Watch Dogs 2
Overview -
'Watch Dogs' was developed by Ubisoft Montreal and released in May 2014. It was set in a near-future Chicago under the thrall of "big data", a term for corporations that quietly gather information on the electronic footprints of citizens and then hand it over to the government or other unscrupulous bodies. Sales were good enough for Ubisoft to work on a sequel, and now we have 'Watch Dogs 2' for PC, PS4, and XB1, this time set in San Francisco and a decidedly different game from its predecessor.
Video Review
'Watch Dogs 2' looks nice and the engine has made strides in just about everything. It's not amazing, but at least brings the franchise closer to the pre-'Watch Dogs' trenchcoat hype. There are some issues with blotchy shadows and the overly grainy detective mode filter, but performance is high.
Audio Review
The licensed soundtrack is an eclectic mix of pop, rap, and rock, with the occasional outlier like reggae or dark country. Songs can be added by exploring the city, and custom playlists can be made with the in-game smartphone app and played anytime. Sound effects are excellent, particularly during DedSec propaganda, although there are weird mixing problems like some being much louder than others. The voice acting doesn't particularly stand out.
Final Thoughts
Ubisoft has refined 'Watch Dogs 2' into not only a more polished continuation of the first game, but an admirable sandbox in its own right. I was pleasantly surprised by its conversion to a campier experience and dedication to solid gameplay mechanics, and will have no problem tracking down every little selfie and side mission in the Bay Area for many hours to come.