Does Watch Dogs: Legion miss having a single Protagonist?

I’ve been exploring the streets of London thanks to Ubisoft Canada, and while Kevin Austin has been focusing on our review of the title, I’ve been putting my energy into some supplementary articles. One of the biggest questions I had going into Watch Dogs: Legion, and one I think I’ve finally answered, is “does Watch Dogs: Legion miss having a singular protagonist?” Let’s dive in.

The premise of Watch Dogs: Legion is that you are playing as the organization DedSec, which has unfairly been blamed for the downfall of London. With the organization thought to be disbanded, it all begins with one character (yourself, at least for that moment) who must return to the organizations old hideout and get things started again. A few quests later, you ditch person A and tie yourself to Person B. A few adventures with that person later, and you ditch them for a construction worker, and person C. It’s a revolving door of characters in Watch Dogs: Legion, each with their own characteristics, unique weapons, and special gadgets. While you might have a few personal favourites, having a well rounded crew with all the games available personal bonuses is ideal, as you’ll need something a little different for each mission you tackle.

But there is no Aiden Pearce. There is no Marcus Holloway. There is only DedSec, and until you realize that you are DedSec, as opposed to a journalist, or a career politician, or a lawyer, or yes, even a construction worker. Once you realize you are the organization, and these characters simply serve as vessels towards your ultimate goal, the belief that there is no single protagonist kind of melts away. DedSec is the protagonist.

All jokes aside, while this is definitely true, I do miss having a single character I can connect with. Watch Dogs: Legion is built in such a way that you won’t miss having a singular character often, but there are moments where you realize having one character experience all of these different moments would be a really unique, personality changing experience. With a variety of characters, there is no build up to get excited about. While one character might experience the corruption of the top officials in London, another might experience that lack of empathy for the downtrodden. It’s unfortunate that one character doesn’t necessarily experience both.

Even without that single character, Watch Dogs: Legion is an easy recommendation. While it might not follow traditional, opwn world video game norms, it carves its own path and does so really well. You might miss the character, but London is begging to be explored, and certain people are required to get certain places. You’ll learn to adapat, and you’ll learn to love it.