Watch Dogs Upgrade System and Abilities Explained

When playing the newly released Watch Dogs, your main tool is the Hackear. This device enables you to hack into and manipulate the technology featured in the game and thus complete tasks and escape from sticky situations. The Watch Dogs level up system takes the form of a skill tree, which players build up to access more advanced abilities. The level up system begins with a few skill areas then divides into further branches, which are expected to include combat skills, crafting skills and weapons skills. All of these are bound to make use of the hacking skills you accumulate through the game. Amongst the simpler upgrades you’ll be able to open and close gates and garages, as seen in Watch Dogs trailers this could be used to hide or escape chases.

 
The hacking skills that you’ll need in Watch Dogs start with overloading electricity to cause explosions; with such an fiery start we can expect the advanced weapons skill upgrades to be drastic, at the very least they’ll be even more tense as your explosives allowances increases. This may take a while however as one of the next steps in the Watch Dogs skill tree is the ability to stun enemies and interfere with their equipment; it may sound a tad dull but it will be an invaluable weapons skill when wanting to take out an enemy subtly. Beyond that you’ll access the upgrade for blocking enemy calls for reinforcements. It’s a shame that the game has to get more difficult in time for unlocking these higher abilities, but it’s the only way to get them. Using your points for an alternative part of the skill tree will see you controlling larger equipment like the L-Train.

Not only should the weapons skills in Watch Dogs let you cause mayhem, they’ll also help you do it faster and better. In time you’ll be able to unlock upgrades that improve your combat skills, such as reducing weapon recoil. To progress through the Watch Dogs skill level up system you will have to spend points, but also perform well in single player mode and in open world mode. You must work your way up to the Automatic Weapons skill in order to access the Rifle Specialist skills and the upgrades this brings for example. It’ll be worth your time as higher skill levels include a boost in accuracy when using automatic weapons in bursts and an increase in weapon equip speed. Another requirement for unlocking upgrades in Watch Dogs is completing certain tasks; before unlocking the weapon recharge rate skill, for example, you may find that you need to complete some Gang Hideouts.



As part of the Watch Dogs level up system you’ll be given the option to collect apps and devices, which have their uses both good and bad. The system provides side comments on apps, such as “Yeah, surely a popular application” which, intentionally or not, make you question an app before selecting it. Watch Dogs’ almost suspicious descriptive style continues with devices as you’re reassured that the Lure device is non-lethal. Even if the system is something to doubt, you’ll have to trust it eventually as it offers upgrades that reduce the damage you take from explosives.

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