Watch Dogs 2 has launched a full-scale assault on every gaming website apart from our own, and thus a full-range of scores have been extracted based upon the open world adventure's source code. It's worth nothing that, from what we understand, the multiplayer is completely crunk at the moment, so you may want to turn your attention away from final verdicts at this point. We'll bring you our review when we actually, y'know, get the game...
Jimquisition - 9/10
Watch Dogs 2 is a great game as a rock solid action title, but being unafraid of its own nonsense is what makes it a truly pleasurable experience. Oh, and I kind of love Wrench, DeadSEC's masked, toaster-smashing geek. He's just the right sort of cringe and I really want that mask.
Polygon - 8/10 (Provisional)
Despite its struggles for tonal consistency, Watch Dogs 2 feels, well, true. I remember being as young and angry as the lead characters, full of so much energy and pain that I couldn't quite determine what direction to focus it in. I remember believing that I knew the best way to do things, believing it so firmly that sometimes I fucked up and hurt other people. In expanding the first game's clever hacking options and through a story about taking on a system overwhelmingly stacked against the people, Watch Dogs 2 strikes an even more powerful chord at this precise moment in time. And if it went just a little bit farther in embracing that story and found a better balance between silliness and seriousness, it would be essential, rather than just cathartic.
IGN - 6.5/10 (Provisional)
It's a shame Watch Dogs 2 is coming out in this partially crippled condition, because even though I wish I could recommend it more strongly, I can't yet. If I had to score it now, I'd give it a 6.5 for okay, because I don't think people should buy it right now unless they have no interest in the multiplayer portion. I do hope and expect that I'll be able to raise that score in my final review, which will come later this week.
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Will you be whipping out your smartphone in anticipation for Watch Dogs 2 this week? Do you think that this sequel sounds woof or rough? Chew these questions over in the comments section below.
Comments 37
I don't get it, what's wrong with the game that ign aren't giving it the score they want to give it, performance issues?
@viciousarcanum The IGN review is a mess really. I understand it's a provisional review, but that doesn't mean it's writing should be unfathomable.
@Kidfried @viciousarcanum Yeah... They're giving it a lower score because the multiplayer's not there yet. Safe to assume the score will increase when it's working.
Reviews seem generally positive.
Kids and their multi-player. Back in my day...
Grammar fixed!
@Elodin Their**
I am tempted but didn't the first game get positive reviews?
Ohh, I'm tempted but for this final bloody edit I want to get out of the way
I have enough in my hands with Dishonoured 2, I ll wait for a price drop and ill definetely buy this one. I enjoyed the first Watch dogs regarding all the mediocre reviews it got.
I guess Ubisoft did not give enough money to IGN for a good review
Loved the first game will be getting this but will wait till the new year as will not have time for it before then.
@dryrain Don't knock them at least they stuck their necks out and gave an honest assessment of the current game's state. Unlike Eurogamer who have decided to give Ubisoft a chance to fix the numerous multiplayer issues before they give their review.
Must be good if Jim Sterling likes it, cause he is one hard guy to please.
Singleplayer>Multiplayer. That is all
wow jim gave it a better review then ign. How many greggs sausage rolls did they send him.
Can anyone from the push square staff that's played watch dogs 2 answer a few questions for me please.
Is there an abundance of N words in the dialogue? (Main character is black and all)
Does watch dogs 2 have the option to turn off the dialogue? You could in watch dogs 1.
@get2sammyb @Kidfried
You'd think IGN of all people would understand that most games are released 'partially crippled' these days. Like anyone trusts their reviews anymore anyways..
Don't understand why ign are giving it a score yet if they say the final review will be later in the week. Why not do what pushsquare sometimes do and put score pending, or review in progress etc.
I didn't even know it had multiplayer
I was hoping this game would be great, but after watching the review by one of my favorite reviewers on YouTube, it's definitely a wait for a sale.
What bothers me is the game has some technical issues on every console and there isn't enough to the game that really justifies the full asking price.
Also the driving still looks like driving with glass tires covered in pudding.
Ah youth. Young yes, angry no, my little 'trips' and visits to squats and various 'joints' kept me with a cool head.
The first WD sucked. What did it for me is if you stood at a crossroad's where there were say 20 car's waiting at the light's, you would hack the light's, turn them to green and the 20 or so people driving the car's would just drive into each other like brainless moron's. If that wasn't bad enough the morons would just keep reversing a little and then just try and plough through the pile up as if they were robot's. Nuff said. No i'm not buying WD2. Might get it for £20 when it's on offer.
@Deadlyblack Are you referring to ACG?
The guy is really good, but with dishonored 2 he missed big time by giving it a wait for a sale review. It is definitely one of the best games of the year so far.
After reading the IGN review, I think that guy thought he was playing Dishonored 2 or Hitman. Really you're gonna knock of some points for ludo narrative dissonance? Good thing he never reviewed Uncharted or Tomb Raider. I think he really was mad because he didn't get DH2 for review and got this. PSLS gave it an 8 too. He got to try multi-player but didn't like it
I really liked the first one, but maybe I'm partial since it takes place in Chicago and I love Chicago. From what I've seen in the trailers, all the nitty gritty stuff is way out the window. Looks a bit too hipsterlight hearted for me =
I've spoken with the guy who wrote the dlc story for the original and helped write for 2, he's a little better at writing likeable characters I'm of the opinion. Also he says it's a little embarrassing to walk into stores and have your kid point at posters and yell that your dad made that game.
Looks good to me, can't wait to pick it up.
I'll be waiting before I really make an impression of it. It looks good, but I also haven't played the original either, and I'd like to play that first.
@fabisputza00 Yea, I always like watching Karak's reviews.
Yea, I feel Dishonored 2 is more of a Buy, but I can see where he's coming from by the game having a few performance issues that might hinder the experience for some. Heck, AC Unity had bugs and issues everywhere and I played the game on launch and had no problems whatsoever.
Looking at ACG's review, it seems like a fairly empty city and a fairly mundane adventure....
Ubisoft's games just have no heart and soul anymore (Rayman and a few rare exceptions aside). It's like all their games just follow the standard model. Nothing exceptional about them to remember them by. Never a story that stands out as a classic, never gameplay that goes beyond the status quo of modern gaming.
I'm just bored with their games. Stuff like Trackmania Turbo... yes. Awesome. Especially with that upcoming VR patch. But even that is nothing more than just a lighthearted fun game. Doesn't stand out and it won't be remembered in 10 years as one of the greats.
They really need to start going above and beyond what they're doing now because they've got a lot of talented developers, but they just can't seem to make a game that I would consider a timeless classic. And that's the only kind of games I'm really interested anymore. I don't have enough time for the mundane of modern gaming.
I dont get the move from the somewhat dirty underworld Chicago aesthetic to a quasi saints row open world, WD seems to have lost its original identity.
@THEundying27 "Is there an abundance of N words in the dialogue? (Main character is black and all)"
Hmmmmmmmm. I dont know what's more disappointing, the fact you have ignorantly wrote this question or the fact you want someone from the staff to answer it.
@THEundying27 Watch the racial slurs. This is your one and only warning.
shame it runs worse on PS4 Pro than on the base PS4, puts me off picking it up
I kinda liked the first one. Ubisoft games get low prices quite fast so it's probably a bargain bin thingy for me but slightly interested. Online I don't care about so that's not a problem to me.
I'll buy it after I complete Final Fantasy XV.
Found this really good article. How Watch Dogs 2 brought its virtual San Francisco to life: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2016-11-16-how-watch-dogs-2-brought-its-virtual-san-francisco-to-life
Oh, I ordered it based on the article alone. Being interested in A.I and all that, Watched the original 'Ghost in the Shell' last night on Netflix. Forgot how good a film it was.
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