I recently spent six hours playing Watch Dogs 2, and my big takeaway was just how well Ubisoft had captured the essence of San Francisco, and the greater Bay Area. Not just the area’s beauty, which is seen through vibrant street art and interesting architecture, but also the grim reality. Just like when walking the actual streets of “Fog City,” exploring Ubisoft’s recreation meant that I stumbled upon a large homeless community. This isn’t an idealized version of San Francisco, and I feel like it’s far better off for it.
In fact, I spent several hours just roaming the game world since there are so many random occurrences and small stories that happen without the player getting involved. Walking around a street corner and seeing a marriage proposal take place is pretty incredible (and heartwarming since he said yes), and it’s these small touches that make Watch Dogs 2 feel like it takes place in a real, breathing world. I can’t think of the last open-world game that I found so interesting to just exist in, and it probably helped that the game allows the player to just explore without any real fear of getting constantly shot at like in Grand Theft Auto or Infamous: Second Son. Not every random interaction is as charming as a proposal or a couple playfully eating ice cream, though. Several times I stumbled upon arguments, and these often resulted in violence. It was interesting to watch this mayhem from a distance, as so...