Watch Dogs 2 is annoying as hell, but I'm still playing

[Administrator]

Watch Dogs 2, Ubisoft's latest open world adventure, annoys the hell out of me. I can't stand the characters, the dialogue is cheesy and the hacker culture the game portrays is 20 years too late. I mean, hacking was cool in 1996 when Jonny Lee Miller and Angelina Jolie were trolling each other in high school. Now, 20 years later, I listen to DedSec characters Marcus, "Wrench", Sitara and Josh chat about hacking the planet in the basement of a board game shop in San Francisco and I can't help but think of that "How do you do, fellow kids?" meme. For me, Watch Dogs 2 is an eye-rolling hot take of a video game. It tries too hard to be cool.
But! I'm finding the fun, just not in ways I imagine most other players are. I've ditched the main missions because I couldn't care less about the story, and I've ditched my hacker headquarters because I can't stand the guy with the stupid LED eyes. I've gone rogue. I'm a lone wolf and I'm using my hacker skills to, well, mess about in the city.
And what a city! Ubisoft Montreal's San Francisco is a wonder, a huge area packed with incredible detail. I've been to San Fran a few times, once for a fortnight on honeymoon, and so it's been a thrill to drive around, sightseeing, rekindling warm memories with my wife.
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