This game is criminally underrated and has been unfairly disparaged by the internet echo chamber that has held a grudge over some minor changes from pre-release to launch; issues that are no longer relevant especially now that it's been reduced in price and mods can restore those changes.

As contemporary open world games go I probably enjoyed myself more in this game than in GTA V's single-player campaign (which is not to say that GTA V is bad but simply I enjoyed W_D more as a whole). Watch_Dog's Chicago has a lot of life that's on par with GTA V's world plus there are more mini-games, side missions, meaningful secrets and tons of lore to explore.

Watch_Dogs' missions offer a lot of flexibility. You can go loud with guns or play it stealthy. Stealth breaks down into hiding from guards, using silent take downs or using your hacking tools to create havoc, taking out enemies with electrical junctions or causing blackouts. It's an incredibly clever system that feels grounded in the game's near-future Chicago that's completely wired into an all-encompassing operating system that controls the entire city.

I'm not exaggerating when I say Watch_Dogs became one of my favorite stealth games of all time. Many stealth games tend to force a binary choice between detection and violence, like Dishonored, and more often than not, this creates a false dichotomy if you want a "perfect" playthrough, going halfway is less rewarding and there's a lot of trial and error if you want to achieve said "perfection."

W_D doesn't judge you for how you choose to play. You can be as loud or as stealthy as you want, both methods are valid and fun. Failing a mission is just another opportunity to find a satisfying path to your objective. There's a decent roster of guns and weapons to suit all play styles and stealth options are numerous.

As techno-thriller-stealth/action games go I enjoyed Watch_Dogs story too another aspect that IMHO has been unfairly maligned. Aiden Pierce, the main character, is a compelling character, neither entirely heroic nor morally gray. He's a guy caught between the dark underworld that he inhabits but also wants to protect others, especially his loved ones, from the bad guys he's rubbed elbows with.

The story is a timely one with themes that touch on the power of information and secrets and the dangers of how technology can be used to exploit them. Minigames where you hack into people's home cameras and cellphones underscore the theme that even "innocent" NPC's lives are deviant and debaucherous, essentially saying: our technology is corrupt because we are corrupt.

All my praise aside the game isn't perfect either:

o Unlike GTA or Saint's Row, vehicle physics feel stiff and cumbersome. If you're coming from GTA V W_D's cars will feel like refrigerator with wheels by comparison. Also there is no shooting from vehicles, all vehicle "combat" is done via hacks similar to ground-based stealth (not really a con but more of a PSA).

o The game lacks clothing options; you're limited to a dozen or so different outfits all based on the same variation of Aiden Pierce's hat and trench coat look.

o Multiplayer isn't for everyone. Invasions can be quite uneven, sometimes you'll manage to defend yourself from an enemy player, other times they'll trounce you, thankfully these can be disabled if you wish. Hacking/cheats also seem to be prevalent in multiplayer modes, last time I played.

Long story short: Watch_Dogs is a smart, fun open world techno-stealth game that was extremely fun to play. I received it as a gift from a good friend but would have been happy to pay full price for it and totally worth playing on sale.

I'm glad I played it and in writing this review I'm thinking of revisiting it again soon.