Watch Dogs: Legion Review

Introduction

Watch Dogs: Legion is an open-world game developed by Ubisoft Montreal, and it’s the latest installment in the Watch Dogs series. This time, the game takes place in futuristic London, offering players a unique and immersive experience. With innovative mechanics and a rich story, Watch Dogs: Legion introduces a fresh take on the hacker-revolution gameplay the series is known for.

Story

The game begins with a DedSec agent named Dalton tasked with defusing bombs planted in Westminster Palace by a hacker group known as Zero Day. With the help of Sabine Brandt and the AI assistant Bagley, Dalton attempts to prevent a major catastrophe. However, Zero Day executes their plan, detonating bombs across London and framing DedSec for the attack.

This leads to public distrust in DedSec and the privatization of London’s security under Nigel Cass and his military company Albion. Months later, Sabine recruits a new DedSec operative to rebuild the organization and reactivate Bagley. The mission: restore order, uncover Zero Day’s motives, and free London from oppression.

Gameplay

Watch Dogs: Legion’s world is heavily influenced by AI technology, with self-driving cars and drones dominating the futuristic London. The game introduces a groundbreaking “Recruit Anyone” mechanic, allowing players to enlist and play as any NPC in the city. Each recruit comes with unique abilities and tools that can be leveraged for missions.

Recruiting operatives involves completing specific tasks, such as freeing a friend’s hostage or erasing incriminating data. You can also recruit specialized characters, like Albion soldiers or construction workers, to access restricted areas more easily. The game offers multiple ways to approach missions, including hacking, stealth, or direct combat.

Permadeath Mode

Permadeath mode adds a layer of challenge, where operatives who die are permanently removed from the game. If your entire team is wiped out, the game ends, and you’ll have to start over. This mode can be toggled on or off but cannot be reactivated once turned off unless you start a new game.

Open World

The open world of Watch Dogs: Legion is set in a futuristic London with diverse districts, from wealthy areas to underprivileged neighborhoods. While visually impressive and filled with iconic landmarks, the world can feel empty outside the main story. Activities like playing darts or football add some variety but don’t fully utilize the potential of the open world.

Graphics and Performance

The game’s graphics are decent but fall short of expectations, especially on older consoles like the PS4 Pro. There are noticeable frame drops, glitches, and rendering issues in heavily detailed areas. However, the futuristic aesthetic and AR elements give the game a unique look.

Strengths

• Innovative hacking mechanics.
• The ability to recruit and play as any NPC adds variety and creativity.
• A compelling story with strong political messages about freedom and privacy.
• Futuristic London is beautifully designed with diverse districts.

Weaknesses

• Poor dialogue and inconsistent voice acting.
• Repetitive missions and side quests.
• Lack of diversity in characters and abilities.
• Performance issues with glitches, frame drops, and crashes.

Conclusion

Watch Dogs: Legion is an ambitious game with innovative ideas, particularly the “Recruit Anyone” mechanic, but its execution falls short in some areas. The story and message about freedom and privacy are impactful, but repetitive gameplay and performance issues hold the game back from its full potential. Permadeath mode adds excitement, and tools like drones and spider bots bring fresh ways to solve puzzles and tackle missions.

Overall Rating: 7.5/10

Playtime: ~27 hours

Watch the full video review on YouTube.