Watch Dogs is an interesting series. It is a game set in a sandbox open world where the player can use hacking as a means to interact with the world. Hacking is the core mechanic of the game and the world design and mission structure were created to accommodate it.
Players are provided with a large arsenal of tools that are accessed through hacking and gadgets. These tools, along with lots of weapons and vehicles, make for quite an interesting world to have fun in. The Watch Dogs legion even allows many types of characters to be recruited and controlled.
Five games similar to Watch Dogs
Since the game provides such an entertaining sandbox to explore and interact with, players might wonder if there are more games like this out there. The answer is yes. There are many games that can provide a similar gaming experience to Watch Dogs. Here’s a list of five of them in no particular order:
1) Grand Theft Auto V
No discussion of open world games can exclude this titan. No studio makes better sandbox games than Rockstar, with its extreme attention to detail and commitment to immersion. Even after a decade, the game still tops the sales charts and receives regular updates and downloadable content.
The game itself is quite simple in terms of mechanics but it does everything very well. The Los Angeles-inspired open world is packed with realistic detail but still holds some wacky secrets. The shooting mechanics are decent and the driving in the game is just fabulous.
2) Cyberpunk 2077
Set in a futuristic dystopia, Cyberpunk 2077 has a story that follows V as they try to rise in the criminal world. Eventually, they are captured by Johnny Silverhand, a political terrorist, and become embroiled in a conspiracy that can only mean bad for them.
Like Watch Dogs, the game also has deep stealth mechanics with hacking and open world sandbox to play. Of course, hacking is not the core gameplay of Cyberpunk 2077. It facilitates a wide variety of playstyles and weapons for players. To choose from.
3) Saints Row IV
While Saint Row IV doesn’t offer hacking, it does offer superpowers. The game allows players to jump very high, slide, and do other kinds of super moves. It also throws many types of alien weapons and lasers into the mix to give more variety to the weapons.
This installment takes the game to ridiculous heights as the player is elected President of the United States at the start of the game. They are then lured and trapped in a virtual world while aliens try to invade the planet. The story only gets more ridiculous as it progresses.
4) Ghost Recon Wildlands
Players are part of an elite special forces group tasked with fighting the Cartel. This third-person tactical shooter takes place in Bolivia, a country controlled by the Cartel. It’s up to the players and their four teammates to take down the pharmaceutical industry across the country.
Much like Watch Dogs, players have an arsenal of tools and gadgets to use against their enemy. They can also make multiple approaches to enemy territory to complete their objective.
5) Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (MGSV)
Snake wakes up after being in a coma for nine years and travels to Soviet-occupied Afghanistan to exact revenge on those who tried to kill him at Ground Zeroes. He meets up with Ocelot and creates a new group of mercenaries called the Diamond Dogs.
The gameplay was revolutionary at the time of its release and arguably still holds up today. It is a true sandbox stealth action game, where the player is provided with a huge arsenal of tools and weapons.
They are given the freedom to take whatever creative approach they want to take when it comes to missions. The world also dynamically affects the player and their environment, while the enemies are intelligent enough to adapt to the strategies the player frequently uses.
While no game can be the same as Watch Dogs, many games offer elements that make the game great. The games mentioned above are phenomenal in their own right and have some of the most unique gameplay and stories ever seen.
