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Watch Dogs 2 is the best all-around starting point if you want the strongest balance of character, tactical hacking and critic-score snapshots among the three games. Choose the original for Aiden Pearce’s revenge story and Chicago’s infrastructure, or Watch Dogs: Legion for its recruit-anyone resistance system in London. The right pick depends on which hook matters most to you.
At a glance: which Watch Dogs fits you?
| Game | Best fit | Signature appeal | GameSpot-linked Metacritic score snapshot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watch Dogs (2014) | Players drawn to a focused revenge story and one central protagonist | Aiden Pearce manipulates Chicago’s city systems | 80 |
| Watch Dogs 2 (2016) | Players seeking a balance of character, varied hacking and tactical options | A controllable robot and quadcopter extend scouting and access | 82 |
| Watch Dogs: Legion (2020) | Players most interested in building a team from a city’s population | Recruit resistance members across near-future London | 76 |
These are score snapshots displayed on GameSpot pages that link to Metacritic, not a controlled same-platform comparison; aggregate scores can vary by platform. The cited review evidence is also fuller for Watch Dogs 2 than for the other entries, so treat the recommendation as an informed default rather than an objective ranking.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Watch Dogs Legion - PlayStation 4 Standard Edition | $9.40 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Watch Dogs | $28.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Watch Dogs xbox one | $9.49 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Watch Dogs 2 - PlayStation 4 | $23.11 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
Watch Dogs Legion (PS5) | $22.75 | Buy on Amazon |
Why Watch Dogs 2 is the best default pick
Watch Dogs 2 combines a wider set of tactical tools with a protagonist and writing that TIME’s reviewer considered an improvement over the first game. Its remote-controlled two-wheeled robot and quadcopter can help scout encounters and reach spaces, while familiar hacks let you interfere with traffic and electrical systems. TIME’s review described the game’s use of hacks to turn enemies and surroundings against one another as almost “jazz-like.”
That flexibility can cut both ways: the reviewer also found it easy to exploit police and gang call-ins. TIME rated the game 3 out of 5 and reviewed the PlayStation 4 Pro version, so this is one critic’s perspective, not a complete cross-platform verdict. Still, alongside the highest score snapshot among the three cited GameSpot pages, its variety makes it the safest starting recommendation for most players.
#1 Best Overall
- Recruit and play as anyone from London. Everyone you see has a unique backstory, personality, and skill set for unique situations
- Hack armed drones, deploy spider-bots, and take down enemies using an Augmented Reality Cloak
- Explore a massive urban open world featuring London’s many iconic landmarks and fun side activities
- Team up with your friends as you complete co-op missions and unique game modes
- Upgrade to the Gold Edition or Ultimate Edition for access to the season pass and more
What each game does best
Watch Dogs: a revenge story built around Chicago
Ubisoft dates the original Watch Dogs to May 27, 2014. Its protagonist, Aiden Pearce, is a hacker and former thug whose family tragedy sets a revenge story in motion. The city itself is part of the toolkit: players can manipulate traffic lights, gas lines and the electrical grid. Pick this entry if Aiden’s more focused story and infrastructure-centered hacking appeal more than a larger range of gadgets. GameSpot’s page shows a linked Metacritic score snapshot of 80. Ubisoft’s game page and GameSpot’s listing provide the game details.
Watch Dogs 2: more tactical variety
GameSpot lists Watch Dogs 2 as released November 15, 2016, for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Its page displays a linked Metacritic score snapshot of 82. The combination of remote devices, environmental hacks and TIME’s favorable assessment of its characterization makes it the best fit if you want to experiment with approaches rather than rely on a single kind of hacking. See GameSpot’s listing.
Rank #2
- HACK THE CITY: Control the city's infrastructure, in real time, with Aiden's cell phone; Trap your enemy in a 30 car pileup by manipulating the traffic lights; Stop a train, and then board it to evade the authorities; Narrowly escape capture by quickly raising a drawbridge; Anything connected to the city's CTOS can become your weapon
- SEAMLESS MULTIPLAYER EXPERIENCE: Discover a new level of interaction, cooperation and confrontation between players thanks to a brand new multiplayer game system that links the single and multiplayer modes into one seamless experience; That means no menus, no loading screens, just instant open world multiplayer action
- DYNAMIC NAVIGATION: Watch Dogs gives you the ability to not only use the city's ctOS to your advantage, but the streets as well; In real world Chicago, cut through one of the buildings or climb to the rooftops to catch your target
- HIGH OCTANE DRIVING: Get behind the wheel of more than 65 vehicles bursting with horsepower to explore the massive city while completing missions; Ubisoft Montreal partnered with Ubisoft Reflections, the acclaimed studio behind the award winning Driver series to develop each vehicle with state of art physics and handling
Watch Dogs: Legion: a resistance assembled from the city
Watch Dogs: Legion makes recruitment its defining idea: Ubisoft’s Play as Anyone concept lets you build a roster of resistance members from people encountered across near-future London. That premise is the clearest reason to choose it over the other two. It does not, by itself, establish that Legion is the best overall game for most players.
Recommended Free Tools
Release dates differ by source: Ubisoft lists October 28, 2020, while GameSpot lists October 29, 2020. The pages may follow different regional or date conventions, so neither date should be treated as a universal correction of the other. Ubisoft lists PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One; GameSpot lists a linked Metacritic score snapshot of 76 and an 8/10 GameSpot review. Ubisoft’s Legion page and GameSpot’s listing show their respective details.
Rank #3
- HACK THE CITY: Control the city's infrastructure, in real time, with Aiden's cell phone. Trap your enemy in a 30-car pileup by manipulating the traffic lights. Stop a train, and then board it to evade the authorities. Narrowly escape capture by quickly raising a drawbridge. Anything connected to the city's CTOS can become your weapon.
- SEAMLESS MULTIPLAYER EXPERIENCE: Discover a new level of interaction, cooperation and confrontation between players thanks to a brand new multiplayer game system that links the single and multiplayer modes into one seamless experience. That means no menus, no loading screens, just instant open world multiplayer action.
- DYNAMIC NAVIGATION: Watch_Dogs gives you the ability to not only use the city's ctOS to your advantage, but the streets as well. In real-world Chicago, cut through one of the buildings or climb to the rooftops to catch your target.
- HIGH OCTANE DRIVING: Get behind the wheel of more than 65 vehicles bursting with horsepower to explore the massive city while completing missions. Ubisoft Montreal partnered with Ubisoft Reflections, the acclaimed studio behind the award-winning Driver series to develop each vehicle with state-of-art physics and handling.
How to decide between them
- Choose the original if you want Aiden Pearce, a revenge-driven premise and city infrastructure as the central hacking playground.
- Choose Watch Dogs 2 if you want a mix of character-led storytelling, remote scouting tools and varied ways to manipulate encounters.
- Choose Legion if recruiting a changing roster from London’s population is more appealing than following one central protagonist.
Tone and attachment to characters are matters of taste, not a reliable series-wide consensus. Before buying, check the specific platform, region and edition: Ubisoft’s pages list add-on content, but do not establish consistent current availability or pricing across regions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What the series’ player figure does—and doesn’t—say
Ubisoft’s franchise page attributes more than 40 million players worldwide to the first Watch Dogs game. The page does not give a publication year for that figure, so it should not be read as a current series-wide player count. Ubisoft’s franchise overview also describes Legion as the third entry and identifies Play as Anyone as its roster-building innovation.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Open-world London, explore a massive urban open-world where you can visit London's many famous landmarks
- play as anyone, experience a never-seen-before gameplay Innovation. Anyone you see can join your team complete with a unique backstory, personality, and skill set
- weaponise London's Tech infrastructure. Hijack armed combat drones, deploy stealthy spider-bots, covertly take down enemies using an augmented reality cloak, and much more
- bring your team online and join forces with up to three friends and explore the world together or take on entirely new co-op missions
Rank #4
- PLAYSTATION EXCLUSIVE Play future Mission Packs 30 days early on the PlayStation4
- EXPLORE THE MASSIVE AND DYNAMIC OPEN WORLD OF SAN FRANSISCO BAY Experience an incredible variety of game play possibilities in the winding streets of San Francisco, the vibrant neighborhoods of Oakland, and cutting edge Silicon Valley
- HACK EVERYTHING Every person, vehicle and connected device can be hacked. Take control of drones, cars, cranes, and more to use them as your weapon
- CONNECT WITH FRIENDS Play Co op and Player vs. Player activities in a seamless shared world
- YOU ARE IN CTRL Develop your skills and combine hacking, weapons and stealth to complete missions in ways that suit your playstyle
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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