Disclaimer: This article may contain spoilers.

When Ubisoft announced Watch Dogs in 2014 (stylised as Watch_Dogs), you could feel a buzz amongst gaming communities.

Seeing the teaser and trailer for the first time left many of us in awe. From the immersive graphics to the impressive expected gameplay, people were excited for a new and unique instalment from Ubisoft.

Unfortunately for Ubisoft, though, Watch Dogs felt like the beginning of the trend we are now all too familiar with: Gaming companies overpromising and underdelivering.

Some were left disappointed upon release at the differences in rendering and gameplay compared to what had been advertised so far.

Articles released upon the launch were claiming that the game “falls pretty short of being the classic it should have been” and that it “may disappoint some expecting more than it delivers.”

The game is presented as a thriller, exploring a relationship with our front man, Aiden Pearce, and his obsession with protecting his remaining family after a tragic incident caused by his involvement in digital heists.

This becomes his main motivation in becoming this vigilante type through the game’s story, but I never really felt connected to Aiden himself. And I’m not the only one — this criticism is echoed in other deep dives.

While exploring the hacking mechanic was a major draw for players due to the uniqueness of the concept at the time, most of the missions were nothing we hadn’t seen before.

Gameplay often felt similar to aspects of other Ubisoft games such as Assassin’s Creed with stealth and tailing missions, as well as Rockstar’s Grand Theft Auto with car chases and hideout shootouts.

Despite feeling like a GTA game in some ways, there were mechanics such as car handling that felt significantly worse. This is something that Ubisoft didn’t get right until Watch_Dogs Legion, the third instalment in the Watch Dogs series.

But how does Watch_Dogs hold up today?

While we can’t ignore that these criticisms still exist in the game, it’s still an enjoyable experience. In fact, for the last 10 years I’ve played through Watch Dogs five times shared between my PlayStation 4 and PC.

The story can be a little predictable for the genre, but it has its moments of genuine emotional highs and lows.

By the time you face the story’s main antagonist, you really feel that want to punish them because of everything that has played out before and during the game’s events.

There are also several side missions that continue fleshing out just how dystopian this alternative Chicago really is. From tracking down illegal weapon trades, investigating missing persons, to helping shut down a sex trafficking ring — Watch Dogs isn’t afraid to dive into serious real-life issues.

Surprisingly, the multiplayer aspects are still quite active, too. I spent some time hacking other players and being chased down as I went along, just as I had 10 years ago the first time I played the game.

The way the multiplayer surprises the player used to stress me out back then, and it still does today. I’ll be on my way to picking up new weapons or trying to scan QR codes on buildings, when a hacking message pops up with a timer, and I have to drop what I’m doing to find the random person that is hiding in my game.

Some references were out of its prime by the time of release, and seeing them in 2024 is even funnier. Yes, I’m looking at you, “Uber Pwned” hack message in the mission Someone’s Knocking.

Dated meme references aside, the story is still plausible in today’s context — as long as you can still suspend your disbelief that the same network that controls the Chicago locals’ mobile phones, can control steam pipes under the streets.

There is also the option to participate in multiplayer racing, but I never did in this playthrough because of the poor car handling. Considering invasion and online hacking missions are active, I’d assume its a similar story for online races.

The wrap

While it had had a rocky start, and it definitely has its flaws, I can’t help looking back at this game fondly.

The thriller elements were interesting to re-explore, often atmospheric and tense, especially since you play as the ever brooding Aiden Pearce.

To break this up for players, there are comic relief moments often in the form of fan favourite character, Jordi Chin, and his humour still holds up today — while other humorous parts of the game have definitely aged.

The online servers are still up as of writing this, so multiplayer is still an accessible and enjoyable break from the main game, especially if you want to interrupt someone’s gameplay and watch them run around to try and find you.

And with that, happy 10th birthday to Watch_Dogs: The game infamously known as a disappointment but may just surprise you.

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