Watch Dogs 2
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Watch Dogs 2 (stylized as WATCH_DOGS 2) is an action-adventure video game developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. It is the sequel to 2014's Watch Dogs and was released worldwide for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows in November 2016. Set within a fictionalized version of the San Francisco Bay Area, the game is played from a third-person perspectiveand its open world is navigated on-foot or by vehicle. Players control Marcus Holloway, a hacker who works with the hacking group DedSec to take down the city's advanced surveillance system known as ctOS. There are multiple ways to complete missions, and each successful assignment increases the follower count of DedSec. Cooperative multiplayer allows for competitive one-on-one combat and connecting with other players in order to neutralize a player who is causing havoc.
Ubisoft Montreal, the game's developer, studied player feedback from the first game to assess what could be improved in Watch Dogs 2 and the setting was researched by making frequent trips to California. Ubisoft Reflections was responsible for overhauling the driving mechanic. Real hackers were consulted to validate scripts and game mechanics for authenticity and references to real life hacktivismwere fictionalized, like the Project Chanology protest. The original soundtrack for Watch Dogs 2 was composed by Hudson Mohawke. The game was released to overall positive reception from critics which praised the game for improving upon the original Watch Dogs in areas like the hacking, setting, characters and driving. However, character inconsistencies, firearms and frequent technical issues – later patched – were cited as imperfections.
| Developer(s) | Ubisoft Montreal[a] |
|---|---|
| Publisher(s) | Ubisoft |
| Director(s) |
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| Producer(s) | Dominic Guay |
| Designer(s) | Alexandre Pedneault |
| Writer(s) |
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| Composer(s) | Hudson Mohawke |
| Platform(s) |
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| Release |
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| Genre(s) | Action-adventure |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Screen Shot
Development[edit]
At E3 2014, Ubisoft executive Tony Key claimed they were satisfied with the sales of the first game, and that the brand would be turned into a long-running franchise.[22] According to creative director Jonathan Morin, the first game's main goal was to establish the Watch Dogs brand. It was intended that they take risks with the sequel, instead of creating a more polished version of the previous game.[23] To improve the game, Morin and his team read the reviews of the first game, and visited NeoGAF and various forums to study player feedback. Their priorities included creating a "believable" environment, giving players more freedom, and introducing a new leading character, whose personality would be completely different from that of the protagonist of the first game, Aiden Pearce.[15] The primary developer Ubisoft Montreal worked with other subsidiaries Ubisoft Toronto, Ubisoft Paris, Ubisoft Bucharest, Ubisoft Kiev, and Ubisoft Reflections to aid in the production.[24] The driving mechanic was completely overhauled to make it more accessible to players, and was developed by Ubisoft Reflections, the developer of Ubisoft's own Driver series.[25] In light of complaints about a graphical downgrade in Watch Dogs from what was seen at E3 2012, Ubisoft assured that Watch Dogs 2 would not suffer the same outcome because, unlike the first installment, it was developed for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One from the start.[26] Another improvement from the first game was a more prominent thematic connection to the narrative.[27] Main operations are structured like story arcs that last up to ninety minutes each, advancing the plot with each completion.[28]
The developer worked with consultant hackers who would validate their scripts, including the use of jargon, and gameplay mechanics in order to ensure the authenticity of the subject matter. The propaganda used by the game's hacker group DedSec was influenced by animated GIF culture, glitch art and comic books from the late 1940s.[29] David Maynor served as a hacking advisor.[30] Content director Thomas Geffroyd, who had twenty years of experience with the hacking community, was tasked to accumulate information from hacktivists – such as author Violet Blue – and then relay it to the team. The game also features references to real life; Project Chanology was fictionalized in the mission "The False Prophets".[31]
Ubisoft Montreal made frequent scouting trips to California to research the setting, and attempted to put most of the local landmarks in that region in the game. For regions that they could not put in the game, the team redesigned these locations and put them back into the game. According to producer Dominic Guay, having realistic and accurate locations featured in the game was essential for the game as they encourage players to explore the open world. Unlike many of Ubisoft's previous open world games, players do not need to climb towers in order to discover locations and missions. Instead, the game is opened up from the start, allowing players to explore the city freely. The game's new progression system, which tasks players to gain followers instead of completing main missions, was another way Ubisoft Montreal hoped to encourage exploration and make the city feel more "free".[32][33] Watch Dogs 2 had around sixty programmers devoted to its development.[34]
The soundtrack was composed by Hudson Mohawke. Ingrained with a combination of electronic music and hip hop, it was approached from the palette of cult science fiction music.[35] Ubisoft teamed up with Dutch music producer Oliver Heldens to influence the video for his track "Good Life" in the vein of DedSec.[36] For acquiring licensed songs, an agreement was made with Amoeba Music.[34] Mohawke's soundtrack was released separately as DedSec – Watch Dogs 2 (Original Game Soundtrack) via Warp Records.[37]
A sequel to Watch Dogs was rumored since its release but first officialized by publisher Ubisoft through financial reports in February[38] and May 2016,[39] before it was confirmed as a part of the 2016 E3 line-up. A 20-minute online reveal was hosted a couple of days later.[40] On 27 October 2016, Watch Dogs 2 was announced to have been released to manufacturing.
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General Watch Dogs 2 cheat codes
| Weapon | How to get it |
|---|---|
| Chrome Revolver | Stop 20 crimes |
| Destroyer Sniper Rifle | Stop 10 criminal convoys |
| Gangster Tommy Gun | Do 17 QR codes |
| Spec Ops Goblin Assault Rifle | Complete 9 weapons trades missions |
| Wildfire Assault Rifle | Complete 6 missing people cases |
