Can this novel open world game from Ubisoft surprise people?

Jan 24, 2013 10:18 GMT  ·  By

What we know:

Watch Dogs is an upcoming open-world game, made by Ubisoft's Montreal studio and set to be published by the French company.

The game was one of the biggest surprises of E3 2012, as Ubisoft managed to keep a tight lid on the impressive game.

Watch Dogs is an open-world experience, as players need to explore the city of Chicago and interact with its high-tech CtOS (Central Operating System) by hacking devices connected to the mainframe or by using information stored in it about the city's inhabitants.

Players control a character named Aiden Pearce, who relies mostly on hacking in order to overcome tricky problems but also on his fists or weapons, depending on the situation.

We already saw an extremely impressive gameplay demonstration at E3 2012, as Aiden was able to use different tricks, from jamming cell phones to hacking devices in order to learn more about his different targets.

The game might also include a cooperative mode, as another player can help out Aiden in his different missions by taking care of other situations and planning escapes from the authorities.

Besides hacking and shooting, the game also heavily features free running, meaning players will have to navigate the environment quickly and efficiently.

Why it matters:

Quite a few open-world games have appeared in recent times, but Ubisoft's Watch Dogs is the first to emphasize hacking instead of combat, shooting, or driving around.

What's more, the graphics looks really impressive and the PC version that was showcased at E3 2012 is bound to deliver a great experience.

Hopefully, Ubisoft's Montreal studio will be able to deliver a great experience that shows open world games don't need to copy Grand Theft Auto titles in order to be successful.

Watch Dogs is expected to appear this year for the PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms.

The full list of Incoming 2013 articles can be read on Softpedia right here.