Watch Dogs: Legion Review

Developer: Ubisoft Toronto

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One (Reviewed)

Genre: Action, Adventure

Publisher: Ubisoft

Watch Dogs: Legion is a massively open-world game. Thematically Watch Dogs is based around the effects of technology in this future dystopian world of London. Ubisoft has done a stunning job in recreating London. The level of detail and attention to detail makes it feel like London. I was instantly impressed by the environment and the sheer amount of madness in this game.

watchdogslegion_1

Watch Dogs is primarily a sand-boxed game where you can approach missions in a few ways: hacking, all-out attack and stealth. Hacking is the core element of this game that differentiates it to its peers. Hacking takes two forms: stealthy or offensive. Hacking in stealth mode allows you to complete missions with minimal casualties. Hacking allows for chaotic mayhem and destruction as you use your drones and turrets against enemies. You can take the approach of just going out all guns blazing and dispatching enemies. You can play in a hitman way and take out enemies in a stealthy way. How you play is your choice, I found a mix of elements to be the most fun. The hacking of drones and cars is where the game shines. It’s lots of fun. As with any Watch Dogs, you can take control of a whole host of vehicles and enjoy the stunning views of London.

One twist with the games is the ability to recruit almost any character you encounter in the world to fight for your cause. These recruits become playable characters. Each character has their strengths and weaknesses and unique abilities. You can enable permadeath which means as your characters die, they can’t respawn. If all your characters die, the game is over when permadeath is enabled. This feature adds another element to the solid gameplay, a real sense of tension and suspense.

watchdogslegion_2

The gameplay is familiar to any GTA, drive, kill and finish the story. The gameplay is easy to pick up. The hacking elements can be tricky at times when doing it through the lens of a security camera. The voice acting and your sidekick Bagley add a voice of reason to the whole story. The main missions are well structured, dystopian excels through the storytelling of the gameplay. There is enough variety in gameplay to keep you occupied for hours on end. If you finish the game, there are tons of side quests, recruiting opportunities and mini-games like football and darts.

watchdogslegion_3

There will be online and co-op, it’s pencilled in for December.

Legion is lots of fun. You can spend hours just wondering around the city and taking in the sights. Gameplay and in particular, the hacking mechanisms and the use of drones add a whole another layer to the gameplay. It’s fun to hijack a drone and take out the Albion henchmen. Car mechanics are decent. It treads the line between a simulator and arcade racing, it’s decent but not the highlight of the game. In conclusion, it’s worth picking up and will have you coming back for more.

Overall: 8/10