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Watch_Dogs reviews

V

viveks86

Member
zonezeus said:
Personally I would add some level of 'strategic' hacking, like clearing a whole path in advance prior to escaping, possibly by setting carefully planned timers, diverting traffic from one part of the City to another to stall cops, triggering false alarms to throw off tracing atempts etc. Something that would make you feel really in control of the city, not just that particular set of streetlights in front of you. Maybe it's added later in the game, in the first two hours tho it kinda really feels more like 'press A for awesome'.
Click to expand...

Now these are great ideas. Hope, Ubi is reading.
 
A

antonz

Member
Morfeo said:
So considering the score most probably is inflated for those AAA production values, is it safe to say that this seems like a disappointment?
Click to expand...

From the bit I played so far it doesn't revolutionize the genre but it takes what works well and meshes it together. For a first entry into what they hope is a franchise I think its pretty good.

Storywise it also isn't revolutionary but it is pretty much your typical summer blockbuster style story so I cant say its crap since most people love to be entertained with their summer blockbusters. Loss,Betrayal,Revenge.
 
S

Sir_Crocodile

Member
King_Moc said:
It would have been incredibly tedious. You'd just be shooting everyone about 2 missions in.
Click to expand...

Depends on how fun the puzzles are to solve, and how smartly they're spread out - you want people to anticipate them, not dread them.

I get that this changes the game somewhat, but isn't lack of differentation from its peers one of the most noted things reviewers have picked up on?
 
U

uomoartificiale

Member
sciencerob said:
It seems you listed ones which assessed the game's merit as ones which agree with your preconceived notion of the game's quality. How do you determine which ones are part of the hype machine?
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Eurogamer gave it a 7, which is a good score. IGN is THE hype-machine, is that a controversial statement?
 
M

MaxiLive

Member
Krabboss said:
Other games have mugging. Other games allow you to receive sidequests. Other games have collectibles.

Hacking streetlights has pretty much no bearing on gameplay. It doesn't need to be there. It's been possible to escape the cops in other games without this mechanic. It's possible to do it in this game without using the mechanic because the AI is pretty dreadful.

Exploding things while driving similarly doesn't serve much purpose besides it being something that is possible to do. You can hack gates and drawbridges, but again that's mostly in service of escaping the cops. All this stuff to spice up escaping the cops when you're still just escaping the cops. It's all the same in the end - you're just trying to escape the tedium so you can get back to the game.

And then there's the stealth sections that involve hacking. These sequences are puzzly like stealth sequences are in other games, though obviously they're quicker and less tedious since there's less risk.

My point is that, no matter how much hacking shit they shoved in there, it's still just a standard open world crime world. That's what they wanted to make first and the hacking came second. So no matter how you interact with the world through this hacking, it's still just in service of a game we've seen before.
Click to expand...

Agreed but that said it does feel very different and what hacking has done has made a 1 button gadget set that really works for stealth etc. Splinter Cell and other games will have all the same tools like hacking cameras, distracting guards etc but they will be multiple items that you have to keep swapping and slow down the pace of the game Watchdogs has sped that up and actually made you feel like a vigilante who is a little rough around the edges and doesn't have the precision as pro ex-military killing machine.

That said agreed with this isn't anything special in terms of original gameplay bit I do find it to be a very good open world game with a lot going for it. I don't thikn it matter if it isn't all that original it has been a while since GTA which for me was the last game of this genre and time setting that I had interest in.

For anyone on the fence about picking it up. It is a solid game with a few quirks, visually it doesn't meet with the expectations of E3 2012 technical demo but it is no slouch either. So if you are looking for something to spend your summer gaming time on I think it is well worth it just don't expect it to change the face of gaming for ever :p It also feels very organic with the missions and direction you can take with the game.
 
B

bombshell

Member
viveks86 said:
How are people who are still on the previous generation supposed to decide if the game is good on their platform? It's like all reviewers have abandoned them. Metacritic doesn't even have any scores for the game on PS3 and 360!
Click to expand...

Xbone has 5 compared to 37 PS4 reviews.

It's just a case of Ubi not providing Xbone, PS3, 360 review copies.
 
K

King_Moc

Banned
Sir_Crocodile said:
Depends on how fun the puzzles are to solve, and how smartly they're spread out - you want people to anticipate them, not dread them.

I get that this changes the game somewhat, but isn't lack of differentation from its peers one of the most noted things reviewers have picked up on?
Click to expand...

It's plenty different though. Or did I miss a load of open world games that give a viable stealth option?
 
K

Krabboss

Member
Exploratory said:
That's like saying Destiny is just shooting we've seen it before and Drive Club is just driving we've seen it before. You can't ignore the new elements of a game even if they are in service of doing something you've done before. That's what video games are I mean come on. Titanfall is still just shooting other players I did that on N64. Its about mixing up the formula and doing something new. Digital Stealth is not something I've ever experienced before and that seems like a meaningful contribution to gameplay.
Click to expand...
You've made the error of thinking I would disagree with you on Destiny, Drive Club and Titanfall.

Titanfall was very much just an attempt at spicing up the Call of Duty formula. It doesn't matter how many mechs or parkour you add, you're still just shooting people in the same game modes. I don't think I'm alone in feeling that way since just about nobody is talking about that game now.

Obviously Destiny and Drive Club aren't out yet, but we'll see. They seem to be trying to differentiate themselves from the pack by including MMO style features.

Watch_Dogs brings barely anything new to the genre. It also doesn't have a great story to help it stand out (I think it's pretty bad, but opinions will vary on that). If you're seriously going to tout hacking shit on the street while driving as something groundbreaking, I don't know what to say to you. That shit seems very obviously superficial to me.
 
J

jwtsonga

Member
viveks86 said:
How are people who are still on the previous generation supposed to decide if the game is good on their platform? It's like all reviewers have abandoned them. Metacritic doesn't even have any scores for the game on PS3 and 360!
Click to expand...

I have followed the ps3 version closely and now have ordered it. It looks surprisingly good, here is some direct feed ps3 gameplay of free roaming:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DflH1-1xqao

and ps3 direct feed screenshots:

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2933/14249839335_e272a420be_o.png
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2909/14063258937_78d6eec193_o.png
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2922/14249509314_8509299033_o.png
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2899/14246543341_79bc14cc45_o.png

As you can see it looks comparable to GTA V on ps3 (although art direction here is not as good as R*)
 
S

Shadownet

Banned
I'm not having as much fun with this game then I did with Wolfenstein sadly.

One big gripe I got with this game is that you have to turn the camera around when you're eluding someone in a car to activate roadblock or close a door you just passed through.

I wish they would patch it so when you press triangle to hack a roadblock, it automatically spring up right after you pass it.

And no shooting while driving is stupid as well.
 
B

blankempathy

Member
jwtsonga said:
I have followed the ps3 version closely and now have ordered it. It looks surprisingly good, here is some direct feed ps3 gameplay of free roaming:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DflH1-1xqao

and ps3 direct feed screenshots:

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2933/14249839335_e272a420be_o.png
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2909/14063258937_78d6eec193_o.png
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2922/14249509314_8509299033_o.png
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2899/14246543341_79bc14cc45_o.png

As you can see it looks comparable to GTA V on ps3 (although art direction here is not as good as R*)
Click to expand...

Lots of screen tearing.
 
T

tuna_love

Banned
Shadownet said:
I'm not having as much fun with this game then I did with Wolfenstein sadly.

One big gripe I got with this game is that you have to turn the camera around when you're eluding someone in a car to activate roadblock or close a door you just passed through.

I wish they would patch it so when you press triangle to hack a roadblock, it automatically spring up right after you pass it.

And no shooting while driving is stupid as well.
Click to expand...
Can look behind with A/X and click right stick for focus?
 
I

impact

Banned
nssdigitalchumps said:
I've been playing this since Thursday. It hasn't broke once since the initial 90mb patch and the game has been quite fun.

Thought these images would provide some details on PS4 graphics.

qn6E9hT.jpg


g7V4SJ9.jpg
Click to expand...

Holy crap that looks bad. Decision to not get the PS4 version justified.
 
Acheteedo

Acheteedo

Member
Good scores, better than I was expecting actually... shows how far my opinion of it had dropped in recent months. I'll pick it up today.
 
K

Krabboss

Member
King_Moc said:
*sigh* again, I'm 4 hours in and have yet to fire a gun. GTA didn't invent cities. Very odd complaint.
Click to expand...

You've probably not fired a gun because they explicitly tell you you'll be rewarded for being non-violent and they make being non-violent a very easy choice.
 
V

viveks86

Member
jwtsonga said:
I have followed the ps3 version closely and now have ordered it. It looks surprisingly good, here is some direct feed ps3 gameplay of free roaming:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DflH1-1xqao

and ps3 direct feed screenshots:

https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2933/14249839335_e272a420be_o.png
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2909/14063258937_78d6eec193_o.png
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2922/14249509314_8509299033_o.png
https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2899/14246543341_79bc14cc45_o.png

As you can see it looks comparable to GTA V on ps3 (although art direction here is not as good as R*)
Click to expand...

Thanks! I personally would be getting it on PS4. Was just wondering how people on other platforms are going to be comfortable with games not reviewed on their platform. There's no way to be sure unless they follow the game closely like you seem to have.
 
S

Sir_Crocodile

Member
King_Moc said:
It's plenty different though. Or did I miss a load of open world games that give a viable stealth option?
Click to expand...

Looking at reviews it seems the stealth is mainly used in contained situations, soI I wouldn't really see that as key differentation.

Although having now seen the eurogamer review:

eurogamer said:
Crucially, you never actually feel like you're hacking anything. A lot of the time you're just pressing a button to make something happen, which at a functional level is no different to any action game. When you do get to actually hack into things at a system level, it's via a tired old PipeMania-style puzzle where you rotate pieces to guide a blue power line to a goal. If anything underscores how little interest the game has in using "hacking" as anything other than a marketable context for "making cool s*** happen", it's this.
Click to expand...

They *DID* go the puzzle route, but sadly just as boringly as BS4 did.
 
N

Net_Wrecker

Member
Krabboss said:
You've made the error of thinking I would disagree with you on Destiny, Drive Club and Titanfall.

Titanfall was very much just an attempt at spicing up the Call of Duty formula. It doesn't matter how many mechs or parkour you add, you're still just shooting people in the same game modes. I don't think I'm alone in feeling that way since just about nobody is talking about that game now.

Obviously Destiny and Drive Club aren't out yet, but we'll see. They seem to be trying to differentiate themselves from the pack by including MMO style features.

Watch_Dogs brings barely anything new to the genre. It also doesn't have a great story to help it stand out (I think it's pretty bad, but opinions will vary on that). If you're seriously going to tout hacking shit on the street while driving as something groundbreaking, I don't know what to say to you. That shit seems very obviously superficial to me.
Click to expand...

Revolutionizing genres and making groundbreaking titles doesn't just happen every 2 weeks. GTAV, seemingly some kind of holy savior for open world titles, barely did anything of note with its major gimmick of controlling 3 characters until like 75% through the game, and even then it was nothing special, nor did it have a compelling narrative. All the rest of it's lauded features were just bringing back stuff from San Andreas. That's the most expensive title from the supposed trendsetters of the genre I'm talking about. But it's on Watch_Dogs' shoulders to change the way we play videogames and provide some transcendent experience? With the first title in the franchise? Across generations? After a development period that ran parallel to consoles still being finalized? C'mon man.
 
K

Krabboss

Member
Net_Wrecker said:
Revolutionizing genres and making groundbreaking titles doesn't just happen every 2 weeks. GTAV, seemingly some kind of holy savior for open world titles, barely did anything of note with its major gimmick of controlling 3 characters until like 75% through the game, and even then it was nothing special, nor did it have a compelling narrative. All the rest of it's lauded features were just bringing back stuff from San Andreas. That's the most expensive title from the supposed trendsetters of the genre I'm talking about. But it's on Watch_Dogs' shoulder to change the way we play videogames and provide some transcendent experience? With the first title in the franchise? Across generations? After a development period that ran parallel to consoles still being finalized? C'mon man.
Click to expand...

You're assuming I liked GTAV. I didn't. It was just another title in a genre that has become very tired.

The greater complaint here is probably that AAA games have become so dull.
 
N

NaDannMaGoGo

Member
Am just looking at that Giantbomb Video review listed on the review and... Jesus Christ this game really looks like utter shit in comparison to its reveal footage.

One really has to wonder if the initial, admittedly rather huge, hype due to its visuals payed off in the end. The engine developers were probably furious with the management that decided to show of the game with such a ridiculous amount of doctored visuals.

And the amount of PR bullshit you have to keep up with just to not look super scummy... and then have just that happening anyways. Oh boy.
 
D

Discotheque

Banned
i still like gta v. everybody been shitting on it but that world is so much more impressive than other open world titles out there.

the only thing i'd take from other titles would be sleeping dogs' melee.
 
S

sciencerob

Member
uomoartificiale said:
Eurogamer gave it a 7, which is a good score. IGN is THE hype-machine, is that a controversial statement?
Click to expand...

I didn't specifically mention IGN though. There are plenty of other reviewers who gave it a high score which are not "hype-machines". You seemed to point to the lower scores as justification for thinking that the game was not a solid game.
 
M

Mooreberg

is sharpening a shovel and digging a ditch
viveks86 said:
How are people who are still on the previous generation supposed to decide if the game is good on their platform? It's like all reviewers have abandoned them. Metacritic doesn't even have any scores for the game on PS3 and 360!
Click to expand...
I get the impression that Dark Souls II was the last PS3/360 game that sites expected to generate much traffic.
 
K

King_Moc

Banned
Sir_Crocodile said:
Looking at reviews it seems the stealth is mainly used in contained situations, soI I wouldn't really see that as key differentation.
Click to expand...

Not really, it's all out in the open world, though obviously you don't need to be stealthy just walking down the street. If you're tracking someone that's been deemed likely to cause a crime, they'll get spooked and run off if the think you are following them for instance.
 
B

Bluemercury

Member
NaDannMaGoGo said:
Am just looking at that Giantbomb Video review listed on the review and... Jesus Christ this game really looks like utter shit in comparison to its reveal footage.

One really has to wonder if the initial, admittedly rather huge, hype due to its visuals payed off in the end. The engine developers were probably furious with the management that decided to show of the game with such a ridiculous amount of doctored visuals.

And the amount of PR bullshit you have to keep up with just to not look super scummy... and then have just that happening anyways. Oh boy.
Click to expand...
But digital foundry wizards say otherwise...
Joking aside i agree that it doesnt look like the 2012 reveal at all f
 
P

ponpo

( ≖‿≖)
http://www.forbes.com/sites/games/2014/05/27/watch-dogs-review-ps4-new-dog-new-tricks/

Like Grand Theft Auto V before it, sometimes it’s not enough to simply be big and well-made. Watch Dogs feels like collection of promising concepts with nothing solid holding them together. Aiden Pearce should have been that something, but instead, he’s just a character meant to sell cool looking hats in collector’s editions. Perhaps that can be rectified in a sequel, but for now, Pearce is pretty big issue, and so is his propensity to kill people in boring, cover-based shooter-y ways.
Click to expand...

Well, this doesn't sound that gre-

Score: 8/10
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A..alright.
 
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