Soham Bhure

I recently had the opportunity to dive into the third “Watch Dogs” game, and I must say, it left me feeling disappointed. Launched in 2020, the game didn’t quite hit the mark. It’s not just about comparing it to other games from the same year (The Last of Us Part 2, Ghost of Tsushima, Miles Morales, Valhalla), but even on its own, it doesn’t quite live up to its predecessors.

With so many characters buzzing around, it’s hard to connect with any of them. The whole picking-characters-for-their-skills thing might sound cool for online multiplayer, but in an open-world hacker adventure? Not so much. The graphics might have improved from the previous games, but the environment feels too cluttered. They tried to go for a neo-cyberpunk vibe but didn’t quite capture it right.

Stealth was one of the biggest reasons I liked the Watch Dogs games, but in Legion, I found it really frustrating to play stealthily. That’s because not every character was meant for stealth gameplay, and once a “stealthy” character gets injured or caught, it gets benched for a few hours. The detection meters are not as clear as in the second game, and the personalized gadgets make it really difficult to remain stealthy at times. Moreover, the absence of silenced weapons for every character makes it really frustrating. So, for stealth players, this game is definitely a disappointment.

London’s an excellent stage for the storyline, and the drones flying around do amp up the Big Brother feel. But apart from the cargo drone, the other three drones are overkill. A single, multi-purpose drone would have been enough to do the trick.

For me, ‘Watch Dogs 1’ is the top pick with its captivating storyline, although it could have benefited from more interactive hacking elements. ‘Watch Dogs 2’ follows closely, with its expansive, hackable universe and longer gameplay. Plus, the San Francisco setting is just awesome. If you’re considering a ‘Watch Dogs’ game, I’d strongly recommend the first one for its compelling story, replay value, character depth, and freshness, or the second for its vast array of hacking opportunities, improved parkour, and innovation. Given that ‘Legion’ came out four years after ‘Watch Dogs 2,’ I had high hopes for significant advancements, but it might not live up to those expectations.