch dogs 1 is really getting more attention and praise in the youtube sphere and im all here for it
I don't understand how Ubisoft seems to be one of the few studios (definitely the biggest one) that makes this kinds of social commentary narratives in games and yet still manages to become the target to the very same commentary they are making.
I think a major misconception about Aiden is the title "The Vigilante". It's a title the people gave him. I doubt that he thinks of himself that way. He doesn't care if his actions are just or unjust. All he cares about is his family and his revenge for his niece. He outright tells that to Clara multiple times.
Only after the credits he can see himself as some sort of Batman.
I think that's the reason why his choice to let Maurice live or not is set after the credits. At any other point in the story Aiden would've shot him without thinking twice.
Yeah the ending was really setting him up to be that type of guy. What he’s doing is not just for himself anymore but because he believes it right. Then Ubisoft saw the backlash and quickly pivoted their brand new franchise into a pseudo GTA clone.
I just finished the Black Flag video so you can imagine how loud I audibly screamed when I saw this
I actually like Aiden. Definitely in my top 5 Ubisoft characters
Just come back from school, grabbed a snack and all ready to watch this. Love these in depth analysis type of videos James
I found Jordi to be a great contrast to Aiden by being a comedic character and he could have been a protagonist in his own right
I knew you were heading for the Assassin's Creed bit. This would've been the perfect game to bring AC into the modern day.
The best part of the game for me was infiltrating a sex trafficking ring and taking out the people running it. It was honestly what revealed to me the potential that this game had and what it could have been. Playing as a vigilante who has the power to bring justice to those that the law cannot touch, now that's an interesting premise. It's like mixing Taken and the Bourne films together.
Also, I like that you brought up Watch Dog's unconfirmed connection (although it totally is, personally) to Assassin's Creed, because once the connections were revealed when I first played this game, I realized that Watch Dogs had the best way to do a modern-day storyline for Assassin's Creed. Incorporating technology and new ways of remaining in the shadows could have opened the door for more innovation and possibly even a way to see a conclusion to the Templar/Assassin war. It makes me wonder what their plans were if they had continued its connection.
Now that a full decade has passed since Watch Dogs released, something I've come to fully realize about 'wasted potential' is how that is its legacy. And just not Watch Dogs' legacy, but also so many other games out there. It's sad because that will never change, not even with a decade to look back on. It really goes to show that when making something that has potential, make the most of it and don't waste it.
Agree, I also loved its connection to ACIV: Black Flag and its modern day
A game that had the potential to surpass gta but Ubisoft just don’t see the gem they got in they hand an what made it so beautiful is that it felt like what a modern day assassins creed game was pose to be
Since Aiden never actually joined DedSec, I wish he got contacted by Rebecca or Shawn to join the modern day brotherhood.
To be fair, even if he did join DedSec, he could still be contacted. But I thought maybe being part of two organisations would be a bit much
Aiden wouldn’t join them he will work with them and see that they share the same philosophy
Yes he would of been the perfect replacement for Desmond imo.
I don't know how to put it but the Watch Dogs 1 world scale is the best I've seen in the games that feel like real life, maybe it's the camera placement or something but buildings and cars or character height feel life-like
This is something about WD1 that I always felt but never was able to put into words. Thank you for doing so lol, and yeah it is one of the most under-appreciated aspects of WD1
What I've always loved about Watch Dogs is that the games do something that Assassin's Creed couldn't do. And that's showing what happens in the modern day of this universe
I'll never get sick of these long form videos
I find it strange how often people say the driving is too slidy. They will often show clips of them going full max speed down a street then doing a 90° turn without slowing down. That should flip the car not just slide be thankful it's jusy sliding
Crazy how I just started playing Watch dogs 2 and there's so much about this series that's just come out recently, I hope maybe Ubisoft takes some of this criticism to heart, cause the series had so much to offer.
Yes the only game that can be a gta rival
Watch_dogs 2 was the response to criticism of the original. And somehow they didn't think their was a middle ground that it had to be A or B
Watch Dogs is 10 years old... Minecraft is 14... Skyrim is 13. Sometimes looking back it doesn't feel that long ago I first played Skyrim, that I got my first Minecraft key, or that I sat there playing watch dogs on my PS3 like it was GTA. Now I sit here as a 21 year old, wondering where it all went. Would ger how I feel so old when I'm so young. Feelsblike my child hood was wasted, despite these games. Game like these were all I had and now they grow old and some keep changing. Becoming mutated mockeries of their former selves. Old enough now to have video essays of nestolgia about them.
I love this games atmosphere man, sometimes i go back just to stroll around the windy city.
One of my fav game franchises of all time (the first and second one, wasn't keen on Legion). It amazes me how little people I know who have played these games - they're SO GOOD!
They're just ok.
I love this first game since I enjoy the driving and John Wick gun-fu animations, but admittedly it's a pretty shallow game with a whole bunch of repetitive filler and literal checklists bloating it, not to mention the story is whack. I do adore the fact that it have so many unexpected quality yet at the same time pointless side content, couldn't believe how many hours I've spent playing chess and poker along with the digitrips in this game.
Second game improved stealth and hacking significantly but is worse in almost every other aspect.
@@shira_yoneSaying the WD1 story is wack is just slander. Aidan’s character is definitely complex, but people will just look at the harsh setting and say “edge lord”, while WD2 is very out of touch with the original game’s style.
@@zero.9831 nice strawman but I like Aiden and I still think the story is a massive waste of potential, and even bad for the most part. We have the coolest setting imaginable and they went with a _"save my sister (who we don't care about) from this insane guy I used to work with"_ plot instead of anything remotely interesting, it's also a lame revenge story that practically have nothing to do with the implications of dystopian world with constant surveillance and zero privacy.
I love WD1, but the story is simply not good. If you want a good example of a story using similar setting, look up Psycho-Pass.
I find videos like this every so often that I enjoy them like you can't imagine. I've loved this game since 9 years ago. And I love seeing the game receiving some deserved praise since 5 years ago.
I was playing Saints Row 2 and the NPCs also there take out an umbrella when it rains
The "Alone" digital trip is just Skibidi Toilet
The only reason I played legion was for Aiden. The fox is the goat!
I really love your disection of videogames. Where u look at games for their themes and ideas and the message they want to convey.
The Assassin's Creed parallels are so heavy in this game, wish they into it more instead of leaning into... whatever the hell Legion was
If they would of admit watch dog an assassins creed was connected ppl would been more hype and if they would made a game where ur a hacker who seek revenge for ur parents who was kill by Blume an the Templar so u have to join dedsec an work with some assassins to find out the answer Ubisoft would of been know as the best of the best if they try to make a with both of them combined
@@Grandtemplar305they did admit they’re connected. Blume is another company belonging to abstergo/templars and their are modern day ac references
@@Josh-kt6jh Blume is not own by abstergo Blume is its own thing I heard
It being so obviously connected to AC was a big selling point for me back in the day. Then WD2 and Legion kind of fucked it all up for me.
Some people say 2014 was the year of the ubisoft's downfall. Fall from grace if you will. For me though, i think this was ubisoft's magnum opus with ac unity and watch dogs :)
I've always wondered. Watch Dogs is a game I barely remember playing, but I remember when 2077 came out, and I looked at the core fundamentals of the quickhacks system, I was like "Hmmm this is faintly similar to something I remember from the past". It kinda made me think Watch Dogs was Ubi's attempt to make Cyberpunk as a genre something marketable to a more mainstream audience; watering it down some shallow, lite experience.
Also, playing "Beneath the Mask" during the ad was such a nice touch! I love how that track is so ingrained in my brain, I can tell what it is from the first couple seconds lmao
Watch dogs really got left to rot with the rest of their dead vault I think watch dogs should’ve stuck to the atmosphere of the first game with watch dogs 2 movement and tech and I honestly think bad bloods story was better then main game I would love a watch dogs game from a blume agent attempting to infiltrate deadsec and reach the council of Dave’s
Yes Blume is very interesting
Have been a long time viewer of your videos and have learned a lot about AC and now Watch Dogs thanks to your video essays. Looking forward to the next one.
Never played watch dogs but you bet your ass i'm watching this whole video no breaks
The best John Wick simulator made. Was waiting for this video
Well, there was also the Max Payne trilogy. :P
@ThePreciseClimber yeah Max Payne was good, but it didn't have quite the contextual weight of Aiden. I have very real stories of this game while playing the Wick mode where lots of it seemed movie-like due to Aiden stumbling and instinctively bracing against walls when a Shockwave from an explosion hits and the overall physics of the game. Personally, I still consider this a more fun John Wick simulator due to how difficult that playstyle can be, especially in the beginning sections of the game. But the thrill of succeeding after doing it is far far greater than Max Payne which is specifically designed around that playstyle. Watch Dogs wasnt necessarily designed to be played like John wick although its possible. The story seems to want you to play a covershooter most of the time. Not sure on the intentions there though
@@jaycrownshaw3902 In terms of environmental physics, Max Payne 2 was very impressive for its time.
Max Payne 3 added some realistic body physics as well. But it did have the side effect of making the controls feel more sluggish.
@ThePreciseClimber I wont disagree with that but I still think Watch Dogs does that better. Its not that Max Payne is bad or that its controls arent impressive for the time, irs juss that I believe Watch Dogs hits the John Wick vibe more solidly. The story itself is very John Wick feeling too with Aidens revenge story.
Ubisoft the kings of wasted potential for over 10 years now, but at least we get some absolutely captivating retrospectives out of it. There is always something in these videos that I haven't seen before or something that changes my opinion, that's why I love them!
I can't help but think Watch_Dogs was supposed to have a shared universe with AC but that Ubisoft got so hot-headed they thought they could make not one but two giga franchises, so now instead of having one amazing connected universe we've gone completely off the rails
Just stupid all they had to do was say yes it’s connected an fans would of wanted some type of game where your a hacker seeking out dedsec for help an u run into the modern day assassins an find out y’all have the same enemy Blume and the Templar all that no potential
Potential wasted by Watch_dogs 2.
Watch_dogs was released before John Wick and had the backstory, style and gameplay that were similar to the movie.
We know that John Wick blows up and people like to imitate and watch the playstyle.
Instead of continuing the route using Aiden Pierce, Ubisoft tried to cater for the masses and reviewers with Watch_dogs 2
You know one thing to point out about the system. It's not called morality. It's called reputation. I always figured it was about what the public saw not who you are. After all good or evil ruthless or kind. Aiden is Aiden. The only thing that changes is what people think of him. So of course an anonymous hack with no way to trace back to Aiden wouldn't affect his reputation. No one knows its him.
Now that I played the whole campaign of Watchdogs, I would highly want that he was the protagonist of Watchdogs 2, and not the clowns that we got in that game, I really couldn't take them seriously, sure, Pierce could be unlikable and somewhat hypocrite in his actions, but at least he wasn't a buffoon like the protagonists of Watchdogs 2.
I been saying that an legion was pose to be his game to Aiden had so much potential but the community was like he was boring and too dark
Now realizing I missed this game. Played it as a trial what feels like a decade ago, couldn’t finish, still regret it. Love the story.
"It had so much potential" can be said about most Ubisoft games and franchises. They seem entirely dedicated to take great ideas and turn them into the most unispired, bland and by the numbers game.
This’ll get me through my last few hours of work today😎
the persona music during the advert was beautiful
if those games that were downgraded were PC ONLY they wouldn't have been downgraded so much, the ps4/xbox1 were really underpowered.
This Video Made me want to play this series especially Aiden Pearce's story
AC III Retrospective coming when? I need to hear your analysis of the rest of the Desmond story
Love your breakdowns my guy! Fabulous work 👏.
I agree I feel like Watch Dogs as a whole has never really reached it's hypothetical potential. I've only played WD1 the others appealed to me but just never really got around to play them. My interests just died out.
Over hyped? Sure but I still really like this game. Its worth playing
Yeah Watch Dogs was one of my favorite open world games of the last decade... with a main character I connected with and the world. It's a shame people saw him as bland because he didn't act like Edward or Ezio or Pagan... that would not work in this type of game or his story. It's a shame Watch Dogs 2 was not headed by Aiden in the dark tone. His story was wrapped up in a dlc in a game I will never play (Legion) how sad. Ubisoft just really... really suck. On a positive note, you still knock the video analysis out of the park... never change James you are appreciated.
Even back in 2014 I thought the first game, Watch Dogs, was just Assassins Creed meets GTA with the unique feature of hacking, and honestly I don’t think that was a bad thing. If Ubisoft had leaned more into AC elements and refined the gameplay mechanics in the sequel I think it could have been a worthy adversary for GTA and as you have mentioned it could have successfully spawned spin offs of AC, but alas it is Ubisoft after all lol.
And not make all the protagonist total clowns, like they watched an episode from Big Bang Theory and through that how nerds are, Pierce would be a far better protagonist in Watch Dog 2, and Blume, I not think that Pierce would call the police and let them handle Blume by the end, he would do his special kind of justice.
much love to your reviews m8 they are really a unique treat:)
in the niki sequence you dont have to guide her out, you can just slaughter all of the guards. this could also work in theory for the rabbit sequence, however he has a single hit point and his Ai cant take cover on its own so i have never managed to save rabbit in this way.
Really loved this watch and breakdown ❤, you always hit the nail on the head with these analysis videos. Ubisoft had such a gem on their hands and they fumbled the bag
The movie for watch is pose to come out this year an it was rumors that the devs want to do a slightly reboot of it by making the game take place in Tokyo in the future you get to choose to play as a female or men an they going back to the darker tone but they wanna see how the movie is gonna do
This video changed the way I look at Watch Dogs. I may even play it again.
Haven’t played the game yet but this makes more excited to play it and now watch this after 😂
i know people talk about the "downgrade" but i gurantee if ubisoft just showed the game as the released version was, people would have praised it cause for a 2014 game it looks great.
and as far as the game itself it was super fun, especially the mini-games which many open world games nowadays hardly have any. aiden was a decent enough protag and it explored the dark underworld of crime if only legion was a fixture of dark themes of WD1 and the awesome hacking in WD2 we would have a masterpiece in our hands
even though they lied about it this game still holds a special place in my heart,from the soundtrack to the story,gameplay... one of the best ubisoft games
Would you say the player agency in creating a dissonance in Aiden's actions; like taking down a criminal but then choosing to murder a whole bunch of civilians, which then clashes with the events that occur in the story; is as bad as Odyssey letting Kassandra slaughter an entire town, then choose to execute a cultist because they're murdering innocents? Personally, I've never understood why they allow Aiden to go down the path to being a menace and commit criminal actions when he claims to be a vigilante and how it conflicts with certain story and character moments. It's always confused me with this game.
Somewhat, there’s similar criticisms to be made, the difference with odyssey is how the game is about choice, watch dogs isn’t so it’s not a game breaking inclusion, it’s just a bit weird.
Then simply don't be a menace, don't commit criminal acts. I never understood the narrative dissonance logic with actions you're not required to do, but are just optional.
"wanders the streets with all the exaggerated swagger of a middle aged white hacker"
hahahah :D :D
44:54 Lmao I too find that ridiculous. Changing the subject, character's like Aiden
Always fits well in a GTA themed City.
I'll be waiting on tenterhooks for that Cyberpunk video
Love your work James
I feel this game would look great as a movie. I’m picturing someone like David Fincher or Christopher Nolan directing it.
40:02 nahhh, Aiden is dope AF
i watched the punisher show with jon bernthal and this game felt like a mix of punisher and micro as a playable character. from the getting revenge to the hacking to how i played through the game it felt like a punisher simulator and it was amazing 2 i havent been able to complete and i doubt id be able to play 3
Watch dogs one could have been even better if they left many of the unused cutscenes in the game that was able to expand on aidens character. Ubisoft should’ve also made the investigation missions more complex having cutscenes and unique missions rather than turning them into a mindless chore only to get a collect able by the end of it
Literally downloaded watch dogs one last night
34:25 this was skibidi toilet from back in my day 😭
took me a while to get around to watching it (partially life, partially i closed the tab and forgot), but not long after i find you, you review genuinely one of my favorite games of all time. and once again, 4(+?) videos in, you continue to be the sense maker
one minor issue i noticed, you stated the narrator of the madness digital trip is like, Evil Aiden (insert inverted aiden with ms paint red eyes here), but it's actually jordi, it's tied to him in the game files. which still makes sense for your interpretation i think, aiden doesn't wanna become like jordi, someone whose "principles change with the amount of money involved". someone who doesn't care about killing, and enjoys it. i can't blame you for getting it wrong, especially since in bad blood it actually is t-bone talking to himself. and honestly, i actually heard you say that and misremembered it being damien, and i found a few other people thinking that as well. i see where you read that it was aiden too, the reddit post that mentions nicky's colors. the voice is really distorted and you hear it behind a loud car and slamming into a million things, so like. i get it LMAO
it's also worth noting that if the spider tank is a manifestation of an uncontrolled power fantasy, it's a common power fantasy. digital trips are supposed to be like, some sort of hallucinatory drug created by defalt. and multiple people talk about the spider tank trip, and it's actually a real robot in wd2, which (though not implied at all) i'd say is a defense contractor going on a little ride and writing it down
one thing i question about this interpretation, where digital trips are a hallucinated manifestation of people's inner demons, is how personal to aiden they really are. although there's obviously some more personalized aspects, i don't think most people are hearing nicky or jordi, the general themes and their manifestations seem to be common. which somewhat makes sense, i think all of them are insecurities and paranoias anyone could relate to in some way, but it feels like they should manifest in more different ways, and there should be digital trips described that we don't play ourselves. it's implied they're more like personalized video games you pick and choose, and everyone goes through vaguely the same thing. it feels like they should be more unique for individual people. i dunno if that makes sense? at the same time i like the idea that they are unique but everyone happens to converge on wanting to be ultra powerful driving a massive spider tank
getting off the digital trip topic though, one really small thing you didn't touch on (understandably, i'm just being a nerd), is how they repurposed the (REALLY FUCKING COOL) online companion app mechanics for the story. i imagine you didn't notice, the app was killed back in 2017, and even then the online in general just. doesn't work if you bought the game on steam. i've been complaining about it for years. i've opened multiple ubisoft support tickets. they insist it's my fault even though countless people have the same exact problem. ANYWAY. the section where damien has control of the city is actually weaving the companion app mechanic into the main story. on the actual app, you're like, a police dispatcher. and you send out police units and control things to try and crash the player. it was SUCH A COOL IDEA. I'M SO MAD THEY KILLED IT. but they did somewhat preserve the idea by weaving it into the story and that makes me happy, i really like that a lot
i think this video has made me want to try and persuade my partner into playing this game. particularly because you reminded me how good the gunplay is, and they like gta5's gunplay, and they like very fast aggressive gameplay, so like. getting them into this game should be easy :p
also you wanna talk about missed potential, you mentioned the alone people having camera heads, but you didn't make a skibidi toilet joke. disappointing
update: i did get my partner to play watch dogs, they finished it a few days ago, and they thought it was great :D
This is a brilliant game i really enjoyed it.
Hope this isn’t too much of an ask but could you link or list the names of the soundtracks used in this video? Watch Dogs has some banger tracks in there
WD1 might be one of my favourite games of all times, since the first time i played it back in 2015, despite of having so many problems, from which i wouldn't even call the game perfect, but far from it, (curious how i felt and had the exact same thing happened once again with cyberpunk) and i enjoyed each part, to the point its one of my top played games
Nonetheless, the way ubisoft handled the series after broke me, from all aspects, from the theme switch in wd2 and later legion, to even the small things like the "ac connection" and how they keep taunting some fans with stuff like the origins' aiden photo.
While i know many people loved and defend wd2, i really really despite how ubisoft decided to change the entire series based on the backlash they received from the first game, instead of just building and improve upon it
Hell, even i dare to say wd2 was, and still is, what ac odyssey was for many assassin's creed fans
Honestly I love odyssey is one of my favorite Valhalla I like to but it put me to sleep like fr an watch dog 2 is very pretty an fun an the movement is nice an the side quest are not bad but if they would of stick with the dark tone an flash Aiden out more for a second game idk ain’t really no point of talking best thing we can do is wait for the movie to come out an see if it’s good if it is then the game could be save
Agreeed, that's how I feel. WD2 really improved on the gameplay, but the tonal 180 was a BIG mistake. It almost could've been THE sequel like AC2, and Saints Row 2.
Niccce, I love Watch Dogs. It's my favorite Ubisoft game. It deserved a more faithful sequel than WD2 with its tonal 180, and Legion with its "player as anyone" experiment that failed.
I enjoyed the first game, but there was way too much driving for me. I would have preferred more hacking.
Yours footage is really screwed up. Footage where TFOWC mod used has ugly reshade effects (specially sharpening hurts the eye). At 1:48, 3:27 etc you have reshade's AO, it is straight up bad. Footage is too dark overall too, not sure if it is reshade or low brightness in settings.
Yeah, the game doesn’t look as weird as my footage does, no real clue why this happened. (Other than the AO which I was altering as I played and noticed issues), sorry about that.
You are still bitching about the downgrade of graphics after ten years? Even that now at days, most people cant play AAA games, because they high specs are so high and they digital storage is so large that you need at least 150G in your computer, to a high spec computer to play them, and let not speak of the graphical glitches that photo realistic graphics caused, making most of those broken games.
Wasn't really "bitching" just pointing out the obvious fact the retail game doesn't look like the advertised game in a video made to be a critical analysis. I quickly go on to say it literally doesn't matter and I won't hold it against the game.
Yeah these retrospective videos are just cheap ways for him to talk about things that nobody gives a crap about, just look at his views and comments. It’s the same people every time 😂
Thing is I actually liked Aiden.
Yeah he was not Ezio but still, I don't really saw what everyone was about when hating on him so severely.
I sincerely liked him more that Marcus and whatever they tried to do in Legion.
Serious question
Would you say that Aiden is the most complex character of all ubisoft modern games?
(Ac, Far Cry, Watch Dogs, Splinter Cell, Ghost Recon)
Would love to see a video on games like the other GTAs, Sleeping Dogs and Mafia from u
Planning on watching this video later, but no matter what, this game will always be very special to me. It took itself seriously (unlike WD 2 and Legion) and I did appreciate the story. I wish they could’ve stuck with the serious tone.
My top 15 game series of all-time:
1) Crimson Desert (Release date 2025 and I predict it will become a series). - Pearl Abyss (South Korea). 10/10
2) Stellar Blade (Just released on April 26th and I predict it will become a series). - Shift Up (South Korea). 10/10
3) The Elder Scrolls - Bethesda (USA). 10/10
4) Beyond Good & Evil (Still waiting patiently for BG&E 2 to release). - Ubisoft (France) 10/10
5) Ghost of Tsushima - Sucker Punch Productions (USA) 10/10
6) Mass Effect - Bioware (Canada) 10/10
7) Starfield - Bethesda (USA) 10/10
8) Horizon - Guerrilla Games (Netherlands) 10/10
9) Two Worlds (RIP) - Reality Pump (Poland) and now merged with TopWare Interactive (Germany) 10/10
10) The Saboteur (RIP)) - Pandemic Studios (RIP) (USA) 10/10
11) Cyberpunk: 2077 (A definite series in the making), - CD Projekt Red (Poland) 9.5//10
12) Tomb Raider - Nixxes Software (Netherlands) and their older games by Crystal Dynamics (USA) 9.5/10
13) Deus Ex (RIP) - Nixxes Software (Netherlands) andt their older game by Ion Storm (USA) 9.5/10
14) Watch Dogs) - Ubisoft (France) 9/10
15) Hitman - IO Interactive (Denmark) 9/10
Homorable mentions: Bright Memory: Infinite - FYQD Studio (China) 9/10, Kingdom Come Deliverance - Warhorse Studios (Czech Republic) 9/10, The Witcher - CD Projekt Red (Poland) 9/10, Uncharted - Naughty Dog (USA) 9/10 and Red Dead Redemption - Rockstar Games (USA) 9/10
P.S. I love Pirate games too, but have yet to play that close to perfect pirate game that I've been hoping for, for around 30 years. Someday before I die, I hope.
Too bad Ubisoft forced them to release it too soon, this game had an amazing potential, and still is a great game, Watch Dogs 2 and especially Legion are nowhere near the first one, story of Aiden Pearce was amazing and I was really hoping that they would continue his story in WD2.
I am genuinely hoping for a Remake or at least "Next-Gen" remaster with better lighting, shadows and ofc option for Ray-Traced lighting, reflections and shadows, the game would look phenomenal, with some gameplay improvements, better vehicle handling, reworked camera...
I thought they was gone treat him like ezio where he get three games boy was I wrong he was John wick before John wick
Would love to see your review on Sleeping Dogs! Don't know if you ever played it.
Though it was a ubisoft game and had all the trademark ubisoft flaws, I miss when they made games like this that felt complete and created with intent to make a particular sort of experience. I feel like I don't see a lot of identity in games nowadays. Monetization took priority I think.
I never finished WatchDogs 2 and didn’t even have any interest in Legion (except for when Aiden became a character in it ironically enough) agree with this video 100% especially within its link to Assassin’s Creed and I know Desmond was dead at that point but I would’ve liked seeing Desmond and Aiden interact
I think this video is the most positive I heard James talk about Odyssey, besides his teaser reaction when the game was announced 😂
Still love this game
Wish they would actually try to make a game like the demo made it out to be. That's what I was excited for in 2012. Each game in the series went further away from what I wanted.
It's a shame this series felt the need to reinvent itself so much because I feel if they'd just consistently improved upon it, it could be second to only GTA. Like there's no game in the series that does everything the previous game did better. I played the older games on launch, but only recently properly played Legion. I didn't mind it, and in a lot of ways I thought it was fun. Going back to the first two though, it's insane how much better the gunplay and general gameplay loop is. Watch_Dogs 1, aside from the godawful aim assist and mouse acceleration has some of the coolest John Wick style combat in any game hands down. Watch_Dogs 2 feels like a hacking sandbox, the world's alive, and there's so many ways to prepare and use the environment against your enemies. Then Legion comes around, as someone who's been to London many times, the world is really awesome to explore, but the gameplay is so watered down. Hacking is in many ways the worst its been, your tools are insanely limited, melee combat is terrible, and the gunplay feels so clunky. Beneath the problems, there was something cool to the play as anyone stuff, and Resistance mode is fun and I like the new layer that adds to help make the world feel like a police state, but that comes with the additional problem of enemies having massive pools of health to where it takes 3 bullets to the head to take them down.
I personally like the tone of the first game, and I also really like where Bloodlines took Aiden's character. I think the dark character was great, it just needed to be explored a little deeper to where he eventually could have a proper arc and be a bit more dynamic. I think it'd be great to have a darker story with the sandbox and hacking elements of Watch_Dogs 2, the combat of Watch_Dogs 1, and I do think there could be a way to make a recruitment system work, I just wouldn't have it be in lieu of a main protagonist. You could have an Aiden or Marcus character where they've got their own story but you can build a team from people in the world with various skills. Like in Legion, no one actually works together, you're not really a team. You can recruit a getaway driver, but there's no point in them because they have to be a solo operative.
Only saw my aunt's child play this game year's ago gives me some nostalgia wish Ubisoft did push it away for more dry game's
How did i miss this premeire well now i can watch your peak a bit late:)
this was a great watch!
I remembered back in Middle School I was so Excited for this game and loved the 1st Game Atmosphere. But then the 2nd Game is where they have a Lighter Tone.
Then Years upon Later Legion is where it gets Messy. But honestly I’m glad the Series Ended.
Honestly I’m not at all I enjoy this more then gta being a hacker with special traits was great the combat with watch dogs is better then gta