and I got the chance to try out a few hours of the game, a little from the beginning and

a bit later on where I was more submerged so here's a preview of what you can expect

from Ubisoft Montreal's hackfest. As most of you will know, Watch Dogs got itself

delayed from last year and what I really wanted to know was what happened during the time

between when we were promised it and when we will be given it. So I asked Danny Belanger,

lead game designer for ubisoft montreal. You are Aiden Pearce and alongside the gameplay

is an attempt at an emotional storyline of which I can't give you my full opinion on

because well, I didn't see it all. What I can tell you is what this game is like

in general. Your main piece of tech is the profiler, this will help you assess the people

around you for potential hacks and as to whether they are going to cause you any hassle if

you do launch a cyber attack on them. It will, as the name suggests, let you profile them

with name, age, occupation or interest. Some interests are a little tongue in cheek with

homosexual, infertile and recently released from mental hospital just some of the ones

that popped out at me. Although, it's worth noting your profiler is defunct in areas where

you haven't taken control of the mainframe, the CToS.

Once profiled, you'll be able to hack into anyone that offers you a little something

something in the way of cash which can be picked up later at an ATM.

You will navigate your map which will highlight objectives, campaigns, crime detected, fixer

contract, criminal convoy, gang hideout etc. but as with most open world games you can

pick and choose what you play. But what will help Watch Dogs avoid the curse of the repetitive

task that have sometimes befallen other open world games

like this? Watch Dogs is a reflection on modern life

and with a setting of Chicago, one of the most surveillance stricken states of America,

the game shows how the technology that surrounds us could be used in order to commit and prevent

all new sorts of crime. You can access cameras around you to assess a situation without entering

the area itself. The game has a vast skill tree which will

enable manipulation of your environment such as raising or lowering city blocks, change

traffic lights to cause chaos and optimisation of your profiler. The skills you gain will

help you in tasks such as hacking, combat, crafting and driving.

As well as the single player campaign, there is the opportunity for other players to infiltrate

your world and hack into you. Alongside this are other multiplayer modes that Colin Graham,

Ubisoft Montreal's animation director gives an insight on

But what if you don't want to play with other people and want to get on with your own business.

I had

a go on some of the online multiplayer and it was clear I needed some tips from the top

to help me out. The open world is vast and I'll pay a few

likenesses to GTA here in that you'll need a vehicle to get around but unlike GTA you

don't have to commit, well, Grand Theft Auto in order to get it. Your phone has an on-demand

vehicle service that will deliver you vehicles right next to you in the game. Handy. Plus

like GTA there's a great selection of music from Alice Cooper, to Kid Cudi to Curtis Mayfield

and a rating system based on how wanted you are by police and the appropriate turnout

of vehicles, helicopters and aggressive natures based on this to capture you.

I'm not sure the gameplay had be completely enthralled and I think Ubisoft knew that may

happen as later in the game you've got mini games such as this big metal spider you see

here. It's weird and I was told that there's no real reason for it apart from just in case

you get bored of the normal gameplay. There is a lot to do though and there's definitely

variety but even though the people surrounding you have been given separate profiles, they

will insist on repeating the same reactions vocally over and over again which can get

annoying if you hang around near them long enough.

I'm looking forward to having a go on the full game but for now, this is all I know

and now, you know it too. What do you think about it? Let me know in the comments below.

Watch Dogs is an open world hacking game full of modern day magicians manipulating Chicago

in order to commit and prevent crime. A big part of the game is its multiplayer modes

allowing others to infiltrate your world, you infiltrating theirs and missions requiring

you to play in teams. I had a go at a preview event run by developers Ubisoft Montreal and

it was clear that I needed a few tips from the top on how to catch the hacker. I never

caught the hacker that infiltrated me and I don't want you to come to the same demise

as me. So, here's Colin Graham, animation director for ubisoft montreal giving you some

big help. But don't worry if you don't want to play

online. Danny Belanger lead game designer gave us the lowdown on going offline and the

shield. Check out our preview of the full game by

clicking the video on the screen now.