Watch Dogs - 9 Years Later

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Other Essays: • Video Essays
- Chapters-
Intro: 0:00
Chp 1: The Windy City: 3:58
Chp 2: Hack Everything/Change Nothing: 14:52
Chp 3: Meaningless Code: 25:16
Chp 4: Ghost in The Machine: 36:48
Chp 5: Bad Blood: 55:53
Chp 6: A Dystopian Future: 1:00:13
Outro: 1:04:49
What comes to mind when I say Watch_Dogs? Is it disappointment, deceit, mediocrity? For a few of you it’s something positive, but that few is a growing minority. Why is that? Simply put, the years have been kind to Watch_Dogs, and each year separates us from the E3 demo of 2012 that promoted a game still yet to release. Sure, the idea for Watch_Dogs is there, but any comparison to the demo makes it clear that this was not running on current console hardware, and if that wasn’t clear, here's the proof. Jonathan Morin, creative director of Watch_Dogs made it clear that the game was not ready to be shown, and was being developed for next gen consoles that weren’t even known at the time. The team didn’t know what to expect, or what would be possible on the hardware, but Yves Guillemot insisted that the game be presented, knowing full well there was a high probability that promises would not be kept. We can add that to the list of his crimes alongside promoting a toxic work environment and being a French Canadian, but it takes two to tango. When met with limitless presentation, why wouldn’t we think that limitless gameplay potential was to follow? Even in those early showcases, Watch_Dogs laid its gameplay bare, but it didn’t stop the allure of a new intellectual property, and the endless possibilities that come with such a new frontier. A world where everything is connected, and becoming less and less fictional has the potential to say a lot. What are the ethics of the government, or anyone for that matter, knowing everything about you? What are the social implications, political implications, criminal implications? Watch_Dogs only answers a few of these, and often with little depth. The concept is fresh, but it is supplemented by ideas that could fit anywhere.
This is a theme present across all of Watch_Dogs. The idea that the game does not need to have hacking, in fact, many of its best qualities ignore the hacking. It’s gameplay is at it’s best with one hand clutching a grenade and the other gripping iron, the story's greatest qualities are the mystery that unfolds, Aidens response to his trauma, and its setting is unique because of its gloomy atmosphere, coat physics included. The hacking is unique, but stays an arms length away from everything else, and the moments it does intersect are fleeting. If your game that is marketed entirely on a hacking mechanic is still good without it, there may be a problem, or an excellent foundation. Regardless, the qualities here were overpowered by the taste left in players' mouths leading up to the game's release. With such a taste, the internet spit a toxic narrative that Watch_Dogs lied to the player about much more than its presentation. What resulted was a rude awakening, regarding both the game, and the effects of hype culture. This is what warrants a retrospective evaluation. We’ve had plenty of reviews that focus on what the game was supposed to be, or what we were told it was going to be, but the discussion of what the game is, and what its qualities are, disconnected from the could would, and potentially, should, is few. Because unfortunately for Watch_Dogs, it fell victim to the very dystopia it painted.
Watch Dogs is an interesting game. Watchdogs was initially panned upon release, but eventually Watch_Dogs was looked back upon as not being as bad, and eventually, we even got Watchdogs 2. Watch Dogs 2 would then lead to Watch Dogs Legion and uhh... Watchdogs Legion was a game. This Watch Dogs critique, Watch Dogs review, Watch Dogs analysis, Watch Dogs retrospective, or whatever you want to call it will be looking at Watch Dogs years later and Watch Dogs Bad Blood. Analysing the Watch Dogs gameplay, story, world, and more to understand the misunderstood reputation of Watch Dogs, and how it would eventually affect the Watch Dogs series. Aiden Pearce will play a central role in this argument, and there will be a heavy Aiden Pearce analysis to back up my claims. This video could also serve as a Watch Dogs story explained video. I hope we can get a new Watch Dogs someday, and one better than Legion.

[@ThatBoyAqua]

Thanks to the most immersive vehicle combat game, War Thunder, for sponsoring this video. Play for free by using my link to receive a new player bonus pack that includes vehicles, boosters, and more! playwt.link/thatboyaqua Here is the mod I used to fix the coat www.nexusmods.com/watchdogs/mods/83?tab=files

[@Thatguy-uc3dy]

Aiden Pearce really made watch dogs, special for me, watch dogs was never the same without him. sure there were other interesting characters like T-Bone but he really didn't get much time to shine, its a shame that we didn't get to see more of them, I couldn't even touch the last watch dogs game because I felt like it lacked a strong protagonist.

[@ianmitchell5979]

How was that cake? The well-baked parts, I mean.

[@AD3SPG]

In a way yes but I waited for the ultimate edition to be super cheap and just played as Aiden mostly.

[@ThatBoyAqua]

@@ianmitchell5979I didn’t eat it lol I ended up giving it away after throwing it back in the oven to bake thoroughly but the people I gave it to said it was good

[@Martiangamehunter4]

It was the start of a era where 6/10s or 7/10 games were mistakenly seen as the worse thing ever. People over exaggerated how bad the game is but in reality it ain’t that bad. Those games had more redeeming qualities than we realized

[@theoutsiderjess4869]

People were mad because they felt lied too not that the game was bad

[@xBox360BENUTZER]

Atleast the 6/10 or 7/10 games were unique before, now they are all fps games

[@DPS_GMs]

According to ign, Bethesda has just opened the flood gate. But we all know ign, if the stack of cash is big enough the quality is Stier.

[@_CrimsonBlade]

Watch dogs was trash

[@bencegergohocz5988]

Starfield is now the newest victim of exactly this. I have 2.5k hours in skyrim and i know for a fact that it would have been burned to the ground if it was judged by modern terminally online people. Not everything can be flawless and the games that are close to that tend to be coridor simulators i personally dislike.

[@WarrenValion]

I remember when Aiden kills the last guy, he goes on a slight monologue. About how he knows that it's supposed to be meaningless, that getting his revenge 'doesn't change things', and he says that is wrong. Things have changed, he finally feels free. And that was just so real, I knew I loved this guy.

[@LxstGalaxy2000]

Aiden reminds me of Batman

[@Skrisms]

Second to last guy, Lucky Quinn. The one who put the hit on him causing his nieces death.

[@Patrick-ho3st]

I love how the initial post was triying to avoid spoilers, and you're like, "fuck that noise", and just blurted it out@@Skrisms

[@Shellshock39]

I played the original Watch Dogs recently, and it's genuinely great. It's not a masterpiece or anything, but it's great. A lot of people wrote it off because of the false advertising and the confusing DLC. Aiden Pierce is an underrated character imo.

[@filipgasic2642]

It's mid. And honestly with the great games we have today why would you spend time on something mid

[@inputcape]

@@filipgasic2642people like what people like if he likes watch dogs 1 let him be, you may like something someone else thinks is bad

[@markedone494]

@@filipgasic2642 Great games like saints row and watch dogs legion?

[@filipgasic2642]

@@inputcape You can like anything you want but that still doesn't make it more than mid. You can say I like this even though it's bad. Just don't false advertise products. That's what created a problem with this game in the first place

[@filipgasic2642]

@@markedone494 ?

[@ianmitchell5979]

One of my favorite moments from the story would definitely be when killing the crime boss, and Aiden isn't like "Was this all really worth it? Will this bring me satisfaction?". He's like "FINALLY! I took him out! I'm done with him! What a relief!"

[@cdubsb3831]

"I have avenged my niece and now I can sleep soundly at night!" "It has been 2 decades of struggle. I still do not sleep soundly at night. I was robbed!"

[@broomhilder]

Becoming an uncle in recent years has had an impact on my perception of Aiden and his motivations/personality. I don’t want to even fathom what it would be like to lose a niece, but if Aiden’s circumstance happened to my family I’d have vengeance on the brain too.

[@pooroldnostradamus]

Pulling up to the outskirts of Chicago at night, switching off the engine of the car and just sitting there with the rain dripping outside is the sort of thing I love Watchdogs for

[@FragileJesseLord]

The Silent invasions are probably my favorite form of online play, because you're just watching somebody play singleplayer. I know not everyone will find it as interesting as me, but the idea of watching someone run around an open world while they think they're alone is just so cool.

[@joshuasatterwhite9520]

Can you still do this?

[@rogo7330]

@@joshuasatterwhite9520 yes. Ubisoft did not killed (yet) another perfectly fine working multiplayer that probably runs on a single laptop in their office and does not need much maintenance since it's mostly peer-to-peer. Finding players (or more than 2-10 different players depending on your region) can be a challenge though. God I wish someone will write a mod and a server-side for this game to preserve its multiplayer.

[@Descreeet]

i have seen people's craziest fantasies in tailing missions... watch dogs was something else.

[@FragileJesseLord]

@@Descreeet I've hopped into a world and didn't even have to hide because the mfer was stuck in a tunnel, blocked in by like 6 cop cars and a helicopter

[@LethalProtector8000]

Honestly, I still really like his game, almost 10 years later. I was never as disappointed as others were, when the downgrade happened. The gameplay was still pretty much as advertised.

[@lmeproductions8781]

"The gameplay was still pretty much as advertised." I love Watch Dogs just as much as the next guy but let's not lie lol

[@LethalProtector8000]

@@lmeproductions8781 If you're gonna make a counter point, actually try and make and make some valid arguments. It's easy talking out your ass.

[@matro2]

@@lmeproductions8781 What changed?

[@Johnnyupside]

@@matro2 They disabled the command line that give the game E3 graphic

[@kazdy0451]

​@@Johnnyupsideif it was just a command line, where is e3 graphics now? And if you tell me that "The Worse mod" brings it back, its not even close to e3. The story of hidden files inside the game is fake.

[@Bangtavious]

I have this theory that if you go in to Watch Dogs with the idea that it is a "John Wick" style action game, it gets so much better. I've replayed it like 5 times already.

[@Sageleader3]

This game is so underrated. I don't understand why Ubisoft marketed the game as a hacker game. They should have focused on showing the John wick like combat

[@theoutsiderjess4869]

The combat is a little too basic for that

[@Sageleader3]

@@theoutsiderjess4869 the combat is amazing. its the hacking that is basic

[@thonato295]

​@@theoutsiderjess4869I recommend checking out visceral carnage montages of this game

[@dmywololowol]

@@Sageleader3 Combat is very basic. It has probably the worst gunplay from any Ubi title, the game really tries to force your hand to be stealthy with how bad the gunplay is imo. Meele was decent enough but there's little variety in combat situations and mission design. I finished this game last year (along with Legion and 2) and i found that the game becomes a chore after half of the second act.

[@Sageleader3]

@@dmywololowol let's agree to disagree

[@william.prlt.26]

I was 12 when the game released, I remember pre-ordering it, playing through it all within a week and enjoyed every second of it. It was one of my favorite games of all time for a while after that. It was only quite a few years later that I learned a lot of people didn’t think too highly of the game and I remember just being baffled at that realization.

[@presidentc4]

I say fuck em bruh. It's a good game

[@drissiayoub5737]

Same for me man

[@gotthesauce5221]

its a good game i was hella disappointed w/ pt 2 the tone was so corny

[@Dennis-de1ji]

That's the 2002 experience😂😂. Myself I played the game only seeing some trailers and gameplay and being thrilled to get to do that roleplaying. It's not very often that I can say my kid self was fuckin right and the world didn't have its shit together!!

[@xoafallen6239]

To me. WD1 had a great story okay mechanics WD2 had amazing mechanics and ok story. wish wd3 took the best parts of both.

[@imembridibuddha]

The best part of WD2 was the sandbox. The city and civilian AI was so lively and dynamic, almost nothing felt scripted and predictable.

[@indeed260]

⁠@@redcobra6016That’s what the guy you’re replying to basically said, just in less words. They said that they WISH Legion took the best parts of both, not that it actually did

[@redcobra6016]

@@indeed260 I think I misread what they said.

[@jaydendenyaj]

The story in legion is god awful.

[@vikramamarnathgarg5237]

During blackouts the player is not supposed to shoot everybody, simply go and take down by pressing O (PS) button on the target. Useful in situation where the player has to immobilise the target instead of eliminating them (Criminal Convoy & Gang Hideout). In short it prevents shootouts. Also helps in escaping pursuits during night time.

[@oparmy5691]

When legion dropped people started to realize what they had with wd1

[@Dennis-de1ji]

Only know you know you love her when you let her go, Only know you had it when there is no soul😂

[@a10001110101]

I should give Aiden a call.

[@not_tem]

I am SO GLAD this video has finally been made. The story of this game is heartwrenching and great, and I'm sad the sequal didn't keep any of the cool noir vibe.

[@PiercingEditz]

Dude this is one of the best Watch_Dogs retrospectives I've ever seen I really hope you cover Watch_Dogs 2 and Watch Dogs Legion and complete the trilogy

[@HeptadFel]

18:02 the risk factor for this part is in my opinion is what makes the main character the main character… he takes risks in the story and understands that every moment for him is risks, someone once said that he has ptsd and is always in a fight mode and just has a normal (new normal as in healing from truama) risk like behavior which is is fight and think clearly from that event.. also when your a vigilant like him (he’s not batman please note) he doesn’t have much time and escape methods and tools are limited too so he has to act fast from that factor as well… so to simplify risk in a short time or risk in general for aiden pearce is from his ptsd/traumatic experience that puts him in fight (kill) and flight (his thinking) and that risk is amplified by time which is his vigilant like behavior that is not on the scale of batman

[@TrueRem]

i mean if u really think about it Aiden is the batman of the watch dogs universe.

[@HeptadFel]

@@TrueRemhe aint got no grapple tho and thats why i say time and planning is more vital, its so much easier to have that linear grappling hook and gliding to move and escape faster and replan in the arkham games.

[@hardVatsuki]

As WD1 modder I have to share my point of view on certain things in the video. It will a huge wall of text: Physics in game tied to fps, thats why coat flipped like crazy and you got stray bug, which displaces you a lot when you go left-right when running. Coat physics made for 30 fps only. I disagree on civilians being alive - they are really bland, they do not interact with you at all, they do not fight you or challenge you, it is worse than GTA 3 in that aspect - no civilian will fight you back if you steal their car, no one of them will try to fight you when you do something bad, when news reports about you coming out, no one is trying to fight you, every civilian just calls the police and run away, they are helpless little dummies. You won't see civilians entering a vehicle on their own, no one in the city is driving a bike - except for player(s). Driving physics is busted - you can't jump on top of other vehicle with your own, game will simply clip you through it and then you see bizarre effect of cars glitching out like crazy, it seems that collision for Y coordinates for vehicles are not existent. Gameplay is fun, but it absolutely ruined by aim assist that you can't really properly disable through settings. Also, mouse is emulated stick and controls thanks to that are terrible, it doesn't feel great in multiplayer. I played more than 2000 hours in total and I still can't get over it (skill issue, I know, but I don't have same problems in GTA games). Aiden is far from good person IMO, the whole game's story started because he and Damien wanted a quick buck from stealing money in Merlaut and they were unlucky to be in same day in same minute as Iraq was hacking Merlaut too. And not even questioning the morality of stealing money from random civilians. Political message is done good, they do not shove in your face these messages, you can witness them yourself - how cops beating up Raul (survivor) for not giving a police share from deals, how Lucky Quinn manipulated Rushmore to become a mayor and cover up Lucky's and his gang crimes. You seemed got mistaken in acts, act 2 is the longest one and act 3 is where you work for T-Bone in Pawnee. Fibonacci code also can be heard in ctOS Hubs, robotic female voice also repeats these numbers. I personally like Damien as villain - it is not stated clearly why he wanted Aiden dead or be locked behind the bars, I think it is because during Merlaut job Aiden did not listen to his orders, causing what happened after it - apartment of Damien was smashed and they broke his leg, I think it was his whole goal even when we first saw in "Thanks For the Tip" mission. Also game never gives an answer who wanted to get Aiden's identity in a series of missions with Raul, but I think it was also Damien - very interesting coincidence that after Aiden and Damien got into argument, one mission later Jordi notified Aiden about this issue. Also Damien became power hungry, he wanted Bellwether and control whole city to simply harm others, which he admitted in last mission. (Also, weird models during digital trip sequences 💀) Overall, great video, I enjoyed it a lot. I personally like when this god's forsaken game gets attention it deserves.

[@ThatBoyAqua]

I really appreciate all the insight! The 30fps explanation makes sense, and probably explains why installing the mod was super easy. I figured my weird digital trip models were a result of said mod, because the bug was consistent in the open world too. Strange. Definitely see where your coming from regarding the political messaging and Damien. Didn’t really notice the driving physics stuff you mentioned, but interesting nonetheless. Do you think having so much experience with the game causes you to feel the way you do about NPCs or have you felt it since first playing?

[@uniformslinky]

One of my favorite games of all time, I always make sure to replay it once a year to understand simply how much fun this game was. Really really hoping for a fourth watch dogs game, a return to roots would be nice.

[@lord_vader123]

I'm totally in love with Aiden since the first time I saw the game. One of the best protagonists in media for me

[@dylandestruction2418]

something interesting, the coat physics bug is actually tied to the fps of the game. you have to limit the frames to either 60 or 30 fps with either your GPU's drivers or if that doesnt work you have to put the game in fullscreen and turn on vsync to lock it at 60 fps. this will also fix a bug where aiden sorta slides realy fast when either trying to go left or right because for some reason his movement is tied to framerate.

[@maniakmania2810]

biggest takeaway, holy fuck I didn't know Maurice was going through it like that, I've always loved this game since it came out and I love that people are finally starting to appreciate it

[@Jadedingle]

I gave this game a shot a few years on on ps4 after hearing nothing but bad things about it since launch. I ended up really enjoying the story, combat, and mission design enough to platinum the game. Glad other people feel the same.

[@callaco3176]

It is so great to finally see this minority of people I have been in for so long grow. Especially to be covered by Aqua. Love it my man, feeling vindicated as hell, haha! Keep up the great work!

[@FraserSouris]

I'm reminded of this piece on Aiden's character from the Blog "The United Federation of Charles:" Quote:" This is the, essential, story of Watch_Dog's Aiden Pearce except the character chooses to live as Batman in the ostensible "real world." He doesn't wear a giant Batsuit nor subscribes to Batman's code against killing but he has a costume, a utility-belt equivalent in his near-magic iphone, and styles himself the Vigilante with a-little-too sadistic glee. He is, in short, a thoroughly normal video game protagonist. Gamers are conditioned to accept a lot of things which are utterly insane, of course. When Max Payne decides to put down his badge and murder every criminal in New York, we treat this as a perfectly normal action. When Batman chooses to put on his iconic suit, we act as if this is a heroic act. Even Grand Theft Auto's protagonists live in a world where their evil is just part of a larger cultural tapetry. Indeed, their worlds justify the choice to be something other than the "normal" person we all are trapped in our lives as being. This is an important part of the narrative. And Aiden? Aiden lives in the real world. Or something damn-near close it. Aiden wants to be Batman but, at the end of the day, he's always Bruce Wayne. The fact Aiden Pearce lives in what is, ctOS and powerful Irish mob aside, "our" Chicago throws this entire cliche narrative out of whack. When Aiden suffers the horrific loss of his niece to a drive-by-shooting aimed at him, he thinks of revenge. His sister? The girl's mother? She advises him to go to group therapy, clean up his life, and to be there for his surviving nephew. But Aiden doesn't do that because of two factors: 1. There would be no game. 2. Aiden is crazy. Aiden's seriously mental and so wrapped up in an adolescent fantasy he doesn't see it's not justified by the game world. Not in the narrative or the assumptions of the setting. His insanity is an understated sort of thing, he's not delusional and doesn't hear voices. Aiden, however, does react to events in a manner which is dissonant with just about everyone else depicted in the game. He's also a rampaging enormous hypocrite. Even as Aiden is playing the Vigilante, he is also engaged in numerous "Fixer" contracts which consist of him doing work-for-hire illegal activities. These things happen in-story so they're a canonical part of Aiden's character. There's also the fact Aiden's best friend and biggest ally, Jordi, is a professional criminal every bit as bad as the kind Aiden chooses to fight. Aiden acknowledges the hypocrisy of this relationship but needs Jordi to get closer to his revenge. The duality of Aiden's character is best exemplified in one of his main activities for gaining money. Aiden funds his war on crime by draining the bank accounts of the individuals he scans on the streets. While gamer who wants to veer Aiden closer to the moniker of "good guy", despite the fact he does Fixer contracts, will only steal money from the most disreputable of clients, nothing prevents Aiden from doing so to the public at large. He claims he's doing this for the sake of his family and he's reformed but is either true? Has Aiden really changed at all? Is Aiden saving people for atonement or to make himself capable of living with the guilt of his actions with Lena? Aiden was a career computer criminal and implied Fixer well before the events of the game. The opening events of the game, indeed, are him emptying the accounts of Chicago's rich and famous for the benefit of both himself as well as his mentor Damien. Aiden begins his actions as the Vigilante because of the death of his niece but, to an outside observer, it's very clear these actions aren't terribly different from his previous nighttime activities. The allure of money, violence, and excitement are a drug which Aiden is drawn to--even when he's supposedly pursuing his relative's killer. This would not, necessarily, be hypocrisy if Aiden was simply after his niece's murderer. Revenge, after all, is a values neutral motivation belonging to both heroes and villains alike. However, Aiden devotes much of his in-game activities to stopping crimes in-progress as well as criminal convoys as well as destroying gang hideouts believes he's the Vigilante and it's his job to clean-up Chicago. This, despite the fact he remains part of the criminal underworld he ostensibly fights. Whether Aiden has a High Reputation with the public or a Low Reputation, he is a person who strongly believes himself to be a force for good now. Whether it's true or not. The game doesn't shy away from the fact Aiden's statement this is all for Lena is a lie as well. Continually, throughout the game, Aiden's sister, Nicky, serves as the voice of sanity on his shoulder. She states that Aiden is not making the world a better place by going after Lena's killers. Indeed, she states that it's very likely Aiden's actions will cause further harm to their family. Nicky proves to be right when she's kidnapped and her son is forced to witness the horrifying actions of his uncle in fighting the local mobsters--leaving him traumatized. Aiden's actions force his only remaining family to flee the city, staying just ahead of retaliation for his activities. In effect, repeating the actions which got his niece killed. Aiden can kill any number of civilians and continue his quest. Even the most pacifist Aiden, however, will wreck large sections of Chicago. The game's self-awareness extends to the very act of Lena's murder. The six-year-old girl wasn't, in fact, the target of hitman Maurice Vega. Maurice, a Fixer like Aiden and Jordi, was attempting to kill our hero for his actions during the prologue. Aiden has brought the most traumatizing thing possible down on his family in the death of a child, only to continue to make their lives worse by doing the same sort of thing again. Maurice's reaction to the event, an accident, is similar to the way Aiden might react. He is horrified and disgusted with himself, to the point of suicidal depression. Showing Aiden isn't so different from the criminals he fights at all. Even Aiden's successes, publishing all the activities of the Blume Corporation and killing Dermont "Lucky" Quinn, are questionable. The ctOS system is spread throughout the world because of the chaos created by Aiden's actions. Furthermore, Quinn is an old man who probably only has a few years left in him anyway. Aiden feels validated by his "successful" revenge but whether he's made the world a better or worse place is ambiguous. The only people who truly benefit from Aiden's actions are the victims of Quinn's human-trafficking network, which is Aiden's one unambiguous success. One the player has to follow up on with sidequests to get any real results for. This is not the first time which video games have tackled the issue of escapist fantasy being taken too far in a character's quote-unquote real-life. Spec Ops: The Line follows Captain Walker's deconstructive journey where he desperately tries to make himself the protagonist of a Call of Duty-esque shooter only to make things worse and worse. Grand Theft Auto V's Michael De Santa is a man who, ostensibly, wants to escape the life of a mayhem-inducing protagonist but, of course, fights only vaguely to becoming one again. Assassin's Creed: Black Flag's Edward Kenway claims he's trying to become a "man of quality" for his wife but abandons her for a decade in pursuit of pleasure and glory. oor Nicky is unaware most of the internet considers her brother's degeneration justified because he has a growly voice and an iconic outfit. Aiden desperately wants to cling to the image of himself as a hero and a good man. A man who puts his family first over his own needs. Yet, he refuses to abandon the criminal lifestyle which threatened his family and puts them in greater danger in pursuit of revenge, wealth, and glory. He fights crimes but sporadically and in-between committing it for his own selfish gain. When we look at Aiden, we are not seeing a plainclothes hero, we're just seeing someone trying to be one because he can't deal with the reality of his situation. Contrary to making Aiden a worse character, I believe this actually makes him a more interesting protagonist. The real-world is full of dubious justifications and motivations. The real cost and benefit of our actions is also often unclear except in hindsight. Why should video game heroes be different?

[@insight_iot]

Finally a nuanced piece on Watch Dogs, I agree with all what you said. Watch Dogs was great, it's just too bad people didn't give it a chance because of all the other circumstances surrounding the game. I had a really good time, playing it at launch and thought it had some nice refreshing ideas in a market that already was being dominated by sequels, prequels and spin offs.

[@kingti85]

what was wrong with the video Whitelight did?

[@insight_iot]

Not sure I know what you mean, sorry@@kingti85

[@kingti85]

Alrighty then

[@thomasmarin6401]

This is your best video essay so far! Congrats 🎉🎉🎉

[@TheSpyGorillas]

the character of aiden was among my absolute favorites of all characters because he was like he was and didnt have some cliche character arc where its roses and daises at the end. or the one that pretends that revenge did not make him feel better

[@Samurix16]

Favorite game of the series, really enjoyed the dark tone.

[@Hodyna]

I LOVED the feeling of being a vigilante and I think that they did it really well. And while Aiden could feel... bit bland at times, he was a great character. Combat was fun, story did its job... and hey, the soundtrack was AMAZING. Overall, good game, one of better Ubisoft productions. That E3 demo really did it a dirty one. ...it's a shame that they changed the atmosphere COMPLETELY for the sequels.

[@tinykid948]

i was sitting here waiting for some watch dogs video and here you are making one :3 thx

[@cuzzz]

Your confidence really shines im this video. Youve improved so much❤

[@Sp4c3gl1d3r]

i remember really loving this game when i was younger and being right near the end. when my uncle brought his kids over while i wasn’t home at the time and they started a new save over mine; i broke down and never cared to play it again

[@Skrisms]

Honestly one of the best IF NOT the best game I've ever played

[@yads2k1]

This is the best watch dogs!!! With a game like this it's good that Aiden is a mystery and don't have much of a personality, this watch dogs makes the most sense out from the other 2, it's simple yet broad at the same time.

[@dylanschmitz8025]

I got Watchdogs: Legion the Christmas it came out and it’s still in its plastic wrap.

[@shannonmiller1754]

ive been waiting for u to post

[@koketsok1513]

the baking section really had me laughing,thanks for that

[@patchproductions5619]

Watch dogs is such a interesting title. Not only the game itself, but the climate that surrounded gaming before it's release, and what the game represented for the next generation of releases to come. A real landmark. So glad Aqua has done a video on it. I feel watch dogs is totally at the epicentre of other related gaming scandals, I.E. Cyberpunk, No Mans Sky, Battlefront, etc. It's really ground zero, for the over-promised, over-hyped climate that industry faced in following years. Love your content man !

[@apotsmokinjedi]

no one gonna talk about how downright hilarious what he made the AI say in his voice??? the shit that shot tupac!? lung shattering necromancer pack?!

[@damanisincere]

Almost at 200K Subs !! Love to see it 🎉🎉

[@ThatBoyAqua]

Thank you thank you! 🙏

[@tyleroutland435]

Watch dogs 1 is my favorite game in the franchise. I also liked legion but I want a full watch dogs 1 sequel with Aiden the main character.

[@dante3546]

From Whitelight to you, I'm happy big dudes showing love to Watch_Dogs :)

[@joelfindlay6463]

This game came with my PS4 when I first bought it, it was the first game I played on it and I loved it, this was a great analysis of a game that’s special in my heart, thanks for this

[@donatodiniccolodibettobardi842]

Very good job! This game did its mood very well, indeed. Even the suburbia and slums. The city drowns in choking despair.

[@praetorian9823]

Holy hell this is like the 3rd hour plus long retrospective on Watch Dogs I’ve seen released today.

[@rayyanstyles3993]

Whitelight?

[@praetorian9823]

@@rayyanstyles3993 actually yes, that’s one of them.

[@kmr_tl4509]

17:23 Blackouts are more for stealth. During the mission where I discovered Damien's hideout and the fixers got called on me, the cars driving in bumped into my parked car, then blew up a transformer. It was supposed to be a really tough fight scene, where two rooftop snipers would immediately spot you if you tried to sneak out, but the blackout just let me sprint out and drive out of there with their own cars.

[@Gewalt1984]

I just finished this game, and honestly, it's one of the greatest games I've ever played. I loved the auction mission. I listened to Hersey by NIN while cleaning house.

[@maiaaaa2257]

WD1 combined with WD2 Hacking system would be a 11/10 combo

[@declanreilly3302]

I'll always be grateful I was too young to know about or care about E3 and game reviews when this came out. I was excited by the premise and I never had anything to compare the actual game to, so I loved it and still do to this day

[@artistna]

I look back on this game fondly, the tone and atmosphere was always interesting. I wish we could have gotten more games continuing in the same fashion as part 1.

[@Silverman160Zero]

I've always loved Watch_Dogs 1. The story could’ve been a lot better with the ideas it brought initially, but everything else was amazing to me. Its gunplay, its graphics in rain or nightime, its music used in-mission and not on the official soundtrack. Hell, I'll even stand and say that's driving was hefty, but nice. Making J-turns and powersliding feeling stylish to pull off. I look back on 1 sometimes and wonder if it was as good as I remembered. And when I go back to play, I remember the reasons why I loved, even with its massive problems.

[@rometherevenant8749]

One of my favorite games. Love the story, voice acting and overall atmosphere of the world of Watchdogs. And Aiden Pearce is a really great character imo

[@Sevo-]

damn dude, just your description made me want to redownload it. (i have yet to put more than 10 minutes into it)

[@elpatoempatado2404]

0:02 Nostalgia. Years ago, I replayed WD1 time and time again... I even remember feeling proud over beating the "realistic" difficulty (young me didn't know challenge runs and self-imposed rules existed).

[@AD3SPG]

My only nit pick was not only being able to shoot out the car otherwise I loved it and Aiden wtwho the f would he be happy when his daughter died I'm guessing most gamers haven't had big losses, I still remember this was my first overnight pick up at GameStop definitely love this game and very happy it has a frame up on Xbox series.

[@ThatBoyAqua]

Yea I suppose people wanted a more pronounced response from Aiden. He seems to disassociate more than present anger. Thanks for the super thanks!

[@blast8785]

Wow, I've never played this game, but those audio logs were crazy and interesting

[@floydframpton]

One of the greatest parts of Watch Dogs, which is reoccurring in all three games is the gun takedowns. Genuinely makes you feel like such a badass watching your character melee or grab someone and execute them point blank.

[@bbbrandon01]

I honestly love Watch Dogs. Have ever since it released and played it so many times beginning to end. I have no problems with it at all. I haven't played any of the sequels though, so no idea how they play or compare.

[@Killer7-]

I really liked this game, even back then. It was really fun to play, and one of my first PS4 games.

[@lamedrawings]

Man I love clicking the like button and seeing it change from 3.9k to 4k

[@AnonFR]

Gotta love the baking part 🤣🤣

[@gh0stofkira]

i truly love this game

[@aaronbrown678]

See nah Aqua my girlfriends name is Samantha AND she has iBS. The way she looked at me when watching your video is hysterical😂

[@MrSwac31]

FYI Yves Guillemot isn't French Canadian, he's French

[@HauntedHollow_]

I've loved this game since it first came out. The writing is gritty and nuanced with great acting and atmosphere, and gameplay that always felt great, especially when taking in the depth and little quirks of the systems . Especially when using everything at your disposal and learning to string together things using focus. The world is just so immersive on top of everything as well. Weirdly enough over the years this has kinda become a comfort game for me. Something i go back to decently regularly as a game i know i can just enjoy each time i pick it up. I only play Watch Dogs on console however, having first played it on PS3 and having it subsequently bundled with my PS4 so i now replay it on PS5. So i havent really experienced issues that may be prevalent on PC.

[@zhongdongschlonglong7644]

that baking was funny as shii

[@piccolo917]

I got this game due to a recommendation of a friend who saw the ads even though I didn't. I never played an open world or even a shooter before but I really enjoyed it and even 9 years later still do so. Is it the best game ever? No, it is not. But if a game can get me to play it over and over and over again without tiring of it, that means it's good. If game publishers could get it through their heads that promising small and delivering large is a good strategy for the long term, this game would've been remember much more fondly. Also, Aiden is a good character. Do I love him or would I like him if he was a real person? No, but he is written well and his actions make sense.

[@vuksmiljic6772]

The best diving in open world games is Mad Max

[@slimmjesus1424]

replaying it i love it

[@futureme009]

I guess my love for watchdog is finally fullfil.

[@MaxSchmerz1986]

Very good video, finally a voice of reason. I never understood the negativity against the game🤷‍♂️

[@DJPRO111]

Played watch dogs back in 2014, Its great to see people realized how good this game truly is.

[@reallyhimongod]

Yeah I’m still mad they bamboozled us with that god tier demo, still one of the coldest tech demos I’ve ever watched..

[@matthew8082]

I remember never being hyped about Watch Dogs because my family didn't have enough to buy me new games, let alone a next gen console back then. I only got games through the Games with Gold on Xbox. Fast forward a couple of years, and I have an Xbox One with Watch Dogs free, years after release. I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed it thoroughly. Felt like a perfect outlet for "John Wick" type action and story in video game form.

[@ViewtifulJae]

Watch dogs 1 & 2 are so so so overlooked and underrated. Especially 2 that world that they built itself is very impressive

[@whyareyoureadingthislookaw8319]

I wish these were updated for PS5

[@Novagats]

I play the first Watch_Dogs annually. I just started replaying it again last night. I love it so much, idk why.

[@biggiechungus1]

I’d love to see you review watchdogs 2 it’s my favorite out of all 3 games

[@malamri424]

This is the best Watch Dogs... I finished them all.

[@DaisyBomber]

I played Watch Dogs in 2020 without knowing anything about the controversy. I loved it, and I'm considering a replay within the next few years

[@itsspooky2710]

There is a reason why I have a few watch dog tattoos, this whole series is a favourite!!

[@deaddenied92]

I still play wd1 from time to time , I like the dark story

[@9_9_9editz]

watch dogs will always be one of my favourite games of all time

[@saadshaik6117]

Hey! Great video, but wish you also mentioned his appearance in WD2 and culmination of his arc in WD:L DLC. Great video nonetheless.

[@Chad_Wick]

this with the pc "worse mod" makes it look so much better imo

[@starlordawe2499]

Babe wake up new that boy aqua video

[@reggiejames8626]

I absolutely love this game and have never had any grapes with it other than the driving. The graphics weren’t what they were supposed to be, but I never got hung up on that.

[@Kaino-wo3vc]

I LOVE THIS GAME A LOT

[@ShOwOba]

This was probably my first most favorite game ever when I was a kid. Not knowing anything bout the E3 trailer, I just thought this was a super awesome game that led me to copy a lot of the nonlethal side of the game as main traits of my own characters. This game wkll always hsve a special place in my heart... are the sequels worth playing if I really, really like this story but not a fan of the vibe of 2 (just from trailers)?

[@elpatoempatado2404]

+1 tbh. I lived under a rock back then.

[@randobandobby6443]

I hated that there was a morality system in the game, because in truth, yeah Aiden isn't all good nor is he all evil. He is a dude who has a crap ton of trauma in his head that is enacting his own form of "Justice". He may not show it, but the dude is screwed in the head. If you played the bloodline dlc for WDL it is not pretty, I loved the way they showed his inner psyche, it doesn't feel badass, cool or "dark" like how Hollywood does it when it has a gritty main character, No, it is creepy, haunting and genuinely sad. And the point that you were making about how the hacking is a bit overblown, totally agree, I decided to play fast, loose and unhinged like how you described it and by playing it like that, it made the game 10 thousand percent more fun. It really does feel like a modern John Wick game.

[@MateusMeddeiros]

Sooooo, this video means that we gonna get a remake of your Watch Dogs 2 video? If so, that's a godamn good thing. Also, your video made me give another chance to this game, i installed and started playing on a unfinished save that i didn't remembered that i had, and i played for almost 3 hours straight just having a shit ton of fun in the open world, then i decided to restarted the save bc i had no idea where i was at at the story and i'm really liking a lot, thanks. And that's why i think videos like this are important, now, with the power of hindsight and all the hype behind us, we can really appreciate a game for what it is.

[@ThePreciseClimber]

10:54 I do kinda prefer when you only have access to a single vehicle in a game but it's a personal thing. Like the Batmobile in Arkham Knight, the Deuce in Brutal Legend or Deacon's bike in Days Gone. Aiden feels like the kind of character that should've had his own, personal "Bat-bike." :P

[@omaralonsoalvarezvazquez2238]

Good video

[@captainziggy82]

Bro you are a mind reader, I was just looking for critiques on this game last night haha

[@ZG_ZyN]

My favorite game!

[@DaveWraptastic]

I don't understand why people suddenly have a soft spot for WD1 when WD2 was absolutely amazing from the start and still is. Maybe not storywise but gameplaywise it completely destroys WD1. Also Aiden is an annoying edgelord, imagine being so upset about 1 death that you go on a murder spree killing hundreds while claiming you are not a violent man.

[@MichaelThomasFrazier]

9:54 I know which part your talking about I stayed in the car and drove to get set from the cops on the track I got lucky but boy that was an epic set piece

[@AshNeeko]

thank you for this video, loved this game as a kid. got a ps4 just for it, got me redownloading it on pc rn lol