What is Watch Dogs?
Watch Dogs is a brand new IP from Ubisoft, the creators of
games like Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag and Splinter Cell: Blacklist.
Most likely turning out to be a cross between a high-tech
GTA 5 and an Assassin’s Creed game, Watch Dogs is set in Chicago in the
not-too-distant future.
The game was originally intended to be an Xbox One and PS4
launch title, but was pushed back to 2014 because it wasn’t quite as perfect as
Ubisoft wanted.
Now we have to wait until Spring to get our hands on Watch
Dogs, but until then we can console ourselves with all the news and gameplay
footage we have so far.
Watch Dogs Hands-on from E3 2013
Ubisoft had an extended demo of Watch Dogs available to see
behind closed doors at E3 2013, and we were lucky enough to be one of the few
to be granted access.
Our first impressions in our hands-on Watch Dogs review were
that the architectural detail of Chicago is very realistic and the weather
effects are particularly impressive.
“If we have any reservations, it’s that a lot of the game
mechanics echo those in the Assassin’s Creed games, though with more emphasis
on hacking, surveillance and GTA-style driving, and less on the parkour stuff.”
Watch Dogs News: What we know so far
Sony identifies Watch Dogs as a defining next-generation
title
Speaking to TrustedReviews, Sony Computer Entertainment
Managing Director Fergal Gara said Watch Dogs could be a defining game for
next-generation consoles.
"[Watch Dogs could] define next-gen gaming really push
some boundaries. A title like Watch Dogs, the anticipation is so high around
it; pre-orders are already very significant and very strong for PS4."
Sony has a highly optimistic outlook for Watch Dogs, but the
company was still disappointed it couldn’t be release as a launch title for the
PS4 and Xbox One.
"It is a slight disappointment [that Watch Dogs has
been delayed]. The timing isn’t as we had hoped. We have said we are for the
players and we would rather they have a great game slightly later than a good
game early."
The PS4 creator also believes that Watch Dogs could be the
first in a hugely successful next-gen franchise.
"It would be a terrible shame if a game like that –
which could go several rounds, Watchdogs 1, 2, 3 and could define next-gen
gaming
and really push some boundaries – it would be a shame if a title like
that came out and it was only good when it could be great."
Watch Dogs Storyline: What happens in Watch Dogs?
Watch Dogs is set in Chicago and you play as Aiden Pearce, a
highly-competent hacker and former thug. Pearce is seeking justice for a
violent family tragedy (similar to Max Payne) and does so by monitoring and
hacking those that surround him in the city.
You’ll need to manipulate Chicago’s Central Operating
System, known at ctOS as it controls the majority of the city’s technology and
information as well as holding data on all the city’s residents.
Manipulating the ctOS can be done via Pearce’s smartphone,
meaning you’ll be able to access security cameras, download personal data,
control traffic lights and public transport form the palm of your hand to
achieve your goals.
Being able to control parts of the ctOS means "the city
is our weapon", one of the game’s defining catch phrases.
Ubisoft has created Watch Dogs’ storyline in part as an
"homage to humanity".
"You’re going to see mundance, funny sitations, see
very dark secrets, we really want to make sure we pay homage to humanity, and
we’re not critiquing them 100 per cent of the time. That would be bad,"
explained Ubisoft’s Creative Director, Jonathan Morin.
Watch Dogs Gameplay: What type of game is Watch Dogs?
Watch dogs is a sandbox game that will allow you to explore
the various layers of Chicago, from the rooftops down to the city’s dangerous
underground system. However, you will have to hack Control Centres in order to
access citizen profiles and the ctOS in each district, similar to the towers
you have to scale in Far Cry 3 and the Assassin’s Creed series.
"When you’re doing an open world game, I think one of
the best practices is to connect your fantasy, the fantasy of the game to the
world itself," said Jonathan Morin, Ubisoft’s Creative Director.
"For example, us, we’re talking about monitoring the
entire city of Chicago, it makes no sense whatsoever if you don’t have to do
something in the world to eventually get access to the system. It’s how it
works in real life, and it also connects the player with the world a bit more
with its progression."
Watch Dogs will also use a Reputation System that is based
on the media’s perception of Pearce and the way the player completes the
missions and side quests, including the amount of citizen casualties you wrack
up.
"Every time you intervene and how you play, your
Reputation is going to sway in different ways, and that’s now going to have an
impact on the entire city and [how] they will perceive you,” added Morin.
"It’s not a judgement call on how oyu play. There’s a lot more depth in
that to our system."
Elements that seem particularly GTA 5-like include the
driving sections. Ubisoft partnered with the Ubisoft Reflections studio,
responsible for the Driver series, to influence Watch Dogs. Watch Dogs actually
features over 65 vehicles each built using a top physics and handling engine.
There has yet to be any playable game demoes at any trade
shows in 2013, but there have been several Watch Dogs gameplay trailers
released by Ubisoft.
Watch Dogs PC System Requirements
In early October Ubisoft released an initial system
requirements sheet for Watch Dogs, only to revise them a week later.
You’ll need quite the gaming PC to even get Watch Dogs
started.
Minimum PC system requirements are as follows:
Supported OS: Windows Vista SP2 64bit, Windows 7 SP1 64bit,
Windows 8 64bit
Processor: Intel Core 2 Quad Q8400 @ 2.66Ghz or AMD Phenom
II X4 940 @ 3.0Ghz
RAM: 6GB
Video Card: 1024 VRAM DirectX 11 with Shader Model 5.0
Sound Card: DirectX 9 compatible Sound Card
This product supports 64bit operating systems ONLY
Recommended PC system requirements are as follows:
Processor: Core i7 3770 @ 3.5 GHz or AMD FX-8350 @ 4.0Ghz
RAM: 8GB
Video Card: 2048 VRAM DirectX 11 with Shader Model 5.0 or
higher
Sound Card: Surround Sound 5.1 capable sound card
Supported Video Cards at the time of release include:
nVidia GeForce GTX460 or better, GT500, GT600, GT700 series;
AMD Radeon HD5850 or better, HD6000, HD7000, R7 and R9
series
Intel® Iris™ Pro HD 5200
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