TheWatch Dogsfranchise has gone from strength to strength following the turbulent release of the first game. While the series may not have debuted in the best of fashion, it now stands as one of the most popular series in modern gaming.Watch Dogs Legion’srelease last October showed just how far the franchise has come since its troubled beginnings. However, it seems Ubisoft has looked back to the originalWatch Dogsto gather inspiration forLegion’sBloodline expansion.
Aiden Pearce is a polarizing figure in theWatch Dogsfandom. While Aiden’s motivations were clearly laid out in the originalWatch Dogs, many struggled to empathize with him because they found him boring. Despite this, Ubisoft has seen fit to feature Aiden in a thirdWatch Dogsgame. While Aiden isn’t a fan-favorite character, he has one of the more human stories in the franchise and functions as a legend in the in-game world. The Fox, as Aiden is sometimes called, has a lot of depth to his characterization that fans who skipped the first game would have missed out on. With that in mind, here’s everythingWatch Dogsfans need to know about Aiden Pearce before playingLegion’sBloodlines DLC.
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Who Is Watch Dogs' Aiden Pearce?
Watch Dogs’Aiden Pearcewas thrust into the events of the first game, but it wasn’t his first rodeo. Aiden was actually already involved in the criminal underworld of theWatch Dogsuniverse. He even had access to the ctOS of Chicago, giving him a dangerous level of control over the city around him. He was an unethical hacker who used his abilities for personal gain by carrying out heists with his gang. Unlike the hackers that are traditionally portrayed in media, however, Aiden can handle himself in combat and is a family man. But it is these family man values that ultimately prove to be his greatest weakness.
InWatch Dogs, Aiden Pearce is sent down a dark path. He simultaneously sets out on a mission for vengeance, while attempting to maintain his status as a family man. World’s collide at points in the originalWatch Dogs, and Aiden is offered some much-needed perspective on life. However, this perspective ultimately doesn’t deter him from his self-assigned mission, exposing one of his major weaknesses. Aiden Pearce isn’t a perfect hero, and despite his status as a vigilante, it would be difficult to even call him a hero. As is the case with all of thebest video game protagonists, he’s heavily flawed, but ultimately makes the player root for him.
The Story of Watch Dogs
Aiden ends up getting involved in the events of the originalWatch Dogswhen his niece, Lena, is killed in an attempted assassination on Aiden. He is overcome with guilt and sets off on a mission for vengeance. Many fans found Aiden’s characterization following the death of his niece to be one-dimensional, but his human reaction to grief actually makes him a very sympathetic character. Aiden isn’t the perfect hero, not was he was never intended to be. The originalWatch Dogsis a story of vengeance and of bad guys getting what’s coming to them. Whilethe story ofWatch Dogs LegionandWatch Dogs 2are a bit more moralistic in tone, that isn’t what the original is about.
The story of Aiden Pearce and the originalWatch Dogsis a dark one. The game pulls no punches and offers few breaks for reprieve. As such, the game and Aiden are often accused of being boring, but this is an unfair assessment. Aiden stands out in hisbriefWatch Dogs 2appearancefor how he contrasts with other characters. While the game’s all-new protagonists are joking and laughing, Aiden is all business, using a guard’s momentary distraction as an opportunity to escape his jail cell. He has a strong motivation and uses it as fuel to push on where others would quit, earning his nickname ‘The Fox’. His story definitely isn’t for everyone, but the label of boring is uncharitable.
Watch Dogs Legion’snew DLCwill add a new dimension to the game. Aiden’s dark and gritty background has brought something that’s been missing fromWatch Dogs Legionsince launch. The connection to the original games is loose at best inLegion, but Aiden’s appearance has changed that. The man who became a legend in the Ubisoft universe when he took out Abstergo CEO, Olivier Garneau, has brought theWatch Dogsfranchise back to its roots.
Watch Dogs: Legion Bloodlineis available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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