Home Gaming Watch Dogs 2 is great, but it’s at its worst when you’re murdering people

Watch Dogs 2 is great, but it’s at its worst when you’re murdering people

3 min read
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Watch Dogs 2 feels weird with murder 1

Watch Dogs 2, so far, is a vastly improved sequel in many regards. It’s got a greater emphasis on hacking, more inventive areas to explore and a cast of characters that don’t feel like that one guy who sits in a corner at a party and tries to make everyone feel as bad as he does (cheers Aiden). While my review will be diving deeper into those details, there’s a facet of Watch Dogs 2 that already doesn’t sit right with me.

Tonally, Watch Dogs 2 couldn’t be more different than its predecessor. It’s lighter, funnier and more tongue-in-cheek about the way it approaches a near dystopian world on online connectivity. Even your antagonist is a caricature of a persona that people assume is behind big tech corporations, mirroring the idea that they’re just out to collect as much data from you as possible. Watch Dogs 2 amplifies this with the main cast – a bunch of hackers who love videogame, action movies, graffiti and social media. In a word, Millennial – with a big hacktivist purpose.

Watch Dogs 2 feels weird with murder 4

Dedsec’s goal here is to expose Blume and how the company is using data collection to essentially build profiles of all citizens connected to the internet. Think of all those horrible ideas you’ve seen in sci-fi films, where crimes are stopped before they’re committed of statistics based profiling, or marketing it specifically targeted at you using data you thought was private. It’s real nasty stuff that this bunch of off-beat hackers want to expose, freeing the people from their unwitting participation in making themselves online prisoners.

It’s a noble cause, and one that makes complete sense in most of the game’s actual gameplay. Using a variety of hacking tools you’re able to infiltrate security systems, leak private emails and disrupt the natural order of things without setting foot in a compound. Alternatively, you could just build an arsenal of 3D printed guns and just blow everything in front of you out of sight, and that’s where Watch Dogs 2 starts getting confusing.

Watch Dogs 2 feels weird with murder 3

Looking at Marcus alone even, it’s hard to consider him such a likeable, relatable character and then have him killing folks to get Dedsec’s job done. When he’s busy messing around with remotely controlled vehicles, or using drones to infiltrate guarding building, Watch Dogs 2 feels in-sync with its tone. The idea that Marcus is able to cripple his foes using his laptop and smartphone fit perfectly with the way the character is presented. An online activist for the modern era.

That’s undone when you choose to engage in gunplay though, and watching Marcus kill, well, anything just doesn’t seem right. Its moral repercussions are absent too, with Dedsec’s follower count climbing regardless of the way you complete a mission. I’d assume that the ruthless killing of innocent security guards wouldn’t exactly make the public empathise with Dedsec’s cause. In fact, I’d wager it to do the exact opposite, and feed into the idea that Dedsec are, at their core, terrorists.

Watch Dogs 2 feels weird with murder 2

It’s a part of narrative dissonance that the game never addresses, and that’s perfectly fine. Sandbox title like this are usually about freedom, and the freedom to let a player choose how the affect the world is part of their allure. But unlike popular examples of this genre like Grand Theft Auto V or Saints, Row, Marcus and Dedsec are trying to be the heroes here. They’re trying to be the example public should seek to follow, which is a hard sell when Marcus keeps raising the body count every time he steps outside HQ.

I’m not going to tell you how to play Watch Dogs 2, but I’ve found it most pleasing when approaching missions with only my hacking abilities and stun gun in hand. It makes Watch Dogs 2 seem far more plausible, and I just wish the game itself would at least recognise this.

Last Updated: November 18, 2016

112 Comments

  1. BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!

    Reply

    • RinceThis

      November 18, 2016 at 14:04

      You are no god!

      Reply

      • Alien Emperor Trevor

        November 18, 2016 at 14:09

        That’s not what she said!

        Reply

        • RinceThis

          November 18, 2016 at 14:10

          She said DOG! You slysdexic idiot!

          Reply

          • Captain JJ

            November 18, 2016 at 14:17

            Your comment just proved that you’re the dyslexic one…got your back Trevor 😉

          • RinceThis

            November 18, 2016 at 14:18

            Oh no you don’t! No swarming the Trev on my watch!

          • Lord Chaos

            November 18, 2016 at 14:22

            *Sides with Trevor

          • RinceThis

            November 18, 2016 at 14:24

            May you drown on the swarm!

          • Captain JJ

            November 18, 2016 at 14:37

            I have to at least try to get him to like me.

          • RinceThis

            November 18, 2016 at 14:37

            Not possibru! He hates EVERYTHING!

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            November 18, 2016 at 14:43

            I don’t hate people when they’re on the only, and right, side – mine.

          • RinceThis

            November 18, 2016 at 14:45

            I call BIAS!

          • Captain JJ

            November 18, 2016 at 14:47

            You’re making too many valid points today. So either you’re drunk or completely sober 😛

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            November 18, 2016 at 14:49

            I’m a positive influence on him.

          • RinceThis

            November 18, 2016 at 14:53

            Sadly, the latter 🙁

  2. Lord Chaos

    November 18, 2016 at 13:06

    Millennial hackers, what? Like PoodleCorp?

    Reply

  3. Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

    November 18, 2016 at 13:16

    • Darren Peach

      November 18, 2016 at 13:37

      Jack Thompson would approve your message !

      Reply

  4. Original Heretic

    November 18, 2016 at 13:28

  5. Andre Fourie

    November 18, 2016 at 13:32

  6. Darren Peach

    November 18, 2016 at 13:35

    Watch Dogs 2 is great, but it’s at its worst when you’re murdering people…… This SJW is strong with this one…….

    Reply

  7. Kromas Ryder

    November 18, 2016 at 13:39

    Soooo … basically it is Hackers updated to our current times and turned into a video game?

    No thanks I think I will stick with Angelina hacking the planet. 🙂

    Also still feeling the sting from Watch_Dogs even after all this time.

    Reply

  8. Darren Peach

    November 18, 2016 at 13:54

    Cry me a river…….They’re trying to be the example public should seek to follow, which is a hard sell when Marcus keeps raising the body count every time he steps outside HQ……

    I honestly wonder what happened to game reviews ? So are you pissed that they made a game where you can…..MURDER…..people or are you just using your platform to relay your agenda ? I think it’s fair to say that overzealous preachy SJW bullshit needs to calm down.

    Reply

    • Lord Chaos

      November 18, 2016 at 14:01

      Agree with you completely on this, but I think he wanted to point out how it has no effect on the game.
      Even Dishono(u)red had consequences to killing.

      Reply

      • Darren Peach

        November 18, 2016 at 14:03

        Nope. He is 22 years old…..Millennial…explains a lot. Will never take anything he writes serious again.

        Reply

        • RinceThis

          November 18, 2016 at 14:05

          Getting a bit personal there man.

          Reply

          • Darren Peach

            November 18, 2016 at 14:06

            By saying he is 22 ? Ok.

          • RinceThis

            November 18, 2016 at 14:08

            Firstly, yes actually. Secondly, labeling him as not knowing anything because he is a Millennial and that explains a lot is a comment on him personally. I would think that a game that is ABOUT Millennial’s would put him in a better position than both you and I when critiquing a game about said Millennial’s.

          • Darren Peach

            November 18, 2016 at 14:14

            Not saying he does not know anything, Just saying that millennials have a poor track record and are usually the ones on You Tube and Twitter preaching to the rest of the world while being completely oblivious to their own B.S. Being close to two decades older then him, I might start taking his words a little more seriously when the natural idealist nature of a young adult is swayed by him living in the real world and has taken time to process who he is. Being 39 has its perks. I know who I am.

          • RinceThis

            November 18, 2016 at 14:17

            Yet everyone else in this comments section read the above article differently? I know who I am too being the same age as you, doesn’t mean I am always right though.

          • Darren Peach

            November 18, 2016 at 14:20

            Are you gifted ? You know what everyone else is thinking ? That’s a great skill you have there. Point being I will always point out bias. I don’t have to suck up to a bunch of random writers to make myself feel good. Good luck with that.

          • RinceThis

            November 18, 2016 at 14:23

            Gifted? I supposed reading can be seen as a gift, as would looking at all the thumbs up to a comment made by @Fnuik99:disqus And they are not random writers. They are people I know and at times disagree with. Whatever dude. I won’t dance under your cloud.

          • Darren Peach

            November 18, 2016 at 14:26

            Coward ?

          • Fnuik

            November 18, 2016 at 14:27

            Dude seems you should be playing said Genital Jousting instead of looking for a fight on a forum

          • RinceThis

            November 18, 2016 at 14:29

            HAHAHA!

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            November 18, 2016 at 14:30

            Isn’t it the same thing? 😉

          • RinceThis

            November 18, 2016 at 14:31

            No. One is far more entertaining…

          • Fnuik

            November 18, 2016 at 14:31

            Yes but at least in the game you can see yourself growing instead of just feeling better about yourself

          • Sageville

            November 18, 2016 at 16:05

            Preach Brother!

          • Captain JJ

            November 18, 2016 at 14:42

            This millennial trend is really gaining popularity, clearly. It’s about at telling of a person as astrology XD

        • Fnuik

          November 18, 2016 at 14:09

          When i read the article I never thought he was trying to say how bad murdering people in a game was. He was only trying to point out that killing people, while nothing wrong with it, just felt disconnected with the story. Saying you will never take anything he writes serious again would have been more fitting after watching and reading him play Genital Jousting.

          Reply

          • RinceThis

            November 18, 2016 at 14:09

            Yup. What you said.

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            November 18, 2016 at 14:13

            That’s what I read too.

          • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

            November 18, 2016 at 14:14

            Indeed

          • Darren Peach

            November 18, 2016 at 14:38

            Well, When you open the website and the headline to the article is ” Watch Dogs 2 is great, but it’s at its worst when you’re murdering people “…. It sends a clear message on it’s own. Either it’s click-bait or it is a summary of a growing sentiment that is very biased. While you may read the article in a vacuum, I see it more in the same vein as I do Fox news and more recently, CNN.

            It is a trend man.

          • Fnuik

            November 18, 2016 at 14:39

            OK I get it, conspiracy theorist. Flat earth society and what not. You are forgiven

          • Darren Peach

            November 18, 2016 at 14:40

            Yep.

          • Raptor Rants

            November 18, 2016 at 15:34

            or could point out that murder in the game makes no sense since it odesn’t fit with the feel of the whole game which is upbeat. To go from upbeat to killing without a proper reason just makes it feel tacked on.

        • Gavin Mannion

          November 18, 2016 at 14:35

          Ageism… normally used against the old but hey we’re equal opportunists here

          Reply

          • Darren Peach

            November 18, 2016 at 14:39

            Coming to the defense of your little snowfake ?

          • Gavin Mannion

            November 18, 2016 at 14:46

            toddle off and take your meds please, you’re spilling manure all over the comments section

          • Darren Peach

            November 18, 2016 at 14:49

            Are you chasing me ? Cause I am going to stay right here just to piss you off.

          • Darren Peach

            November 18, 2016 at 15:14

            Yeah, Ok. That was a personal jibe that was a touch out of line. You do know that what you just did is discrimination right ? And while I went on to explain why I don’t respect the youth of today there is no good reason for your comment. While I spill manure all over the comments section, I do not resort to incredibly hatefull measures about someones mental health issues. I guess the fact that this is your website imbues you with a sense of power and invincibility ? You just proved your character.

          • Gavin Mannion

            November 18, 2016 at 15:28

            “You do know that what you just did is discrimination right ?”
            Hey pot…. meet kettle…

            You seriously have to see the problem here right?

          • Darren Peach

            November 18, 2016 at 15:40

            What problem ? You just used a very negative slur about my personality. You do know I am Bi-Polar right. I have mentioned it on this forum many times. So, In my opinion, That is discrimination.

          • Gavin Mannion

            November 18, 2016 at 15:46

            and in my defense… I don’t care if you are or aren’t. Suck it up and treat people with respect. Everyone has problems stop trying to use your supposed problem as a defense..

            Damnit why am I still here

          • Darren Peach

            November 18, 2016 at 17:33

            I remember one time you warned me not to make threats. I am reporting this website for discrimination. I have the medical records to prove my illness. I have the screen shots to prove your complete and utter disregard for a issue that has dominated my existence for two decades. I may say many angry things, But I never attack people based on their very real problems.

          • Geoffrey Tim

            November 18, 2016 at 15:28

            I agree that Gavin;s comment wasn;t good, and mental health slurs aren’t helpful – but you realise you’re being a “triggered snowflake” yourself right now? Take your experience here, and use it to apply to other people’s points of views. Employ some empathy – and maybe you won’t go around calling other people snowflakes in future.

          • Gavin Mannion

            November 18, 2016 at 15:30

            hey what are you saying by claiming my comment wasn’t good?
            http://i.imgur.com/avHnbUZ.gif

          • Admiral Chief Argonian

            November 18, 2016 at 15:32

            #LeaveGeoffAlone

          • Geoffrey Tim

            November 18, 2016 at 15:33

            I’m saying your comment was unnecessary and horrible – but it has helped highlight a point of irony. People are always happy t get upset about things that upset them, with no regard for how other thingsmayupset other people. It’s human nature really; it’s far easier for people to be concerned for self over others. It’s so hard for people to have empathy.

          • Darren Peach

            November 18, 2016 at 15:37

            So why is the term Snowflake in his bio ?

          • Gavin Mannion

            November 18, 2016 at 15:39

            bad attempt at a defense is bad… But I’m outta here before Geoff attacks me again.. sheesh and I thought this was a safe place

          • Darren Peach

            November 18, 2016 at 15:40

            It’s there. If you don’t like people using it. Change it…..

          • Geoffrey Tim

            November 18, 2016 at 15:39

            I wrote that in his bio years ago, for him to figure out how to change. He still hasn’t managed.

          • Captain JJ

            November 18, 2016 at 14:43

            Thanks. Someone finally fkn says it

        • Captain JJ

          November 18, 2016 at 14:40

          I was seeing some point here, but using this millennial trend bs that people do to make themselves feel special just nullified everything.

          Reply

    • Gavin Mannion

      November 18, 2016 at 14:34

      this is not a game review… he made that pretty clear. Shove your pitchfork back where it came from and bring it out on the review if need be

      Reply

    • Alessandro Barbosa

      November 18, 2016 at 14:35

      Perhaps instead of calling for overzealous preaching to calm down and taking personal shots, you should’ve spent the five minutes in assuming it would’ve taken to actually read the article and see how it is the complete opposite to what your knee jerk reaction perceives it as.

      Your omission of opinion on any future pieces won’t be missed either. Especially since he clearly aren’t reading them anyway

      Reply

      • Darren Peach

        November 18, 2016 at 14:36

        Go shave or something……Junior.

        Reply

        • Alessandro Barbosa

          November 18, 2016 at 14:37

          …am…am I supposed to be insulted because I’m young? Um…ok

          Reply

          • RinceThis

            November 18, 2016 at 14:38

            Yeah! You, You who will die later than I! Are a FOOL!

        • Sageville

          November 18, 2016 at 15:27

          At this point I think you have alienated most of this comment section with this ageist nonsense.

          Let me guess, you read the headline, made assumptions and got angry about it without reading the article. I’ve done so myself in the past, from here you can either “My bad” and withdraw or dig ur heels in and ride the storm.

          Reply

        • Sageville

          November 18, 2016 at 16:04

          You attacking his age?

          Reply

      • RinceThis

        November 18, 2016 at 14:36

        Lol. I love how he uses the only card he has, that’s he’s OLDER than you. Like that denotes anything.

        Reply

    • Geoffrey Tim

      November 18, 2016 at 14:42

      The whole point of th article is that going about on murderous rampages in *this game* is tonally different from its characters, creating a dissonance – not that killing things in game is bad or something to be outraged about.

      You’ve come in, looking for outrage where there’s none to be had.

      Reply

      • Darren Peach

        November 18, 2016 at 14:48

        Maybe be a little more considerate with your headlines ? It’s very ambiguous. And judging by the reaction of all, I think I hit a nerve. That’s my intention. Job done. Complete and utter bias against someone who fundamentally disagrees with everything game journalism has become. You just proved my point and don’t even realise it.

        Reply

        • Geoffrey Tim

          November 18, 2016 at 14:49

          I think the headline is fine. “It’s at it’s worst when you’re murdering, it’s at its best when you’re using your brain to solve things instead of going on homicidal rampages” is a bit too long.

          Reply

        • Alien Emperor Trevor

          November 18, 2016 at 14:50

          You can’t prove a negative.

          Reply

          • RinceThis

            November 18, 2016 at 14:53

            BWAHAHAHAHAAH!

  9. RinceThis

    November 18, 2016 at 14:12

    Yeah. I always think that with sandbox games. It’s almost an oxymoron in the case above. You are tying to save the world from evil people, yet can murder without repercussion.

    Reply

    • Bruce Bielie

      November 18, 2016 at 14:15

      And yet the following rings true: One person’s murderer is another person’s freedom fighter…

      Reply

      • RinceThis

        November 18, 2016 at 14:30

        Oh agreed. But it sounds like in the game’s context it isn’t that way.

        Reply

        • Bruce Bielie

          November 18, 2016 at 14:49

          And I think that is what Darren is missing: Murdering in this game seems akin to renting a Mickey Mouse flick and finding Mickey wearing a hockey mask murdering naked teens…

          Reply

  10. Captain JJ

    November 18, 2016 at 14:17

    So it’s at it’s worst when you go GTA on it 😛

    Reply

    • RinceThis

      November 18, 2016 at 14:18

      If you go GTAV on ANYTHING, isn’t that at its worse anytime!?

      Reply

      • Captain JJ

        November 18, 2016 at 14:36

        This is true.

        Reply

        • Bruce Bielie

          November 18, 2016 at 14:51

          I don’t know… After a hard days work, running over an NPC that looks like your boss is free therapy included with your game.

          Reply

          • Captain JJ

            November 18, 2016 at 15:21

            XD

  11. HvR

    November 18, 2016 at 14:17

  12. Nikola

    November 18, 2016 at 14:32

    I think a morality system in the game would have been good like something they had in KOTOR or Infamous even. More you kill more evil your goals become and so on than the story has different endings..

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn_hates_Raid0

      November 18, 2016 at 14:40

      Worked well in Dishonored as well. The game was harder if you didn’t kill your way through but you got the better ending

      Reply

  13. Umar

    November 18, 2016 at 15:00

    I’m busy playing this now and I HATE killing people. It just doesn’t suit this game, like at all. This game really is at its worse when you’re killing and it just breaks the whole narrative.

    Reply

    • Bruce Bielie

      November 18, 2016 at 15:47

      I think it is meant for people like me that will try the stealthy/techy approach, fail dismally and then go on a rage bender with a Christmas decoration.

      Reply

  14. Bruce Bielie

    November 18, 2016 at 15:04

    Can I just ask the question that someone should have asked when this article was published?
    What is he beating that guy with? One of those Christmas party streamer/thing you blow into that makes a noise?

    Reply

    • Gavin Mannion

      November 18, 2016 at 15:06

      lol it really looks like it

      Reply

    • Alessandro Barbosa

      November 18, 2016 at 15:29

      It’s an eight ball tied to a sling of sorts, but I like this description a lot more XD

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief Argonian

        November 18, 2016 at 15:33

        “Death by party streamer/thing” ™

        Reply

    • Umar

      November 18, 2016 at 15:33

    • Sageville

      November 18, 2016 at 15:58

      Hardcore bathplug

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief Argonian

        November 18, 2016 at 15:59

        Yoh…

        Reply

      • Bruce Bielie

        November 18, 2016 at 16:00

        What would a hardcore bathplug look like? Tattoos all over, driving a truck with tekkies that would make Bigfoot jealous and go “Bru…” a lot???? 🙂

        Reply

        • Sageville

          November 18, 2016 at 16:02

          Hardcore bathplug drives a tow truck

          Reply

          • Bruce Bielie

            November 18, 2016 at 16:09

            Like a baths!!

  15. Avithar

    November 22, 2016 at 09:43

    as long as it is nothing like Mafia when you hit a NPC they just fall over lol

    Reply

  16. Arpit Patel

    November 22, 2016 at 19:48

  17. Dave Maťo

    January 23, 2017 at 18:09

    Just what I was wondering about. No repercussions for killing people? What’s the point of sneaking around, hacking steam pipes and whatnot, to stun your enemies? This was definitely not fully thought out.

    Reply

    • Chrichtonsworld

      September 2, 2017 at 14:42

      Playing the game right now and I have accidentally started gunfights that rarely end well for me since Marcus is not that effective with his non lethal guns. And once you are in the middle of it it’s very hard to run away without getting hurt. Unless you can find a position to take them out one by one. I do feel like some elements of the later Far Cry games have been applied in this game since you basically need to take out the guys who can call in reinforcements. And then you can basically do what you want. Otherwise they keep coming and coming and you simply won’t survive. I discovered that often you can achieve your mission by just using the quad-copter or remote car. Which is very fun.

      Reply

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