Watch Dogs is a multiplatform action-adventure video game developed and published by Ubisoft. The game was released on May 27, 2014. It was made available on PC as well as on seventh and eighth generation consoles.
The events of Watch Dogs unfold in Chicago, a city under the control of ctOS – a digital system that not only manages the entire infrastructure of the city (from computers to electrical panels) but also holds a database on every resident. No one can hide from the omniscient eye of ctOS (Central Operating System), a fact exploited by authorities, law enforcement, and... hackers. They have literally flooded Chicago, and among them is the main character of Watch Dogs, Aiden Pearce – a former criminal and top-tier hacker who once stepped away from the “loud” jobs and tried to break from his past... A past in which he caused the death of a family member. But peace is only a dream for him – in trying to track down the killers, Aiden has stepped back onto a slippery path. The hunt has begun. But who is the hunter, and who is the prey? Time will tell.
Watch Dogs is an open-world game, somewhat reminiscent of the GTA and Saints Row series. We have a large city at our disposal, a vast selection of vehicles, open shops here and there, and plenty of interesting locations, many of which are specially marked by the developers to allow players to familiarize themselves with the attractions of Chicago. However, a distinctive feature of Watch Dogs is that players can interact with the environment not only by running over locals, destroying cars, and knocking over trash bins and poles.
Almost every item with electronics is somehow linked to ctOS, meaning it can be hacked. Thanks to his advanced smartphone, Aiden can ‘hack’ ordinary people's gadgets, turn traffic lights on and off, connect to cameras, and even raise bridges, all at the push of a button. The number of objects that can be hacked increases as you level up the necessary skills in the overall skill list. It's worth noting that the success of completing many missions primarily depends on how effectively Aiden utilizes his hacking arsenal.
Aiden Pearce encounters enemies frequently, but whether to engage in open combat or to quietly execute a plan is up to us. In the latter case, we’ll need to spend a significant amount of time hiding, using cameras for scouting along with distraction devices, while eliminating foes will happen smoothly and stealthily. However, if Aiden decides to charge ahead with guns blazing, he will have a plethora of weapons at his disposal: pistols, machine guns, assault rifles, and even grenades.
In addition to the main storyline, Watch Dogs boasts a wealth of side missions, including contracts for assassinations, racing missions, and distinctive Ubisoft-style tasks like 'hack the tower and gain access to the area.' There are even exotic missions like mini-games in the form of coin collection – Aiden, entering a unique augmented reality, must gather virtual 'coins' while overcoming obstacles and watching his time.