Watch Dogs

Watch Dogs is an open-world action adventure that took players to a fictional version of Chicago controlled by a central operating system called ctOS. The main character, Aiden Pearce, a skilled hacker, sets out on a path of revenge after a tragic incident he is responsible for, while also uncovering the dark practices of corporations and government agencies with access to the private data of every resident of the city. The game combines cover-based shooting, car chases, and above all hacking — the player can remotely control traffic lights, bridges, security cameras, and even the phones of passersby, which factors into both combat and the solving of side missions.

On Xbox One the game served as one of the first major next-gen titles meant to showcase the power of the new generation — in reality, though, the graphics didn't match the previously shown footage, sparking discussions about what became known as a downgrade. Even so, gameplay remained varied thanks to online elements, where other players could covertly enter the world and hack Aiden himself, which at the time felt like an innovative blend of singleplayer and multiplayer. Chicago's dark, rainy atmosphere, underscored by an electronic soundtrack, complemented the game's themes of surveillance and loss of privacy well.

Reception was commercially very successful, even though reviews were more mixed than the hype had suggested. Watch Dogs launched a new Ubisoft franchise, and the theme of hacker surveillance became all the more relevant thanks to real-world cases surrounding data monitoring. Today the game feels like an interesting snapshot of a time when open worlds were still learning to work with modern technology as a core gameplay mechanic.

Why play: For players interested in open worlds with a hacking theme, and anyone curious to look back at a time when data surveillance was just entering pop culture.