Review: Watch Dogs 2

“Watch Dogs 2” is the latest third‑person action game from Ubisoft. Available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, the title follows Marcus Holloway and his hacker crew in their fight against “ctOS 2.0” in San Francisco. Check out my full review of this grand open‑world game!

The new sequel to Watch Dogs is essentially what the first game should have been. Starting with the narrative: the shallow revenge plot of the unengaging protagonist Aiden Pearce has been replaced by a fresh, modern hacker collective.

Though the theme remains hacking, Watch Dogs 2 is far superior for not taking revenge too seriously. Right away, lead character Marcus Holloway is recruited by the hacker group “DedSec,” whose goal is to dismantle San Francisco’s citywide OS, ctOS 2.0, created by the “Blume Corporation.”

The DedSec plan involves executing targeted digital assaults on key systems. To achieve this, Marcus must do favors for influential figures and complete various challenges to raise DedSec’s profile—and recruit more followers.

Interestingly, the new Ubisoft title makes tongue‑in‑cheek references to real‑world celebrities, personalities, and organizations—tech elites and beyond—like Donald Trump, rapper Kanye West, and the hacktivist collective Anonymous. This satirical take, paired with sharp dialogue and humor, drives the story forward.

The supporting hackers, like Marcus Holloway, brim with charisma—an upgrade from the poorly developed cast of the original. Marcus speaks sparingly, yet there’s plenty to admire in his actions and motivations.

Unlike the drab metropolis of Chicago in the original Watch Dogs, San Francisco in Watch Dogs 2 is brilliantly rendered with faithful landmarks. Vibrant colors and meticulous environmental detail make this open world one of the most beautiful Ubisoft has ever created.

The end result is an incredible world, full of lifelike characters and jaw‑dropping graphics. According to some users, occasional bugs and frame‑rate dips appear—especially on the PS4 Pro when opting for the premium visual mode—but nothing that breaks the experience.

On the gameplay front, the biggest improvement is that the hacking mechanics actually work. Interactable objects abound compared to the first game, and every hack feels natural—traffic light hacks no longer cause absurd, unrealistic pileups, for example. Thank you, Ubisoft! 🙂

You can manipulate nearly every environmental element, from cranes and street signs to vehicles and advanced security grids. Where Watch Dogs 1 often blocked your fun with limited hacks, here it feels like you control all of San Francisco.

Marcus also has two 3D‑printed gadgets: a flying drone for aerial exploration—unlockable after the tutorial missions—and a remote‑controlled RC car, available right at the start. Simply brilliant!

Another major leap is the improved AI. Since you can’t carry bodies and hide them, tension spikes—every takedown must be thought through. The expanded skill tree now lets Marcus specialize in three playstyles: Trickster, Ghost, and Enforcer. Trickster uses gadgets to disable foes, Ghost focuses on stealth, and Enforcer relies on lethal firepower and can take hits.

These specializations are a welcome addition, allowing you to mold Marcus to your desired playstyle. Even so, Watch Dogs 2 shines as a stealth game, since many puzzles and challenges are designed for covert solutions.

“Watch Dogs 2” stands out as one of this generation’s most diverse open‑world games. Since the launch of Grand Theft Auto 5, we’ve craved an ambitious urban sandbox—and Watch Dogs 2 delivers. Some tasks repeat occasionally, but the content quality is undeniable.

The online component integrates seamlessly into the single‑player world, offering both competitive and co‑operative modes. Multiplayer missions appear on your campaign map in purple—a very welcome addition.

During testing, I encountered some connectivity issues and couldn’t try every feature, but the available modes still capture the spirit of the first Watch Dogs’ intense hacking showdowns.