If Ubisoft were to release a new IP without first hyping it through the ceiling, the world may very well implode, so in one sense Watch Dogs dodged quite a bullet. Sadly, it jumped out of the way only to be struck square between the eyes by a round branded generic. The game's protagonist, Aiden Pearce, is an unlikable, gravel-voiced, trench-coat-sporting dullard whose characterization ends with angst-filled and criminal. Presumably out of fear of outclassing the main character, the plot is standard fare to match: the umpteenth iteration of Evil Villain B killed family member C. Oh, and there are some shady accomplices lying around as well. How could Ubisoft possibly butcher such a staggeringly unique premise, you may ask? Simple! By ending it exactly as everyone expected! It's bad enough that Aiden spends the entire game bemoaning a loss everyone elsemost notably, his late niece's motherhas moved past and that he simultaneously uses it to justify his string of crimes. But with so many technological tools at his disposal, you'd think there'd be room for a more creative resolution than a standoff with the aforementioned villain. It's simple, obvious and cliche to its very bonescertainly not what early adopters wanted from the new-gen poster child of one of the industry's largest publishers. Much like its open-world design, the ending lacks teeth and doesn't deliver the twist that most players were after.
A freelance games writer, you say? Typically battling his current RPG addiction and ceaseless perfectionism? A fan of horror but too big a sissy to play for more than a couple of hours? Spends far too much time on JRPGs and gets way too angry with card games?
Well that doesn't sound anything like me.
