Gareth Brierley - November 8, 2020. Reviewed on: RTX 2080, Intel  i7-9700K , 16GB RAM He's also a fan of offbeat simulation games, mods, and ignoring stories in RPGs so he can make up his own. There's not really a strong, cohesive political message running through the game, and definitely it's not an examination of these real issues, but Legion at least feels pro-immigration. Like previous games, Watch Dogs: Legion hinges on the familiar loop of open-world gameplay, which entails exploration, combat, stealth, and in-game narrative events. A drunken brawler is an animal rights activist and donates clothing to a queer youth shelter, which is a big yes in my book. As an admirer of the series, he was excited to check out London as a cyberpunk playground. © 2021 GAMESPOT, A RED VENTURES COMPANY. Looking for new recruits in London is an engrossing and time-consuming activity in and of itself. A particular standout for me was a gold-painted performance artist who could hide in plain sight to complete his goals--and collect tips while he was at it. Every single character in the open world is playable, and everyone has a backstory, personality, and skillset that will … Do you want to solve a Pipe Mania puzzle while being attacked by scores of soldiers and drones? The knock-on effect is that the side activities are left to do a lot of the heavy lifting on exploring the nuance in these themes, which they do reasonably well. While scanning a wealthy middle-aged government agent, I noticed she had a contact listed as her "Sugar Baby," and sure enough, I later saw her in a pub with her companion having a drink. The city's history and its iconic landmarks are the backdrop for stark futurism. With such a vast list of characters, you'll likely find yourself leaning on a select few operatives as your A-team, especially if they are gifted when it comes to hacking, driving, or melee combat. Watch Dogs Legion still comes off as less than the sum of its parts, mainly because those parts are surprisingly shallow and undeveloped if you do not rush the game to completion. Or I can just fight my way in with melee combat and guns. Coupled with the randomly generated playable characters, Legion presents many interesting opportunities to take advantage of, and its core gameplay represents the prospect of the Watch Dogs hacker fantasy at its best. Legion's approach, while admirable, does have some unintended issues that make its powerful message of unity waver at inopportune times, but it still manages to make a profound statement about hope with its novel approach to player agency. You need a javascript enabled browser to watch videos. Developer: Ubisoft Just as it took me a few hours to start appreciating my team, it took me a while to warm up to the sheer number of drones in Legion. There were some instances where the narrative really escalated. Through text messages, podcasts, and other supplementary means of delivering narrative, Legion lays bare even more of the issues plaguing society. Compare with similar items. Watch Dogs: Legion reaches its highs when channeling elements of immersive sims, where many of your choices can cascade into a satisfying chain of reactions that yield the desired result. In the past, Ubisoft has had an unfortunate history of missing the mark when it comes to utilizing real-world events, politics, and other hot-topic issues for the backdrop of their games. This open-ended stance to fighting the system is a significant change for the franchise, and it's bolstered by improved hacking and social-engineering gameplay. I … However, I made the unfortunate choice of using one of the more flashy characters in the lead-up to this mission--a cosplayer who wears a bright reflective jacket and glowing holographic cat ears. With many key operatives dead or missing, DedSec London starts from scratch by crowdsourcing new members made up of like-minded citizens wanting to liberate the city. "Ludonarrative dissonance" is the far-too-fancy term coined by developer Clint Hocking to describe moments when a game's story contradicts its gameplay, like Holloway driving over crowds of innocent people or shooting cops in the head before having another witty and charming cutscene conversation. Most missions in Legion's open-world are pretty similar: stealthy infiltrations into secure buildings and areas filled with guards, cameras, and other security measures. It's cool to see areas like the Tower of London and Piccadilly Circus recreated with stunning detail, and there's something to appreciate in how much effort went into presenting the locales through a dystopian lens. The best part of playing as multiple characters is that it frees me up in ways that playing a single protagonist never did. So it's suitable that Hocking, Watch Dogs Legion's game director, avoids that entire issue here. Please deactivate your ad blocker in order to see our subscription offer. For example, I was surprised a potential recruit disapproved of DedSec because a different character I played as accidentally hit them with a car--the game even makes note of this in their file. Want us to remember this setting for all your devices? That's just part of the gig. Using the cameras, I was able to remotely examine and download data keys from their tablets to gain access to the base's gates. I completed the main storyline and some sidequests in about 30 hours, while still leaving plenty undone, like collectible-hunting (get ready for another Ubisoft map filled with icons) and other side missions. Watch Dogs: Legion is unabashedly political, taking on Brexit and the rise of fascism across the world in a story that feels anti-cyberpunk. I even have a drone expert on my team, a guy named Fallon. It seemed to make everyone lose their mind. I often found myself falling down a rabbit hole to gain new operatives and explore more of the city to complete the laundry list of objectives required to recruit them. An open world action stealth game set in a dystopian future London For instance, it was always jarring in Watch Dogs 2 when I killed someone while playing as Marcus Holloway, and it seemed bizarre for the charming protagonist to even have a gun. The frustrating truth is that given the context of its development and the case of its goals, Watch Dogs: Legion might be the very best it could be. This item Watch Dogs Legion - PlayStation 4 Standard Edition. And in some ways, the goofy absurdity of Legion's characters and wacky side activities feels like an appropriate match for the sad absurdity of Legion's world. While Legion uses a more streamlined hacking system, it leans much further into the systemic effects of hacking and manipulating social threads to fulfill your goals. The core gameplay loop of Watch Dogs: Legion — sneak around, get the drop on the goons, stroll out triumphantly — is enjoyable enough that I was happy to … From time to time you'll run into someone you've met earlier, or someone who knows someone you've met earlier: a relative, their girlfriend, their doctor. Multiplayer: Coming in December Richly realised systems and empowering abilities create a tremendously fun sandbox to dig into, but another toothless … Watch Dogs: Legion struggles with tone at times, but its empowering message about unity and justice still shines in a game that is as absurd as it is impactful. At times it can get unnerving to see how real life seeps into Legion's story, especially when it comes to the inhumane treatment of immigrants. While I could have snuck in, knocked out the guards with my non-lethal instruments, and taken the vehicle, I instead went with a more elegant solution. Title Update 3.22 for PC will be released today and it will prepare for the Online Mode launch on the platform. Assassin’s Creed Valhalla PlayStation 4 Standard Edition with Free Upgrade to the digital PS5 Version. In one mission, I came up to an enemy base that had a vehicle I had to recover. Ubisoft games have often used real-world politics as set dressing, but on this occasion, it feels like a genuine attempt to at least identify the problems it is leveraging as narrative milieu and present their cold hard truths. If I don't feel like being all that stealthy, which is often the case, I can take a shortcut by airlifting my agent to the roof with a hijacked cargo drone to get as close as possible to my goal. I've got a professional hitman on my squad, too, who I recruited after following him around at night and witnessing him stabbing some unfortunate citizen to death in a park. The main story hits some impressive highs during the latter half thanks to the aforementioned Stormzy mission and the podcasts, emails, and even chats with your fellow DedSec members that tackle the heavier subject matter. I think I like Fallon even more than I liked Marcus Holloway. In a game with multiple playable characters, the one constant that you'll have across them is your connection to London itself. This can lead to some unexpected and bizarre shifts in tone. Although the execution is somewhat scattershot, the moments in which the game chooses to shine a light on these pervading issues can be sobering. A beekeeper I met has the ability to send swarms of cyberbees to attack targets, but also has incurable hiccups that can alert guards when they're trying to be stealthy. One of Legion's more profound messages is about what it means to be a true Londoner, and by the game's end, you'll have a DedSec crew made of wildly diverse and disparate citizens from unique cultural, ethnic, and economic backgrounds--all united in their goal to restore their home. on October 28, 2020 at 6:39PM PDT. Ubisoft has now released the latest patch to Watch Dogs Legion on various different platforms. Of course, a key part of Watch Dogs Legion's charm isn't just London itself, but the perspectives from which you get to explore it. The most notable example involves a guest appearance by British grime rapper Stormzy, who gives a rousing and powerful performance confronting systemic racism. Review Price: £49.99. It's also hectic fun when something goes wrong, the sirens blare, the guards are alerted, and you have to engage in a big messy battle to escape. Christopher Livingston There are also a few specific missions to aid undocumented immigrants, like busting them out of jail or providing them with fake passports so they can remain in London. Twitter. I’ve been a fan since the first and definitely enjoyed running around the sequel and hacking people’s online banking via their phones. This review of Watch Dogs: Legion was done on the PlayStation 4. But they still get tiresome because they're used so damn often—they're even a part of several boss fights. Still, Legion has a way of tossing in a curveball recruit that could be in the running for your new favorite. I recruit a former MI6 spy to my roster, armed with a silenced pistol and a cool watch gadget that lets him jam enemy weapons. Publisher: Ubisoft For the most part, the main narrative does a good job of tackling these topics, but the impact is lessened somewhat because of the open-world format of the game. Facebook. The game manages to capture the history and the cultural diversity of London, while also juxtaposing it with the banality of evil represented by the presence of Albion, who detain citizens in plain sight. If anything, that's as powerful a message for the game as you can get. All of this was done without ever setting foot in the base, and it felt incredibly satisfying getting the best of them. Watch Dogs: Legion Online's London is a skeleton of Los Santos, a skeleton that even seems to be missing a vast number of bones. Release Date: October 29, 2020. Each citizen has a daily schedule and relationships with other citizens. What is it? In Watch Dogs Legion, hacker group DedSec has been framed for a series of terrorist bombings in London, and its members are all dead, missing, or jailed. Watch Dogs Legion's play-as-anyone gamble just about pays off. He also has a cool leather jacket and driving gloves and shades—he just looks like a driver from an action movie. Even failing recruitment missions can set you back, prompting you to work extra hard to get back into a potential candidate's good graces. New York, The London in Watch Dogs: Legion is presented as a more advanced and exaggerated version of the real-life London. Watch Dogs: Legion struggles with tone at times, but its empowering message about unity and justice still shines in a game that is as absurd as it is impactful. Legion is set in a near-future, more technologically advanced London. When you couple this with the aimless structure, it can be easy to detach from what's going on or not buy into the sense of urgency the narrative wants you to believe there is. I can steal a car if I need one. However, you'll eventually also fall into a repetitive loop of recycled objectives and dialogue set in all-too-familiar areas, albeit with different voice overs. However, Watch Dogs: Legion does a lot to confront topics like fascism, inequality, and the idea that new technology exposes and amplifies old fears and hatred. Watch Dogs: Legion Review. There's also very little nuance to the collection of big bad bosses: they're basically just sneeringly evil types. Play as any NPC in London, each having their own backstory, personality and unique skills. It can be bizarre seeing what sort of characters you can pull in on your crusade, and it's solid fun getting to use whatever skills they have in some critical missions to succeed by the skin of their teeth. 4 months ago Player Reviews Link: Official site. But even without permadeath, the difficulty can still be quite challenging, with failure taking your operative out of the game for a set amount of time. Sorry, but you can't access this content! If the bad guys don't send drones after me I'll hijack any random ones flying around the area instead. Seeing her walk down the dark and bloody hallways was jarring and undermined the moment. And yes, there are a few moments in Legion that present a political point of view. While each operative is capable, missions can and will likely turn sour after a wrong decision, resulting in all sorts of enemies coming down on you with assault rifles and combat drones. The core conceit of Legion lies in the old adage of "strength in numbers," which manifests in the game letting you recruit and play as nearly any character you come across, amassing a ragtag crew of freedom fighters. The game is also available for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PS5. None of this has anything to do with how these agents operate, it's just fun flavor to get immersed in and give you a little backstory for the members of your team. Legion’s clever twist makes this third game in the series play like a hacker version of State of Decay, where every NPC can be recruited as a playable character and each has their own weapons, abilities, and traits that can give them very different playstyles. The more time I spent with the game, the less impressive it became, and the system’s rough edges became clear. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/watch-dogs-legion-review/1900-6417594 Playing as anyone works great in Legion—once you've finally found the right group of anyones. ... REVIEW. There's a considerable bit of jank when it comes to AI pathfinding and physics, though it did sometimes lead to comical moments when a car would bounce around as if it were on springs or an NPC would get stuck in a doorway. But a few hours and several new recruits later, another member of my team is kidnapped, and this time I fly into an absolute rage. Written by Sebastian Lundin on the 28th of October 2020 at 11 Pinterest. My Watch Dogs Legion review: A boring downgrade. Developer: Ubisoft. There's the Albion chief who murders someone during a meeting just to reinforce how darn dastardly he is, the unrepentant gangster running an organ harvesting operation, and the mysterious leader of Zero Day operating under the familiar "To save this city I must first destroy it" doctrine, which I think was used in more than one Batman movie. I can send in a semi-creepy spiderbot to crawl through vents or a drone over the roof and into windows to disable security features, then sneak inside, performing stealth takedowns on enemies or slipping past when they're distracted. This, however, was all engineered by the mysterious rival hacker group known as Zero Day. He takes the stage and confronts the people with a truth of Legion's world, and it packs a powerful punch because it reflects the realities of our own. Depending on the mission and my mood, I can pick … However, that isn’t to say that the narrative was entirely bland. I hate fighting drones—they're basically like giant flying insects, one of my least favorite enemy types. In the chaos after the bombing, London and its citizens are effectively caught in the vice-grip of encroaching fascism and suffocating capitalism due to the occupation of Albion, a private military group, as well as criminal and corporate enterprises taking advantage of the power vacuum. Watch Dogs: Legion is more of the same, albeit with more technical problems. An oppressive private military firm, Albion, is now running London, a ruthless mob boss is running drugs, weapons and human trafficking operations in the city, and there's also a branch of government intelligence and a billionaire tech mogol to contend with. Watch Dogs Legion on PS5 allows you to jump into any character’s shoes much quicker and play the game how you want. Ew! He's basically my protagonist now, since I use him far more than anyone else. By clicking 'enter', you agree to GameSpot's And I even wound up loving all those drones. Customer Review: Watch Dogs: Legion. Powerful anti-fascist and hopeful message about unity and perseverance in the face of adversity, Fantastic hacking and recruitment gameplay that rewards flexibility and curiosity, Fun operatives that offer some needed comic relief, but also make for interesting playable characters in the open world, Well-realized London that shows off a diverse culture and art scene, Overall game structure can be somewhat inconsistent, which doesn't do enough to highlight its main story and the sense of urgency, Repetitive missions and characters that often have you revisit locations and objectives on a repeated basis. Sure, it might not interrogate the issues and explore the nuances with a great deal of depth, but the broad strokes of the brush are enough to blur the line between fiction and reality, and at that point you have to confront just how far our own society has fallen. Y'all are free to think whatever you want and can agree or disagree. I made a dash for the car and rode off while the guards were left stewing in their confusion. takes the foundations and ideas of its predecessors and expands upon them exponentially. Depending on the mission and my mood, I can pick someone from my team to be a hero, an opportunist, or a complete and utter bastard without having to cram all those attributes into a single character's head. About Watch Dogs: Legion PC. Ubisoft is planning to open Online Mode today at 8am PDT. Drones are everywhere, unleashed by soldiers when you're detected, sent after you while you're fleeing in a car, blasting you with bullets and tear gas and rockets when you're desperately trying to hack into a server or download some data. Ubisoft . To play Watch Dogs: Legion on PC, your gaming desktop or laptop needs at least a 3.2GHz Intel Core i5-4460 CPU, a Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 GPU, … Depending on how you utilize the city's ctOS infrastructure--which consists of cameras, phones, computers, AI drones, and other machines you can hack--you can accomplish many of your goals with your enemies being none the wiser, giving you the sense that you're always on a heist. Alessandro Fillari No. Radio shows mock the in-game right-wing ideologies which, when described, sound ridiculous and the stuff of fiction, but aren't all that far from what we hear in real life. If you've helped their acquaintance, they'll know about it and have a positive opinion of you, making them easier to recruit. Holloway was such a good guy that even killing someone accidentally felt out of character, let alone going on a blood-soaked rampage. Legion's true stars are London's citizens, all of whom are randomly generated based on various professions, ethnic backgrounds, and other personalized details. He has a skill that prevents police drones from chasing him while he's driving, and another skill that forces every car in his path off the road, parting traffic like the Red Sea. One former cop still had contacts on the police force, which would mean less jail time for my agents. What really hits home about Watch Dogs Legion is that, as the cartoonishly bleak world comes into focus, it becomes difficult to ignore the immediate parallels to our own real-world society. I have also review the game on Xbox Series X. While the configurations of mission areas usually aren't wildly different, it's still satisfying to virtually infiltrate a location, hacking security cameras to spy on the premises, mark the guards, absorb the layouts, and activate traps. But as I unlocked more skills for my team, my anger at drones slowly turned into appreciation because I could disable them, hijack and pilot them, and even turn their AI against my enemies. ReddIt. 28 October 2020. I've never been to the actual London myself, though from what I'm hearing from some of my British coworkers playing is that it's faithful enough to the real place to navigate without checking the map, while condensing the city and taking liberties here and there. *** Do you remember when Watch Dogs, the first one, was announced in 2012? Keep in mind this just my opinion on the game. You will receive a verification email shortly. A lady whose only skill is that she owns a car. Each of the eight districts has its own varied cultures, demographics, and cultural stylings, making England's capital city an exciting place to explore. Following a delay, Ubisoft has now opened up the gates of Watch Dogs Legion Online on PC players, too, with an update (version 3.22) that came out … Watch Dogs: Legion takes the foundations and ideas of its predecessors and expands upon them exponentially. Ubisoft announced that the online mode for Watch Dogs: Legion will be available on 9 th March for all owners of the game via a free update for Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, the Epic Games Store and Ubisoft Store on Windows PC, Stadia, and Ubisoft+*, Ubisoft’s subscription service.. The majesty of Buckingham Palace and the bohemian charm of Camden are washed with parcel delivery drones, holographic advertisements, and self-driving cars that flood your line of sight. The problem with ordinary people, though, is that they're ordinary. Dude, you're just giving me another weapon to destroy you with. Now, overhearing a soldier say he's sending a drone out to look for me is music to my ears. It adds four player online co-op with open world events and co-op missions. So it's suitable that Hocking, Watch Dogs Legion's game director, avoids that entire issue here. Watch Dogs: Legion’s online mode is currently available for Xbox One, PS4, PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and Google Stadia. The main story deals with topics relating to nationalism, xenophobia, and which class of people should be in control. Related: Watch Dogs: Legion Review - An Ambitious But Clumsy Simulation A fan of the game with the Twitter handle Simone Perazzini likely agreed with this sentiment when they posited the simple request on Twitter to enable cross-gen, likely in online multiplayer mode where it is currently unavailable (though available in offline modes), as a reply to Legion's official Twitter account. A couple hours into Watch Dogs Legion I look at my small team of DedSec agents and think to myself: These people suck. Most mission locations can be tackled from different directions and in different ways using gadgets available to all your team members, plus whatever special skills are unique to them.