Watch Dogs 2 Review Roundup [UPDATED]

As Watch Dogs 2's launch draws near, reviews for Ubisoft's latest hack-'em-up have started to appear online.

With a more lighthearted tone and new setting, Watch Dogs 2 represents a small but significant departure from the original game--and it appears to have gone down well with reviewers. Many reviews are currently scoreless however, with multiplayer issues meaning Ubisoft has temporarily pulled the plug on PVP.

We'll have our full review up once we can test the game in real-world conditions. Until then, take a look at a collection of opinions in the list below. We'll continue to update this as more reviews surface and as scores are finalised.

For a wider view on Watch Dogs 2's critical reception, check out GameSpot sister site Metacritic.

• Game: Watch Dogs 2
• Developer: Ubisoft
• Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC
• Release: November 15 (November 29 on PC)
• Price: $60

GameSpot -- 8/10

"Watch Dogs 2's world is a step up from the first game's dreary rendition of Chicago, and even though Watch Dogs 2 can't go toe-to-toe with genre heavyweights, it's hard to walk away from its fun-loving attitude and exuberant cast." -- Peter Brown [Full review]

The Guardian -- 4/5

"Ubisoft has made a clear jump from the original Watch Dogs, siphoning off the dull protagonist, grey city and questionable moral compass that made it quite a dour experience. That's not to say Watch Dogs 2 is free of eyebrow-raising moments. Some missions, such as when you hack into Sitara's niece's webcam stream to teach her a lesson, seem misjudged. However, the detail in Watch Dogs 2's world, the colour in its characters and the sheer fun you can have mucking around with its mechanics make for a great, albeit not all-time great, open-world adventure." -- Sam White [Full review]

IGN -- 8.5/10

"Watch Dogs 2's distinctive hacking and puzzle mechanics do a great job of reminding you that you’re not playing just another Grand Theft Auto clone as you tear through its beautiful Bay Area map. Marcus is a bit too friendly of a guy to be believable as our instrument of mayhem, but the flexible missions let you get through mostly non-violently if you're good enough at stealth. And when it works, multiplayer is good unconventional cat-and-mouse fun, too." -- Dan Stapleton [Full review]

IBTimes UK -- 4.5/5

"I was expecting Watch Dogs 2 to be more enjoyable than its predecessor, but I didn't expect it to be so well designed and full of heart. Watch Dogs 2 isn't reinventing the open-world game and fans of Ubisoft's special brand of go-places-and-pick-things-up gameplay will feel right at home, but it's one of the best examples the genre has to offer – as long as you don't want to shoot anything." -- Jake Tucker [Full review]

The Telegraph -- 4/5

"Watch Dogs 2 feels like it’s making a statement. Rudyard Kipling once said, 'San Francisco has only one drawback – 'tis hard to leave.' While Watch Dogs 2 isn’t as faultless as Kipling’s vision of Northern California, you’ll still want to spend tens of hours wandering this virtual recreation of the famous city and on into the Bay Area beyond." -- Kirk McKeand [Full review]