Is Watch Dogs Legion a Short Game? Dissecting the Playtime of DedSec’s London Adventure
The short answer? No, Watch Dogs Legion is not a short game. While the main story can be completed in a relatively reasonable timeframe, the sheer volume of side content, recruitable operatives, and open-world activities significantly extends the overall playtime. To truly experience everything Watch Dogs Legion has to offer, you’re looking at a substantial investment of your time.
Understanding Watch Dogs Legion’s Length
Watch Dogs Legion distinguishes itself from other open-world games through its unique “play as anyone” mechanic. This feature alone dramatically impacts playtime. Instead of being confined to a single protagonist, players can recruit and control virtually any NPC in London, each with their own unique skills, backstories, and missions. This opens up a vast number of possibilities and significantly increases the game’s replayability and overall length.
The Main Story and Its Duration
The core narrative of Watch Dogs Legion, focused on clearing DedSec’s name and uncovering the truth behind Zero-Day, can be completed in approximately 20-25 hours on average. This, of course, depends on your difficulty setting, playstyle (stealth vs. action), and how much you prioritize side activities. Rushing through the main missions will naturally result in a shorter playtime.
The Allure of Side Content
However, focusing solely on the main story misses a significant portion of the Watch Dogs Legion experience. The game is brimming with side missions, operative recruitment tasks, tech upgrades, and exploration opportunities. Engaging with this content can easily double, or even triple, your playtime.
- Recruiting Operatives: Finding the perfect operatives with the right skills for specific missions can become an engaging (and time-consuming) activity.
- Side Missions: London is filled with citizens in need of help, offering diverse and often humorous side quests that delve into the city’s districts and characters.
- Tech Upgrades: Investing in gadgets and abilities is crucial for success, requiring you to complete challenges and gather tech points throughout the open world.
- Exploration: London is a meticulously crafted and visually stunning environment. Exploring its landmarks, hidden locations, and encountering random events can add hours to your playthrough.
Factors Influencing Playtime
Several factors contribute to the length of your Watch Dogs Legion experience:
- Difficulty Level: Higher difficulty settings increase the challenge, potentially leading to more deaths and requiring more strategic planning, thus extending playtime.
- Playstyle: Stealth-focused players may take longer to complete missions compared to those who prefer a more direct, action-oriented approach.
- Completionist Tendencies: If you aim to unlock all achievements, collect all items, and complete every side mission, you can expect to spend significantly more time with the game.
- Online Co-op: Playing with friends online adds a social element and can influence playtime depending on your shared goals and activities.
The “Play as Anyone” Mechanic and its Impact
The “play as anyone” mechanic is arguably the most significant factor influencing the length of Watch Dogs Legion. Here’s why:
- Experimentation: The ability to recruit and control almost any NPC encourages players to experiment with different skills and playstyles.
- Personalization: Building a team of operatives tailored to your preferences and mission requirements adds a layer of personalization and investment.
- Emergent Storytelling: The unique backstories and relationships of each operative create opportunities for emergent storytelling and unexpected scenarios.
- Recruitment Missions: Each potential recruit requires you to complete a specific mission to earn their loyalty, adding a considerable amount of content to the game.
- Dealing with Permadeath (If Enabled): The optional permadeath feature raises the stakes and forces players to be more cautious, potentially leading to longer playtime as they strategize and avoid losing valuable operatives.
This mechanic fosters a sense of connection to the game world and its inhabitants, making it more likely for players to engage with side content and explore the city in detail.
Watch Dogs Legion: Beyond the Story
Beyond the main narrative and the “play as anyone” system, Watch Dogs Legion offers other avenues for extended gameplay:
- Online Mode: The online mode features cooperative missions, competitive game modes, and daily challenges that provide ongoing content.
- Season Pass Content: The season pass includes additional story expansions, new operatives, and bonus missions, further expanding the game’s lifespan.
- Ubisoft Connect Challenges: Completing Ubisoft Connect challenges unlocks rewards and provides additional goals to strive for.
All of these elements combine to create a game that can be enjoyed for dozens, if not hundreds, of hours, depending on your level of engagement.
Conclusion: A Game That Respects Your Time (and Offers Plenty of It)
While the main story of Watch Dogs Legion can be completed in a reasonable timeframe, the game is far from short. The “play as anyone” mechanic, coupled with a wealth of side content, online activities, and ongoing updates, ensures that players have plenty to do in DedSec’s London. Whether you’re a completionist seeking to unlock every achievement or simply a player who enjoys exploring a richly detailed open world, Watch Dogs Legion offers a substantial and rewarding gaming experience. You can delve deeper into the world of games and learning on websites like the Games Learning Society, accessible at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/, to understand the educational impact of gaming.
Watch Dogs Legion: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are 15 frequently asked questions about the length and content of Watch Dogs Legion:
FAQ 1: How long does it take to beat the main story of Watch Dogs Legion?
The main story of Watch Dogs Legion typically takes around 20-25 hours to complete.
FAQ 2: Does Watch Dogs Legion have a lot of side content?
Yes, Watch Dogs Legion has a significant amount of side content, including side missions, operative recruitment tasks, tech upgrades, and exploration opportunities.
FAQ 3: Is Watch Dogs Legion replayable?
Absolutely! The “play as anyone” mechanic and the emergent storytelling it creates make Watch Dogs Legion highly replayable.
FAQ 4: How does the “play as anyone” mechanic affect the game’s length?
The “play as anyone” mechanic significantly increases the game’s length by encouraging experimentation, personalization, and the completion of recruitment missions.
FAQ 5: Does Watch Dogs Legion have an online mode?
Yes, Watch Dogs Legion has an online mode featuring cooperative missions and competitive game modes.
FAQ 6: Does the Season Pass add to the game’s length?
Yes, the Season Pass includes additional story expansions, new operatives, and bonus missions that extend the game’s lifespan.
FAQ 7: How long does it take to 100% Watch Dogs Legion?
Completing Watch Dogs Legion to 100% can take 50 hours or more, depending on your playstyle and efficiency.
FAQ 8: Is Watch Dogs Legion a good game for completionists?
Yes, Watch Dogs Legion offers a satisfying experience for completionists, with plenty of achievements, collectibles, and side missions to pursue.
FAQ 9: Does the difficulty level affect the game’s length?
Yes, higher difficulty levels can increase the game’s length by requiring more strategic planning and potentially leading to more deaths.
FAQ 10: What is the permadeath mode and how does it affect playtime?
Permadeath is an optional mode where operatives permanently die if they are defeated. This forces players to be more cautious and strategic, potentially increasing playtime.
FAQ 11: Are there missable achievements in Watch Dogs Legion?
While most achievements can be earned throughout the game, some may require specific actions or conditions. It’s advisable to consult a guide to avoid missing any missable achievements.
FAQ 12: How does exploring London affect the game’s length?
London is a richly detailed and visually stunning environment. Exploring its landmarks and hidden locations can add hours to your playthrough.
FAQ 13: Are there Ubisoft Connect challenges in Watch Dogs Legion?
Yes, completing Ubisoft Connect challenges unlocks rewards and provides additional goals to strive for, potentially extending playtime.
FAQ 14: Is Watch Dogs Legion worth playing for its story alone?
While the story is engaging, Watch Dogs Legion’s true strength lies in its “play as anyone” mechanic and emergent gameplay.
FAQ 15: How does Watch Dogs Legion compare in length to other open-world games?
Watch Dogs Legion’s length is comparable to other open-world games, but the “play as anyone” mechanic and its impact on replayability set it apart. It offers a unique blend of story, side content, and emergent gameplay that can provide dozens, even hundreds, of hours of entertainment.