Gaming

I’m Sorry ‘Grand Theft Auto V,’ but ‘Watch Dogs 2’ Is the Greatest Open World Game of All Time

‘Watch Dogs 2’ is still one of the best open-world games of all time, and I really wish Ubisoft would give us a next-gen patch already.

Watch Dogs 2 PC screenshot showcasing different vehicles
Screenshot: Ubisoft

I’m not afraid to admit it. Watch Dogs 2 is one of, if not the singular best open-world experience of all time. A carefully crafted world with some of the most clever dialogue and characters? It was something I could have never anticipated, especially after the mediocrity of the original Watch Dogs.

Marcus Halloway in Watch Dogs 2
Screenshot: Ubisoft

‘Watch Dogs 2’ Is the Best Game Ubisoft Has Ever Made, in My Eyes

After Watch Dogs came and went with a whimper instead of the bang it wanted, I wasn’t certain how well a sequel would fare. I was expecting another game with milquetoast Aiden Pearce, but instead? We got a whole new cast, and while some of the dialogue is cringeworthy, they’re refreshing and real.

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Marcus Holloway is your typical 2016 “l33t hack3r” character, but damn, if he isn’t so much cooler than Aiden could have ever tried to be. DedSec are dorks, but they’re lovable and offer so much more variety than the typical grey and white of the original Watch Dogs. It was refreshing, it was gorgeous, and most importantly? It was beyond fun.

The version of San Francisco Bay portrayed in Watch Dogs 2 is one of the most vibrant and real examples of an open-world game. Even 10 years after its release, I can jump back in and still enjoy exploring. So much about Watch Dogs 2 has shone since its release, and it’s sad to see the lukewarm reception of Watch Dogs Legion likely bringing an end to the franchise for now.

Even now, the world feels more alive than any Grand Theft Auto game I’ve played. Watching people react realistically to the digital lives they live is a joy. The knockoff Google campus is hilarious still, and being a dark and brooding vigilante feels just right. It’s a shame some of the best open-world games get forgotten, while GTA Online brings in millions per year.

Watch Dogs 2 gameplay
Screenshot: Ubisoft

It Should Be a Crime That this Didn’t Get a Next-Gen Patch

Watch Dogs 2 is boosted on Xbox, and that’s great. But its 900p resolution doesn’t do it any favors. It’s a gorgeous game and deserves a proper next-gen patch so players can enjoy it in 4K60. Sure, the PC version does have an HD textures pack. But I would love the same to be made available for console owners.

Since Ubisoft is doubling down on the amount of Assassin’s Creed experiences the world is about to receive, I sure hope they plan on doing something with Watch Dogs 2. It’s hard to imagine they will. The game is nearly 10 years old now with no new updates in sight. But, the day I see a 4K60 patch on my Xbox Series X or PS5, I’ll be right back in. And, yes, I’ve been playing it on my PC. It’s just too good to put down, even all these years later.