Watch Dogs Legion is out today, and while the game isn’t perfect, it’s still a fascinating tour of London that’s helping bridge the gap between current and next-gen consoles. If you’re planning on picking it up and making a difference in the world’s capital, then class is in session! As someone who has played the game, recruited several pensioners and recreated scenes of terrible old women assaulting fit and defenseless young men, I’m something of an expert in Ubisoft’s latest sandbox.
Here’s a look at how you can get the revolution started in no time.
Liberate districts, get specialists
Watch Dogs Legion may be about people power, but you’re going to have to rouse London’s citizens to fight by your side against the likes of Albion and Clan Kelley. Every district is under lockdown, and to stoke the fires of rebellion you’ll need to accomplish a few tasks along the way. For example, some areas may require some old-fashioned vandalism, others ask you to free prisoners and so on.
Once you’ve done all that, you’ll be able to do one final mission to stick it to the man, and you’ll be rewarded with a specialist operative who has essential skills in Watch Dogs: Legion. Think of these rebels as legendary pokemon, able to do far more damage to Albion than just your regular recruit.
Grab all the tech points
With a district liberated, you’ll also be able to see where all the tech points are within it. Grab as many of these as you can, as you’ll need tech points to help upgrade your arsenal of gadgets. The more you spend, the more options you have for any given mission with all your gear and you can start prioritising which skills and upgrades will suit you best.
Like my bare knuckle boxer who can land an electrified Superman punch that arcs lightning to nearby enemies. Priceless.
Turn permadeath on
If you want to get some real value out of Watch Dogs: Legion, go the Fire Emblem route. By turning on permadeath, you’ll force yourself to play more cleverly, use cunning, and trick your way through just about every encounter unless you want to have your organs decorated with bullets by a trigger-happy drone whose role model is ED-209 from Robocop. There’s more fun to be had when you realise how your operatives are glass cannons, making each new recruit an indispensable member of your team.
The shroud is invaluable
Early on when I was relying on stealth to infiltrate buildings, the shroud was my go-to gadget. It has a heck of a recharge, but used correctly you can start taking down enemies and sneaking through security checkpoints with ease. If you get rumbled, you can flick it on and hide around a corner while Albion gets bamboozled by your vanishing act. At its upgraded levels, you get a higher battery life and you can use the shroud to cover up the bodies of anyone you’ve taken down, maintaining your illusion.
Spider-bots are a must-have
If you prefer to not get your hands dirty, spider-bots are the way to go! The mechanical monsters can pretty much get away with anything, go anywhere and hack all the things. Once you’ve upgraded it, it’s even more versatile and it’ll keep you from being perforated as it works its way through vents and hostile zones. This is one gadget, alongside the Shroud, that you should pour all your tech points into.
Lights, camera, hack!
A big feature in Watch Dogs: Legion is the ability to never have to go into a building to get a mission done. If the location has cameras, you can use them to pull off a variety of moves: You can scout for hostiles, hack valuable information out of Albion security or even use them to arm traps or divert attention away from you. You’re essentially turning a weapon into an advantageous tool for the DedSec cause, and there’s no shortage of surveillance to hack in a city that has gone Big Brother crazy.
When in doubt, call in a cargo drone
It can be daunting to sneak through enemy territory when you need to physically get your hands on a MacGuffin, but there is a shortcut: A cargo drone. Massive airborne delivery vehicles, you can easily hack one and just fly to where you need to be, bypassing all the enemies on the lower floors. You’ve got options for grabbing one as well.
Many buildings have a hub that can be hacked to call in a cargo drone, or if your operative is a construction worker, chances are they’ll have access to their own personal drone as well. Climb onboard, hack it, and sail the not-so-friendly skies of London.
Explore London with the Deep Profiler
Watch Dogs: Legion’s NPC system is stupidly deep. These are characters with their own routines and lives, which you can explore in stunning detail with the deep profiler. It’s also a handy tool for getting more information on recruits who wouldn’t normally join DedSec, swaying people to cause even if they work for the enemy. Feel like waltzing into an Albion sector house and not wanting to worry about raising an alarm? Recruit an Albion goon to your side and waltz right in.
Last Updated: October 29, 2020
