Watch Dogs: A Shaky Series On Fumes

If any series has a negative connotation attached to it, it’s likely Watch Dogs. The first thought in most gamers’ heads is that the first game deviated ridiculously from its E3 2012 outing to its actual release in 2014. It’s unfortunately a night-and-day difference, as the E3 preview was immaculately-detailed, felt more immersive than any other game on the market, and had so many fancy effects going on. None of that made it to the final game.

Despite this, the series persisted past 2014, still selling well enough to warrant a sequel from Ubisoft Montreal. This was my entry point to the series, and let me tell you, I had the time of my life with Watch Dogs 2. It’s quite possibly my favorite open-world game of its ilk, only preceded by Saints Row 2. Watch Dogs 2 is a joyful, deep experience that is full of intense combat, laughs, and a comprehensive mechanic that other open-world games can’t compete with.

Unfortunately, Watch Dogs 2 did not sell well, or at least not nearly as well as its predecessor. This left a third game in doubt, the logical step was putting the series on ice. That wasn’t the case, though, as Watch Dogs: Legion got announced in 2019, with an E3 showing that had me stop what I was doing at work and risk getting in trouble to watch. This game’s hook? You can recruit anyone in the game to be a playable character.

That premise had me so excited, I can’t even put into words how captivated I was. I remember working at GameStop and putting up signage indicating that the game would be available in its initially-announced release date of March 2020. Well, time caught up to the series and it was delayed to October, the tail-end of the eighth generation of console’s lifespan before the PS5/Xbox Series X would release the following month.

Well, the time came to release Watch Dogs: Legion, and I went so far as to sign up for a Ubisoft Plus account. I was skeptical on the game, and wanted to see if it would retain my interest for at the very least a month. Upon release, my suspicions were valid, as the game released in a semi-broken state. It was functional enough to progress, but buggy. This was before the Cyberpunk debacle, so it wasn’t nearly as taboo, but enough to really discourage me, knowing that the game had already had a lengthy delay at this point.

So, what does it mean to be a Watch Dogs fan in early 2021? It most likely means you are willing to overlook a track record of broken promises, messy bugs, and more in the guise of games that become fun once you’re willing to take some baggage. I still hold Watch Dogs 2 in very high regard, enjoy the first title, and have hope that Legion can become something great, but it’s going to take a lot of convincing before I get anyone else on my wavelength for the series. Do you think Watch Dogs has a future after Legion? Let us know!