Watch Dogs 2 vs. Dishonored 2: Which Should You Buy?

Dishonored 2

Within the space of four days, two of this year’s biggest titles released, both looking to continue and improve the adventures of their predecessors. While both are set in completely different environments, offer different styles of gameplay, and largely share little in common except for some stealth mechanics, not every player out there is going to be able to, nor want to pick up both Dishonored 2 and Watch Dogs 2. With that in mind, we decided to break down which title is right for you based on your game preferences and what each game offers. Without further ado, let’s jump in.

Set in a fantasy world split into smaller areas or levels to explore, Dishonored 2 builds on foundations laid by its predecessor and provides two protagonists to choose from. While those who want to take a more aggressive high-chaos route will find more to like in Corvo, those who prefer the stealthier approach will likely go with Emily.

Dishonored 2’s strengths lie in the creativity that comes with its abundance of powers, abilities, and weapons. Combining these together to take down groups of enemies is incredibly satisfying, as is trying to find the perfect no-kill route through a mission. Though it’s broken down into different chapters, each one has a huge amount of ground to cover and is filled with tons of interesting sights and level design quirks.

Thanks to the sprawling world of Karnaca, as well as the different routes through each mission, Dishonored 2 offers a ton of replayability. Unfortunately, some feel more satisfying than others, with offensive gameplay feeling less tuned than its stealth counterpart. While you can always go the all-out aggressive route in Dishonored 2, it often feels like doing so neglects what the game has to offer. As such, if you’re not the biggest stealth fan as a whole, I’d advise looking elsewhere.

If you liked the first game, you’ll love what’s on offer in Dishonored 2. This is a bigger, bolder, and better version of its predecessor, with characters and a storyline that make it a more interesting and enjoyable ride. You can check out our full review of Dishonored 2 here.

Watch Dogs 2

On the other end of the setting spectrum is the near-future technological powerhouse that is Watch Dogs 2’s San Francisco. Running on ctOS 2.0, the whole city, its population, and just about everything in it can be hacked and used to your advantage on your mission to take the system down.

Having listened to player feedback, Watch Dogs 2 features a new protagonist in the form of Marcus Holloway. He and the rest of his DedSec crew are far more interesting and have a lot more to their background than Aiden Pearce of the first game, who was blandly angry or otherwise emotionless. With other tweaks such as improved car physics, a more dynamic and jam-packed world, and Marcus’ parkour skills helping you navigate, Watch Dogs 2 is another example of Ubisoft getting it right on the second try.

Just like Dishonored 2, Watch Dogs 2 allows players to take on missions as they see fit. You can choose to completely ignore enemies for the most part, only taking down and stunning those when necessary, or you can run in, blow up everything that you lay eyes on and leave a trail of destruction behind you. Oh, or you could hack the world and let the ctOS and other tech of San Francisco do your dirty work.

Once you’ve had enough of your mission to take down ctOS 2.0, you can always go and check out the different sites of San Francisco, partake in side missions, or just taxi people around for some extra cash. If you’re looking for a proper open world experience, Watch Dogs 2 is exactly it. You can check out our full review of Watch Dogs 2 here.

Conclusion

If you prefer fantasy settings and being given the opportunity to truly utilize your stealth skills, Dishonored 2 is probably the game for you. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a huge open world to explore, to check out virtual renditions of San Francisco’s landmarks, and get engrossed in a technology-centric story, Watch Dogs 2 is more your jam. The former is a magical story of revenge, and the latter a modern, GTA-esque story… of also revenge.

Regardless of which title you pick, you’ll be sure to end up with a great experience. We gave both games a 4.5/ 5 and their Metacritic scores are equally as impressive. While Dishonored 2 currently leads with a 91 average at the time of writing, Watch Dogs 2 isn’t too far behind with an 85.

Have you already picked up Dishonored 2 or have you been holding off for Watch Dogs 2 instead? Share your thoughts down in the comments below.