7 Great Video Games Playing Watch Dogs Will Remind You Of

6. Uplink

Uplink is an indie game about hacking that came out well before indie games were a thing, and a bit before hacking was a nearly omnipresent threat in our society. The game challenged you to access databases, hack passwords, upgrade your terminal, and make money by accepting missions of varying difficulty. While Uplink is primarily a puzzle game and Watch_Dogs is an open-world action adventure, the hacking elements of both games scratch the same proverbial itch. At multiple points in Watch_Dogs you're required to hack into a specific terminal and complete a series of 'pipe-dream' esque puzzles to access a mainframe. Often times there will be a timer ticking down via the terminal's security system, AND the lingering threat of being detected by the guards if you chose to sneak past them instead of eliminating them. It's a nice change of pace after memorising guard patrol patterns and pulling your hair out trying to get by them all, and getting to utilise a different set of critical-thinking skills to complete a mission feels fresh. Both games challenge you to work quickly and correctly as time ticks away and your personal stress level rises. While mostly a side attraction in Watch_Dogs, the hacking puzzles are enthralling and are of a high enough quality that you not only look forward to them, but find yourself wanting more. Uplink happily provides more. If you haven't played it you can get it on iOS and PC, and if you do, you may find yourself pleasantly surprised at how similar the two games feel when it comes to making hacking a gameplay mechanic.