It looks like they are keeping his original personality in bloodlines. Hes one of my favorite characters. I never understood why people hated him. He has the same personality as Batman always serious not humorous and he protects the weak. Somehow batman is cool but Aiden isn't? I don't get these reviewers.
ayy professional, thanks for stopping by. and yeah true. Aiden is like the batman of watch dogs universe. He didn't deserve the hate he got at release. i eagerly await the bloodline dlc
Aiden is supposed to be Emotionless as his life were scarred from what’ve they done to him and especially his young niece in the story. That’s what interesting about Aiden. People who gave him hates and bad altitude are absolutely makes no sense as Aiden’s personality is developer’s intention to make the story of the game this interesting. And someone say they hate Aiden because the game graphics were downgraded. That has nothing to do with the Aiden.
@TheProfessional. I'm a fan of Pearce also. I'll say much of the dislike could've spilled over from the downgrade in graphics from the original trailers. Looking forward to this new Legion Pearce DLC. His cameo in WD2 was cool to see also.
A loud minority expressed their opinions and most people believed them without playing the game themselves. Happens with almost everything nowadays actually.
To be fair, the game itself was rather meh. It's the same with Cyberpunk. A great story with good characters can't completely save a game, that has terrible gameplay.
I don't care what other ppl think of Aiden I love because of his character and the story one of main things of making a good character is the story that's why we love ezio I think ppl just don't like him either because he's a bit similar to Batman or they just don't feel the same thing that the character feels
4:30 "Haven't you heard? I'm the *vigilante.* I clean mess like you." This scene is the most iconic in the game in my opinion. Aiden throughout the game not only fought for his redemption/revenge, but also for his own belief and philosophy. He's an anti-hero, someone who shows the truth. A vigilante.
A very interesting viewpoint. I too felt that protraying Aiden as a hero is wrong. But i'd like to know more about your viewpoint of him as an anti-hero. If you ever have a little bit of time in your hand, please consider letting me know more about this.
@@mannyoftheeast3318 darcus castaway or what ever his name is, is a fucking joke. The only good thing he has is the jumper and the drone and the new hacking. But story wise it’s comparable to absolute horse shit
@@coolwolf5425they're not looking for Adien specifically but "the fox" as he's known as and a man that fit the exact description walked inside with a weapon
So apparently every ubisoft game has great protagonists since they all use the dead family member for character motivation. Didn't know that's what defines a good character.
I've always loved Aiden. Always. It frustrated me so much how people would crap all over his character. Makes me so happy to see more people are starting to be like, "Hey... wait a minute..."
People hated the game because of the downgraded graphics but some people hated aiden just to hate on the game I guess...worst part is the game only had those graphics turned off they were in the game files completely functional people think that they were off just to make the console versions look better
@@flaco3451 Games are usually always downgraded for hardware constraints after they've been revealed. (Colonial Marines for an example) Yeah it sucks, but it's just how these companies do things. They reveal what they want the game to look like, and not what it will look like when the hardware of the consoles is taken into consideration.
@@flaco3451 Actually no, that was actual gameplay, if you eddit some files if you got the OG watch dogs 1 preorder on pc, you can change the file to place the e3 graphics, and the game still ran fine.
Aiden Pierce was my favorite for a reason, he was so serious, he went through so much just to get revenge for lena, he had so many people against him in the story. His combat skills are off the charts. I never hated him. I use to be doing a impression for aiden too. But when is he coming to watch dogs legion, I am hyped for him!
@@akuisbestgirl2448 i assume you havent watched the psychological analysis on him, where they get into detail on why he does what he does and how events has affected his psyche and actions. Everything happens for a reason and the video explains how and why. Plus, with a lot going on, there must also be a lot going on within his mind and what he's thinking. Sure its simple, but thats because you boil it all down to the plot, and not the thought behind it. He's distressed and cant get past a little girls death, running into multiple things just trying to get revenge, but this all changes and he moves on. Why does it change? Because he went through multiple events and had to fight through a lot of crap, with additional scenes that one would fight traumatic, though its different with Aiden because it started off with one simple goal.
@@akuisbestgirl2448 he is a guy that wants revenge but he changes and u have a choice of not killing marice, so he probably didnt get revenge, and he was protective over his family
You don't care because the girl means nothing to you (and its a game). but what if you lost someone who you were very close to. you would want revenge as well. revenge is made with many emotions. It seems stupid but its not at all. its a simple thing but with a deeper meaning. all that love and happiness is one day gone. someone you loved so much one day dies. just like that. basically a murder. and those people just walk away. how would you feel? I know its just a game but it kinda sends a message. This happens in the real world everyday. People killing your loved ones and walking away. it kinda makes sense why you would mentally break down and go on a rampage, making sure the killers get what they deserve. Its easily misunderstood. Im not saying its good to do this im just saying that things like this mostly happen for a legit reason.
He's so much more understandable to me now that I had a strange, sudden loss in the family. I acted pretty much like him: having nightmares about the death, obsessing over the cause of it, not letting go. He's the only character that I have this deep a connection to.
I feel like when Aiden debuted in 2014, we weren’t in the right mindset of liking a character like him. But as we grew up, we could sympathize with his mission and put ourselves onto a character that already has a backstory
I played this in 2020 and I’ve never understood why people say things like “Aiden is a bad character!” Or “Watch Dogs Has Bad Game Mechanics/Gameplay!” and the stupidest reason I’ve seen people hate it or put it on their worst list are “It downgraded the graphics.” even though they were “downgraded” they still look better than in my opinion GTA 5.
@@TheManWhoErasedHisNane and honestly who gives a fuck about the graphics people still play Minecraft bruh a good game is a good game graphics are the least important part
Aiden is a pretty good and interesting protagonist. People misunderstood Aiden. He was never meant to be a likable character in the first place. Ubisoft Montréal did a good job with Aiden Pearce (The Vigilante). Montréal used Walter White from Breaking Bad as an inspiration when they created Aiden. Heisenberg was also not a likable character. WW took pleasure in finishing anyone who got in his way while trying to give his family a better life. John Reese (The Man in the Suit) from Person of Interest was also another inspiration behind Aiden. POI is one of my favourite TV shows and the closest thing to a WD1 TV show as well. John Reese and WW are some of my favourite film/TV show characters as well. Aiden is neither a hero nor a villain. He is a man who wants revenge and justice by any means necessary. Aiden is a broken man who will do anything to protect his family. I also like his no-nonsense attitude as well. Aiden is not an upbeat person, so it makes zero sense for Aiden to make jokes that doesn't fit in a cutscene/phone call after deleting 20+ NPCs out of existence (Marcus during a lethal playthrough). Aiden is incredibly smart and exploits weakness in people. Aiden has the upper hand in *most* situations. He anonymously made a gang member work for him by blackmailing him, took out two criminal bosses looking for *The Vigilante,* and got arrested only to silence Raul. Raul's actor Shawn Baichoo played *Wrench* in WD2 and WDL. Aiden is adept in combat, and his lethal takedowns resemble John Wick's takedowns (JW1 released 5 months after WD1). 2:42 (A Blank Spot There-ish) shows Aiden smiling, which is infrequent and shows that he is a serious person. He is jovial when we play *Psychedelic* and *Madness* Digital Trips, hack billboards, and distract NPCs. Aiden definitely has a sense of humour. He has humorous interactions with Clara, Jordi, Nicky, and T-Bone. *Alone* Digital Trip is Aiden's nightmare. Aiden's audio logs reveal his past and motivations. Aiden mentions that his mother left his father by emigrating to the US with Aiden and Nicky (Aiden is Northern Irish). He studied psychology, intimidation tactics, and took gymnastic classes and combat training to protect himself and his family. He displays his intimidation tactics when he meets Clara for the first time. During Clara's first mission, she says, *"I know what you were doing, trying to intimidate me. Very textbook."* I advise collecting all audio logs if possible. The audio logs are important to the narrative, and most players can easily miss them, leading them to believe that WD1's story has nothing to offer besides the cutscenes and phone calls. Be sure to collect all audio logs in *Act 1 Mission 9, Act 2 Mission 12, Act 3 Mission 6, and Act 4 Mission 7.* I would also suggest listening to Maurice's story by collecting his audio logs. Maurice's actor Christopher Jacot played *Dušan Nemec* in WD2. Other audio logs can be found during ctOS breaches. WD1 rewards positive reputation for playing the story missions, so Aiden is seen as a celebrity by the NPCs in many player's playthroughs. I picked the Menace route in a later playthrough where NPCs call 911 on sight (sometimes as soon as loading the last save), making Aiden's life truly miserable. The end credit is slightly different for negative reputation. Aiden Pearce is one of my favourite videogame protagonists alongside Niko Bellic, Carl Johnson, Michael De Santa, John Tanner, The Boss/Playa, Chase McCain, Cate Archer (The Fox), Johnny Klebitz, Luis Lopez, and Raymond Eugene Kenney (T-Bone). I was not on the WD1 hype train and only learned about the existence of WD1 in late 2014 thanks to the 14 minute demo video narrated by Collin Graham (animation director of WD 1&2), so I wasn't biased. I even upgraded my PC to play WD1, GTA V, and NFS Rivals back in 2015. Now Watch Dogs is one of my favourite games alongside SR2, GTA IV, GTA SA, GTA V, Driver SF, Mario Kart Wii, CoD WaW, NOLF 1&2, F.E.A.R., LEGO City Undercover, TDU2, FC3, NFSC, NFSTR, NFS HP2010, and ETS2. I know WD1 is not a perfect game, but the same can be said for any game. WD1's pre crime system should've been applied to every NPC in the world, similar to *Bait* from Bad Blood expansion. The story could've been written better. Act 3 and 4 were rushed, IMO. WD1 needed an extended playable prologue or a few flashback missions to flesh out Lena's character (Lena's model exists in the game files). Watch Dogs bandwagon is the minority, but a vocal majority on the internet. Negative opinion spreads like fire, a small angry group changed the general consensus before letting people give this game a fair chance (WD1's overambitious marketing team was equally responsible). Never let anyone influence you, always play the game by yourself, and come to your own conclusion. Aiden Pearce fans are veteran players and newcomers to the franchise. Aiden and WD1's popularity improved during the last 7 years. Most of the people who didn't like Aiden and/or WD1 moved on since then. I'm looking forward to Bloodline expansion. I hope Ubisoft doesn't mess it up this time. WDL is an interesting game, but it has legions of issues. It's easier to list the features that were carried over to WDL than the ones removed (smartphone menu, Digital Trips, Car on Demand, Media Player, SongSneak, etc). I appreciate Toronto for trying to do something new, but the execution is an eternity from perfect thanks to Ubisoft's risk-averse approach. I love the WDL *Tipping Point* trailer, which reminds me of *Witness* from *Love, Death & Robots.* Toronto should've fully embraced *Children of Men's* tone. I believe that Montréal is a more capable WD developer than Toronto. WDL made me appreciate the motion captured cutscenes with stellar direction and cinematography from older Ubisoft games. WD1 has at least 45 motion captured cutscenes. But I have a feeling that this might be the last WD game. I'm glad that Ubisoft (WD social media page) acknowledged the 7th anniversary of WD1. I brought up Marcus to show the contrast between Aiden Pearce and Marcus Holloway's personalities, not ridicule Marcus Holloway. Marcus is a cool and jovial person, unlike the cold-blooded Aiden Pearce. I'd hang out with Marcus if both of them were real-life people. *Ludonarrative Dissonance* is the inconsistency between gameplay and story. This term was originally coined by Clint Hocking. Clint Hocking directed WDL, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory and Far Cry 2. He also co-wrote SC1's story and designed its levels. He wrote the stories of SC:CT, and FC2. WD1 has this inconsistency too (Role Model). But it's extremely obvious in WD2, especially when the player chooses to turn Marcus into the butcher of San Francisco (similar to Lara Croft in Tomb Raider 2013). Marcus should've gradually become more cold-blooded as the story progressed. *Inside the Mind of the Fox: A Psychological Analysis of Aiden Pearce* by Prizma is a video worth watching if you want to know more about Aiden. Thank you for taking the time to read my comment. Happy Seventh Anniversary Watch_Dogs! *UPDATE:* I played the Bloodline expansion, and it's really good (but not perfect). Noam Jenkins returned to play Aiden once again. I'm glad that they improved Aiden and Jackson's character. Jackson during *Friends in Low Places* mentions that everything Aiden did in WD1 was for himself because Aiden enjoyed getting into fights. This is similar to Walter White's line in Felina, BrBa series finale. *Bury Your Dead* from Bloodline expansion is one of the most emotional missions in the entire WD series alongside *Ghosts* from Bad Blood expansion and *Coming Home* from WDL. WDL is set in 2029 according to Aiden's D.O.B. (1974). The side missions are pretty good, Wrench's final side mission involves an old friend with a familiar soundtrack playing in the background. I feel like Bloodline expansion should've been expanded and rewritten to become the main game, with the main game being reduced to a side mode similar to Toy Box mode from Toy Story 3. I personally wanted a full game with post WD1 Aiden who got his revenge but now wants to establish justice in the new city. That game probably would've made Aiden more likable and relatable. If Ubisoft decides to make a WD4, it should go back to single protagonist, WD1's dark tone, WD2's expanded hacking and NPC behaviour, better stealth and combat, motion captured cutscenes, decent cloth & wind simulation, and use WDL's Deep Profiler system as pre crime system and track tagged NPCs of interest. Tbh, this franchise deserved a better publisher than Ubisoft. *UPDATE (May 2, 2024):* Happy 50th Birthday Aiden! *UPDATE (May 27, 2024):* Happy Tenth Anniversary Watch_Dogs!
@@LeatherKing6688 When I first played Watch dogs 2 I was kind of surprised T-bone didn't punch Marcus in the face for figuring out his identity like he did Aiden.
I recently played the original Watch Dogs for the first time so I never got to experience any of the over-hate the game got when it first came out, and I absolutely LOVED the game and couldn’t stop playing it and I loved Aiden’s character, he quickly grew on me and has become one of my favorite characters in all of gaming, I found myself being able to relate to him on a personal and emotional level so much and I can’t wait to play as him again and continue his story when he arrives in WDL. Such a criminally underrated character.
@@hollow_w33n it was because of the downgraded graphics but they were in the game just like turned off no one really knows why since they were functional
I played it in 2019 on my ps3 and it was amazing Aidan was a badass character I loved shooting and doing parkour with him its a shame the game was hating on alot because of ubisoft it is a good game
Desmond was a good character that developed really well but they killed him off. They have a problem creating some amazing protagonists for their games and either killing them off or never using them again
It was refreshing not to hear another I feel empty speech after the hero finally gets revenge. He knows nothing can change the death of his loved one but he stopped a truly evil man from doing more evil. Not everyone regrets giving evil it due.
I've never understood the people that say Aiden is an emotionless blank slate of a protagonist. Like, okay, he doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve. His real emotions aren't clearly displayed out in the open. Doesn't mean they're not there. Introversion, a traumatic event, and having to put on a persona in front of people he doesn't trust all contribute to him being *really* good at hiding his thoughts. Again, though, that doesn't mean his thoughts, his feelings, aren't there. They're just beneath the surface level.
Word. Plus, he's a man at the end of the day, most guys, if any, aren't emotionally erratic, so it's kinda weird to expect that from a character like Aiden
A man losses his mind over a death of a little girl killing everything in his path and losing his mind over it But instead he killed all the bad and resized who he truly is. The Vigilante,
I swear, This game was a underrated jewel on Ubisoft history... The "Bugsoft" Era was when they make perfect storylines... Watch Dogs, Assassin's Creed Unity and The Crew has great campaign
Playing this game as a kid was a blast. I loved it even though many others disliked the tone. It is just like a 2010’s tv series, a modern feel, i dunno. It’s just a super complete game.
Just now I'm learning people used not to like Aiden. How? He's like Batman but not a millionaire (if we don't count all the money you get while hacking people in the streets). Dude also started a cooking show! How can anyone hate him-
Tom cruise I’m not so sure about that one personally the original actor should play him Noam Jenkins has only done video game work for Ubisoft and watch dogs you want the best performance and depiction of him Noam Jenkins is the one to do it
I remember being an early high school student back in 2013-14, watching every trailer Ubisoft put out leading up to its release. It was my first time truly jumping on the hype train for a video game so I let creative expectations go wild as many others did. It warms my heart to see that long after the gaming community got burnt and moved on to the next big thing, there are still those with love and appreciation for the uniquely dark and gritty WD1 nearly 10 years after launch.
To be honest first WD is my favorite in the series. I find myself finishing it again again over the years, it really doesn't deserve all the shade because of the downgrading.
You have recieved a new subscriber because Aiden deserves love and affection and Ubisoft is literally fucking playing with us in the Bloodline DLC so I will take him away and I will care for him
People say he's bland and has no personality but that's a load of bollocks. He has a personality. He has a sense of humour, if a bit dark. He's just a bit gruff and rough around the edges.
I thought Aiden was a good protagonist it’s honestly a breath of fresh air seeing people starting to do a double take and revaluate his character because he really is interesting.
@@nathannix3217 of course it's bad faith questions and arguments. You'd know if you played the game or just skimmed through the comment section. Also, Punisher doesn't have a family to protect.
@@Nadie47 Frank Castles family was murder he went after everyone that had to do with there deaths. He’s dedicated his life to killing criminals and enjoys it. Sounds a lot like Aiden to me.
People hated on Lincoln Clay from Mafia 3 same as they did to Aiden in Watch dogs, if you forget about the problems both games had. You can really take something enjoyable from both games, the gameplay is oddly sastifying from both and the story is better than Tlou2 could ever dream off...
@@palomaanamarivianabriceno4924 They are all great concept, gameplay, characters and story locked into a trash structure game. Aiden Pearce is a better relatable character than any of those protagonists in GTA V. His journey is more impactful and it really sells the point of what they tried to accomplish, all it needs is just some graphic mod to fix it and people wouldn't complain.
As far as I'm concerned, in 2014, people weren't ready for a protagonist like Aiden but now they are and Aiden is finally getting the love he always deserved. So Ubisoft, focus the next Watch Dogs with him as the main protagonist once more instead of disposable playable NPCs... that's a weird thing to say given what NPC means.
It looks like they are keeping his original personality in bloodlines. Hes one of my favorite characters. I never understood why people hated him. He has the same personality as Batman always serious not humorous and he protects the weak. Somehow batman is cool but Aiden isn't? I don't get these reviewers.
ayy professional, thanks for stopping by. and yeah true. Aiden is like the batman of watch dogs universe. He didn't deserve the hate he got at release. i eagerly await the bloodline dlc
Aiden is supposed to be Emotionless as his life were scarred from what’ve they done to him and especially his young niece in the story. That’s what interesting about Aiden. People who gave him hates and bad altitude are absolutely makes no sense as Aiden’s personality is developer’s intention to make the story of the game this interesting.
And someone say they hate Aiden because the game graphics were downgraded. That has nothing to do with the Aiden.
@TheProfessional. I'm a fan of Pearce also. I'll say much of the dislike could've spilled over from the downgrade in graphics from the original trailers. Looking forward to this new Legion Pearce DLC. His cameo in WD2 was cool to see also.
@Chaitnya Singh Yes, agreed. Good points.
Honestly aiden looks cooler
He protects
He attacks
Most importantly his banana bread recipe isnt wack
Lol yes
Now that I think about it Aiden talking about banana bread reminds me of Kaz’s Burgers
@@NotScarySalad forget pax Americana say hello to pax hamburgana
@@kazmiller7820 nice
Can’t beat my grandmother’s banana bread, though. May be a bit biased.
Aiden explaining how to make banana bread with his gravelly voice is single-handedly the best thing ever
Sounds like something an AI prompt would do
@@FALG31 Regardless, the man deserves credit 💳 not like folks are just kissing ass, feel me?
@@FALG31 it is an actual audio log from "Watch_Dogs: Bad_Blood"
Am so glad Aiden is getting the love he deserves. Never understand why people don't like him
He has a small set of emotions those clusterfucks don’t even have character taste aiden is king!
A loud minority expressed their opinions and most people believed them without playing the game themselves. Happens with almost everything nowadays actually.
Yeah I feel like they just decided to hate the game and characters because of the graphics not looking like the trailer.
Did anyone had fun playing the first watch dogs
@@superstan3290 yes better than gta 5 and uncharted
Game character: literally has PTSD and can’t process emotions properly anymore
Gamers: BORING!
Some gamers are real scumbags.
They want all there characters to be funny and making memes all the time
To be fair, the game itself was rather meh.
It's the same with Cyberpunk. A great story with good characters can't completely save a game, that has terrible gameplay.
@@tristanbeer1257 thats not really true
@@winstonchurchill7822 Adding to the 2nd paragraph, max payne trilogy too
"Haven't you heard? I'm the vigilante.. I clean up mess like you"
Best line.
Best line even
"What are you doing?"
"Watching an old man die."
Kill's cop's too but still better than most of today's video game character's .
@@logancarter1622 You're never forced to kill cops, you get bad rep for even injuring them.
5:10 he can even make cooking sound so serious and dark XD
I wonder if it's normal in his family
now that just makes me wonder how corspe sounds when he cooks
@@DIGITALGH05T just like Pearce but more of a dark slang
He sounds like he’s holding someone’s family hostage and the only way he’ll let them go is if this guy makes banana bread
I want a cooking channel like that now, i'd listen to all day. XD
Such a underrated character in the past but now we love him
he was actually a really hated character. now everyone's excited to see him return in legion
And I'm really happy about that
yeah I find him really cool character
I always loved him since I started watch dogs legion
I don't care what other ppl think of Aiden I love because of his character and the story one of main things of making a good character is the story that's why we love ezio I think ppl just don't like him either because he's a bit similar to Batman or they just don't feel the same thing that the character feels
4:30 "Haven't you heard? I'm the *vigilante.* I clean mess like you."
This scene is the most iconic in the game in my opinion. Aiden throughout the game not only fought for his redemption/revenge, but also for his own belief and philosophy. He's an anti-hero, someone who shows the truth. A vigilante.
A very interesting viewpoint. I too felt that protraying Aiden as a hero is wrong.
But i'd like to know more about your viewpoint of him as an anti-hero. If you ever have a little bit of time in your hand, please consider letting me know more about this.
HES STILL BETTER THAN MOST MAIN PROTAGONIST WE SEE TODAY
marcus holloway is an embarrasment to be a sequel character to a character thats as good as aiden
@@spicytaco5975 Marcus Holloway > Aiden Pearce
@@mannyoftheeast3318 darcus castaway or what ever his name is, is a fucking joke. The only good thing he has is the jumper and the drone and the new hacking. But story wise it’s comparable to absolute horse shit
@@spicytaco5975 Darcus Castaway 🤣🤣🤣
@@spicytaco5975 Well emotes...
1:50 I love how they immediately take him in, no questions asked as to why his hands were up, nothing
Its becase hes been all over the news and everything and the police are looking for him
@Sebas7710 ohhhh yeahhh thats true then idk why they took his ass so quick to prison for bring a gun inside
@@coolwolf5425 because he was a vigilante that was all over news so the cops were after him and took him in fast
@@NGRaccoon refer to Sebas7710's comment tho
@@coolwolf5425they're not looking for Adien specifically but "the fox" as he's known as and a man that fit the exact description walked inside with a weapon
3:59 "A wanna-be king in a tiny castle!"
This is my favourite line in Watch Dogs.
*YOURE WRONG*
I've heard that line many times 'cause my goodness that mission's hard...
@@ericpratt984 i decided to stack a shit ton of C4’s where he spawned (I think about 20) and I just blew him to hell
@@noahtrageser8594 Genius
@@ericpratt984 well it fucking worked :D
"Hello? Still there? Can't hear ya gotta go"
- Aiden "The Fox" Pearce
The line was even more fun in Wolfenstein Old Blood when Blazkowicz makes even noise with his mouth.
So are we just gonna forget that Aiden also plays the psychedelic minigame where he's basically tripping and out of character?
"Woooo!"
"Oh yeahhhh!"
"I'm flyingggg~"
My favorite digital trip is definitely alone, so creepy and eerie
@@solblackfire3237 Spidertank was the best, or whatever its called
@@solblackfire3237 did you ever beat alone? Thing was a pain near the end
@@the_jam_man I did
character: *experiences traumatic event and is suffering from both the weight of burden and emotional distress*
players: NO PERSONALITY!!!
Pretty much almost good video game characters that have potential. To be snuffed out
So apparently every ubisoft game has great protagonists since they all use the dead family member for character motivation. Didn't know that's what defines a good character.
@@Kazuny Aiden still waaaaaay better than Marcus Holloway WD2 story sucks
@@Kazuny Well it is one of the common motivations of a character.
Imagine not liking Aiden Pearce. This dude is the definition of a perfect character!
Aiden: Maybe i can still do something to make a difference.
Also aiden: "Starts a cooking show"
I'm glad people finally start to realise how great he was.
I hate that he's old. They could've done a lot more with Aiden. Great character that has a lot of potential.
38 ain’t that old
@@gtmo55mack20 In Legion he is much older.
Eh, look at Max in Max Payne 3, just because a character is 'old' doesn't mean they can't be bad ass.
In legion his 56
@@Jack0834 Like Old Snake. The problem is, they're still old men
I've always loved Aiden. Always. It frustrated me so much how people would crap all over his character. Makes me so happy to see more people are starting to be like, "Hey... wait a minute..."
Character was ok but held back by a lame and illogical supporting cast
People hated the game because of the downgraded graphics but some people hated aiden just to hate on the game I guess...worst part is the game only had those graphics turned off they were in the game files completely functional people think that they were off just to make the console versions look better
@@flaco3451 Games are usually always downgraded for hardware constraints after they've been revealed. (Colonial Marines for an example)
Yeah it sucks, but it's just how these companies do things. They reveal what they want the game to look like, and not what it will look like when the hardware of the consoles is taken into consideration.
*WHO. ARE. YOU*
@@flaco3451 Actually no, that was actual gameplay, if you eddit some files if you got the OG watch dogs 1 preorder on pc, you can change the file to place the e3 graphics, and the game still ran fine.
Aiden Pierce was my favorite for a reason, he was so serious, he went through so much just to get revenge for lena, he had so many people against him in the story. His combat skills are off the charts. I never hated him. I use to be doing a impression for aiden too. But when is he coming to watch dogs legion, I am hyped for him!
People say he's bland, but the psychology behind him is so complex, and he has a lot of character development, he's a great character
@@phroggy1994 His character isn't complex, he is just the simple "angry guy who wants revenge" there's no nuance or complexity to his personality
@@akuisbestgirl2448 i assume you havent watched the psychological analysis on him, where they get into detail on why he does what he does and how events has affected his psyche and actions. Everything happens for a reason and the video explains how and why. Plus, with a lot going on, there must also be a lot going on within his mind and what he's thinking. Sure its simple, but thats because you boil it all down to the plot, and not the thought behind it. He's distressed and cant get past a little girls death, running into multiple things just trying to get revenge, but this all changes and he moves on. Why does it change? Because he went through multiple events and had to fight through a lot of crap, with additional scenes that one would fight traumatic, though its different with Aiden because it started off with one simple goal.
@@akuisbestgirl2448 he is a guy that wants revenge but he changes and u have a choice of not killing marice, so he probably didnt get revenge, and he was protective over his family
You don't care because the girl means nothing to you (and its a game). but what if you lost someone who you were very close to. you would want revenge as well. revenge is made with many emotions. It seems stupid but its not at all. its a simple thing but with a deeper meaning. all that love and happiness is one day gone. someone you loved so much one day dies. just like that. basically a murder. and those people just walk away. how would you feel? I know its just a game but it kinda sends a message. This happens in the real world everyday. People killing your loved ones and walking away. it kinda makes sense why you would mentally break down and go on a rampage, making sure the killers get what they deserve. Its easily misunderstood. Im not saying its good to do this im just saying that things like this mostly happen for a legit reason.
He's so much more understandable to me now that I had a strange, sudden loss in the family. I acted pretty much like him: having nightmares about the death, obsessing over the cause of it, not letting go. He's the only character that I have this deep a connection to.
I Hope You are good Don't worry everything going to be fine.
@@Nikhil-vm1ju I'm better now, thank you!
@@kathj789 glad to hear! Take care.
Same bud
6 minutes ?? He was a fucking amazing character my whole playthrough.
Yes!
Goddamn agree
I feel like when Aiden debuted in 2014, we weren’t in the right mindset of liking a character like him. But as we grew up, we could sympathize with his mission and put ourselves onto a character that already has a backstory
Maybe you’re simply 10 years old back then, or maybe less
I played this in 2020 and I’ve never understood why people say things like “Aiden is a bad character!” Or “Watch Dogs Has Bad Game Mechanics/Gameplay!” and the stupidest reason I’ve seen people hate it or put it on their worst list are “It downgraded the graphics.” even though they were “downgraded” they still look better than in my opinion GTA 5.
@@TheManWhoErasedHisNane and honestly who gives a fuck about the graphics people still play Minecraft bruh a good game is a good game graphics are the least important part
@@TheManWhoErasedHisNane real, Watch_Dogs is the only game where I just walk around to enjoy the atmosphere.
Aiden is a pretty good and interesting protagonist.
People misunderstood Aiden. He was never meant to be a likable character in the first place.
Ubisoft Montréal did a good job with Aiden Pearce (The Vigilante). Montréal used Walter White from Breaking Bad as an inspiration when they created Aiden. Heisenberg was also not a likable character. WW took pleasure in finishing anyone who got in his way while trying to give his family a better life.
John Reese (The Man in the Suit) from Person of Interest was also another inspiration behind Aiden. POI is one of my favourite TV shows and the closest thing to a WD1 TV show as well.
John Reese and WW are some of my favourite film/TV show characters as well.
Aiden is neither a hero nor a villain. He is a man who wants revenge and justice by any means necessary.
Aiden is a broken man who will do anything to protect his family. I also like his no-nonsense attitude as well. Aiden is not an upbeat person, so it makes zero sense for Aiden to make jokes that doesn't fit in a cutscene/phone call after deleting 20+ NPCs out of existence (Marcus during a lethal playthrough).
Aiden is incredibly smart and exploits weakness in people. Aiden has the upper hand in *most* situations. He anonymously made a gang member work for him by blackmailing him, took out two criminal bosses looking for *The Vigilante,* and got arrested only to silence Raul. Raul's actor Shawn Baichoo played *Wrench* in WD2 and WDL.
Aiden is adept in combat, and his lethal takedowns resemble John Wick's takedowns (JW1 released 5 months after WD1).
2:42 (A Blank Spot There-ish) shows Aiden smiling, which is infrequent and shows that he is a serious person. He is jovial when we play *Psychedelic* and *Madness* Digital Trips, hack billboards, and distract NPCs. Aiden definitely has a sense of humour. He has humorous interactions with Clara, Jordi, Nicky, and T-Bone. *Alone* Digital Trip is Aiden's nightmare.
Aiden's audio logs reveal his past and motivations. Aiden mentions that his mother left his father by emigrating to the US with Aiden and Nicky (Aiden is Northern Irish). He studied psychology, intimidation tactics, and took gymnastic classes and combat training to protect himself and his family.
He displays his intimidation tactics when he meets Clara for the first time. During Clara's first mission, she says, *"I know what you were doing, trying to intimidate me. Very textbook."*
I advise collecting all audio logs if possible. The audio logs are important to the narrative, and most players can easily miss them, leading them to believe that WD1's story has nothing to offer besides the cutscenes and phone calls. Be sure to collect all audio logs in *Act 1 Mission 9, Act 2 Mission 12, Act 3 Mission 6, and Act 4 Mission 7.* I would also suggest listening to Maurice's story by collecting his audio logs. Maurice's actor Christopher Jacot played *Dušan Nemec* in WD2. Other audio logs can be found during ctOS breaches.
WD1 rewards positive reputation for playing the story missions, so Aiden is seen as a celebrity by the NPCs in many player's playthroughs. I picked the Menace route in a later playthrough where NPCs call 911 on sight (sometimes as soon as loading the last save), making Aiden's life truly miserable. The end credit is slightly different for negative reputation.
Aiden Pearce is one of my favourite videogame protagonists alongside Niko Bellic, Carl Johnson, Michael De Santa, John Tanner, The Boss/Playa, Chase McCain, Cate Archer (The Fox), Johnny Klebitz, Luis Lopez, and Raymond Eugene Kenney (T-Bone).
I was not on the WD1 hype train and only learned about the existence of WD1 in late 2014 thanks to the 14 minute demo video narrated by Collin Graham (animation director of WD 1&2), so I wasn't biased. I even upgraded my PC to play WD1, GTA V, and NFS Rivals back in 2015. Now Watch Dogs is one of my favourite games alongside SR2, GTA IV, GTA SA, GTA V, Driver SF, Mario Kart Wii, CoD WaW, NOLF 1&2, F.E.A.R., LEGO City Undercover, TDU2, FC3, NFSC, NFSTR, NFS HP2010, and ETS2.
I know WD1 is not a perfect game, but the same can be said for any game. WD1's pre crime system should've been applied to every NPC in the world, similar to *Bait* from Bad Blood expansion. The story could've been written better. Act 3 and 4 were rushed, IMO. WD1 needed an extended playable prologue or a few flashback missions to flesh out Lena's character (Lena's model exists in the game files).
Watch Dogs bandwagon is the minority, but a vocal majority on the internet. Negative opinion spreads like fire, a small angry group changed the general consensus before letting people give this game a fair chance (WD1's overambitious marketing team was equally responsible). Never let anyone influence you, always play the game by yourself, and come to your own conclusion. Aiden Pearce fans are veteran players and newcomers to the franchise. Aiden and WD1's popularity improved during the last 7 years. Most of the people who didn't like Aiden and/or WD1 moved on since then.
I'm looking forward to Bloodline expansion. I hope Ubisoft doesn't mess it up this time.
WDL is an interesting game, but it has legions of issues. It's easier to list the features that were carried over to WDL than the ones removed (smartphone menu, Digital Trips, Car on Demand, Media Player, SongSneak, etc). I appreciate Toronto for trying to do something new, but the execution is an eternity from perfect thanks to Ubisoft's risk-averse approach. I love the WDL *Tipping Point* trailer, which reminds me of *Witness* from *Love, Death & Robots.* Toronto should've fully embraced *Children of Men's* tone. I believe that Montréal is a more capable WD developer than Toronto. WDL made me appreciate the motion captured cutscenes with stellar direction and cinematography from older Ubisoft games. WD1 has at least 45 motion captured cutscenes. But I have a feeling that this might be the last WD game.
I'm glad that Ubisoft (WD social media page) acknowledged the 7th anniversary of WD1.
I brought up Marcus to show the contrast between Aiden Pearce and Marcus Holloway's personalities, not ridicule Marcus Holloway. Marcus is a cool and jovial person, unlike the cold-blooded Aiden Pearce. I'd hang out with Marcus if both of them were real-life people.
*Ludonarrative Dissonance* is the inconsistency between gameplay and story. This term was originally coined by Clint Hocking. Clint Hocking directed WDL, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory and Far Cry 2. He also co-wrote SC1's story and designed its levels. He wrote the stories of SC:CT, and FC2.
WD1 has this inconsistency too (Role Model). But it's extremely obvious in WD2, especially when the player chooses to turn Marcus into the butcher of San Francisco (similar to Lara Croft in Tomb Raider 2013). Marcus should've gradually become more cold-blooded as the story progressed.
*Inside the Mind of the Fox: A Psychological Analysis of Aiden Pearce* by Prizma is a video worth watching if you want to know more about Aiden.
Thank you for taking the time to read my comment.
Happy Seventh Anniversary Watch_Dogs!
*UPDATE:* I played the Bloodline expansion, and it's really good (but not perfect). Noam Jenkins returned to play Aiden once again. I'm glad that they improved Aiden and Jackson's character.
Jackson during *Friends in Low Places* mentions that everything Aiden did in WD1 was for himself because Aiden enjoyed getting into fights. This is similar to Walter White's line in Felina, BrBa series finale. *Bury Your Dead* from Bloodline expansion is one of the most emotional missions in the entire WD series alongside *Ghosts* from Bad Blood expansion and *Coming Home* from WDL. WDL is set in 2029 according to Aiden's D.O.B. (1974).
The side missions are pretty good, Wrench's final side mission involves an old friend with a familiar soundtrack playing in the background.
I feel like Bloodline expansion should've been expanded and rewritten to become the main game, with the main game being reduced to a side mode similar to Toy Box mode from Toy Story 3. I personally wanted a full game with post WD1 Aiden who got his revenge but now wants to establish justice in the new city. That game probably would've made Aiden more likable and relatable.
If Ubisoft decides to make a WD4, it should go back to single protagonist, WD1's dark tone, WD2's expanded hacking and NPC behaviour, better stealth and combat, motion captured cutscenes, decent cloth & wind simulation, and use WDL's Deep Profiler system as pre crime system and track tagged NPCs of interest.
Tbh, this franchise deserved a better publisher than Ubisoft.
*UPDATE (May 2, 2024):* Happy 50th Birthday Aiden!
*UPDATE (May 27, 2024):* Happy Tenth Anniversary Watch_Dogs!
I bet Marcus and Aiden would get into a pissing contest on each other's methods.
@@iceman1287 then T-Bone would tell them both to calm the fuck down
Glad I'm not the only one who has been thinking this for the last 7 years lol
@@LeatherKing6688 When I first played Watch dogs 2 I was kind of surprised T-bone didn't punch Marcus in the face for figuring out his identity like he did Aiden.
You're right! And... TDU2 UwU, did you see that there was a new TDU coming soon? :)
Realizing that now everyone just loves Aiden and seeing an entire video dedicated to him just makes me so happy
I recently played the original Watch Dogs for the first time so I never got to experience any of the over-hate the game got when it first came out, and I absolutely LOVED the game and couldn’t stop playing it and I loved Aiden’s character, he quickly grew on me and has become one of my favorite characters in all of gaming, I found myself being able to relate to him on a personal and emotional level so much and I can’t wait to play as him again and continue his story when he arrives in WDL. Such a criminally underrated character.
i think the reason why people hated watchdogs back in the day was because they were expecting it to be like/comparing it to gta v.
@@hollow_w33n it was because of the downgraded graphics but they were in the game just like turned off no one really knows why since they were functional
@@flaco3451 is there a way to turn them on?
@@the1stassassin422 you can search for mods online that lets you do that
I played it in 2019 on my ps3 and it was amazing
Aidan was a badass character I loved shooting and doing parkour with him its a shame the game was hating on alot because of ubisoft it is a good game
I love the "a wannabe king in a tiny castle" insult at the gang leader
ubisoft game characters has a lot of personality but somehow a lot of people just misunderstand them and turns them into clowns in the next entry
Desmond was a good character that developed really well but they killed him off. They have a problem creating some amazing protagonists for their games and either killing them off or never using them again
@@irshadtyo Well, that's gotta be better than overusing them to the point they get drained of what we found interesting about them, right?
@@brandenhauser1635 I’ll let you answer that
@@irshadtyo well written but just badly implemented in game I think, that's just how Ubisoft game mostly
@@irshadtyo desmond saved the world... twice, due to his training. I think hes earned it.
You know a lot of people say Aiden is cold and emotionless. But he seems this video proves he's more then a Batman
I am so sorry for my weird grammar
It was refreshing not to hear another I feel empty speech after the hero finally gets revenge. He knows nothing can change the death of his loved one but he stopped a truly evil man from doing more evil. Not everyone regrets giving evil it due.
I've never understood the people that say Aiden is an emotionless blank slate of a protagonist.
Like, okay, he doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve. His real emotions aren't clearly displayed out in the open. Doesn't mean they're not there. Introversion, a traumatic event, and having to put on a persona in front of people he doesn't trust all contribute to him being *really* good at hiding his thoughts. Again, though, that doesn't mean his thoughts, his feelings, aren't there. They're just beneath the surface level.
Word. Plus, he's a man at the end of the day, most guys, if any, aren't emotionally erratic, so it's kinda weird to expect that from a character like Aiden
A man losses his mind over a death of a little girl killing everything in his path and losing his mind over it But instead he killed all the bad and resized who he truly is. The Vigilante,
the interactions between clara and aiden are so cute
Rest in peace Clara. You will always be missed.
A protagonist doesn't have to be likeable to be good. He just has to be interesting, and Aiden certainly is
I swear, This game was a underrated jewel on Ubisoft history... The "Bugsoft" Era was when they make perfect storylines... Watch Dogs, Assassin's Creed Unity and The Crew has great campaign
I prefer Aiden's serious personality than Marcus.
Same
4:36 this is the most character development ive seen in while
I love Marcus from WD2 but Aiden is much more interesting.
Genuinely one of my favorite characters, I'm so glad people are getting into him more now and realizing he isn't as bland as many said he was.
Well it took some damn years, but glad Aiden is getting the recognition he deserves.
Damn straight. Always loved him.
Remember that E3 trailer where Aiden takes down the human trafficking ring? I knew he was someone special from there.
One of the most underrated characters of all time
Playing this game as a kid was a blast. I loved it even though many others disliked the tone. It is just like a 2010’s tv series, a modern feel, i dunno. It’s just a super complete game.
Aiden is the one and only character in watch dogs history, bacause he is the only one with a real story and personality.
What a suicide drop WD2 was, of Ubisoft.. WD2 was so anti-climactic narratively as I played them back to back.
5:05 When Aiden Start his Cooking Show
He's such a good protagonist 😭 I love that he's getting recognition
Aiden is an amazing character. People only hated him because it was cool to do so at the time, and because of the downgrade from the E3 presentation.
I’ve clocked watch dogs like 6 times, literally the best game if you wanna chill
He’s got mad texting skills not even looking at his phone to change his name to SMITH when being booked lol.
I love Aiden, sure he's a dark character but anyone would be the same after what he went through.
I think it's funny how everyone hated him in 2014 and now everyone loves him
Love him for simply being the only Northern Irish videogame protagonist ever.
Yeah love that about him. Also love that they moved to the US because of the troubles
Sean from The Saboteur wss northern Irish too i think.
@@JohnDonovan1968 no one remembers that game 😭
But what about one of the protagonists in far cry 2
Huge respect for Aiden Pearce. The most underrated character ever.
Ubisoft should’ve stuck with Aiden for WD2 & Legion. He should’ve been the main character in the series
He may not be a perfect character but he sure is an enjoyable one.
I will always love that nod he gives u after saving him in WD2
I'm surprised the cops didn't pull out a whole arsenal when searching Aiden
The last time Ubisoft made something new
He's such a great character I never understood the hate
A good character who's been forgotten because of the bad graphics!
It's not even that bad, it's actually still really good for a 2014 game
Aiden is really a very good character, whoever says what, well, for me personally, a kind of Batman in the watch dogs universe
Just now I'm learning people used not to like Aiden. How? He's like Batman but not a millionaire (if we don't count all the money you get while hacking people in the streets). Dude also started a cooking show! How can anyone hate him-
4:53 The John Wick of the hacking universe
i hope someone make it into movie, and i see aiden is so Tom Cruise
Tom cruise I’m not so sure about that one personally the original actor should play him Noam Jenkins has only done video game work for Ubisoft and watch dogs you want the best performance and depiction of him Noam Jenkins is the one to do it
Or Joel Kinnaman maybe
@@S0LITARY927 nope Noam Jenkins
@@giovanimolina5943 I said Noam Jenkins before
@@S0LITARY927 I know I was just saying that no other person can be Aiden Pearce other than Noam Jenkins
He forgot the part he said goodbye to his sister. One of the best moments
Aiden Pearce is Ubisoft's Frank Castle
I remember being an early high school student back in 2013-14, watching every trailer Ubisoft put out leading up to its release. It was my first time truly jumping on the hype train for a video game so I let creative expectations go wild as many others did.
It warms my heart to see that long after the gaming community got burnt and moved on to the next big thing, there are still those with love and appreciation for the uniquely dark and gritty WD1 nearly 10 years after launch.
To be honest first WD is my favorite in the series. I find myself finishing it again again over the years, it really doesn't deserve all the shade because of the downgrading.
I know right...
Aiden is my choice for the most underrated video game protagonist ever. I love his character a lot.
I love Aiden. He's badass af.
Hey did you know Aiden thinks it should be illegal for women to fart
@asdadaadad yup it’s true he says in a conversation on the phone in the story mode
You have recieved a new subscriber because Aiden deserves love and affection and Ubisoft is literally fucking playing with us in the Bloodline DLC so I will take him away and I will care for him
OMG HI GAVIN ITS ÍRIS
@@catharsiis WELL LOOK WHO I FOUND LMFAOOO
@@that.vigilante I WAS GONNA SEND THIS TO U RN LMFAOO
@@catharsiis LMFAOOO
i will defend this man to my grave
3:08 hes so sweet i cant-
I love Aiden. 😍❤️
Aiden just gave a whole cooking recipie
Soooo...He's reciting a recipe for banana nut bread, and it sounds like pr0n. Well, that Aiden, lol.
My favourite protagonist of all time.
John Reese of gaming. I love him. He enters one of my favorite video game characters list.
aiden is great. so great that i’m on my 5th redo of the campaign 😅
Do you have ps4? If so can I add u?
@@WockGTG i sadly don’t have ps4:(
I'm on the 6th redo
Is that Aiden making a banana bread tutorial.....beautiful
Watch dogs is nothing without Aiden
A real fan must have his "clothes"
God I fucking love this game, I usually play this game once every winter but I skipped it last year. I can't wait to get back on my annual playthrough
Connor from Ac3 and Aiden both were hated when the games released, but then adored by fans later on??
"A wanna-be king in a tiny castle!"
that has got to be one of the greatest things aiden says throughout the entire game, and not just act 3
I like how the cop didn't notice him until the metal detector went off
Aiden and Connor from AC 3 are labelled boring with no personality, yet Altair from AC 1 is the same but he’s a legend 🤷🏻♂️
People say he's bland and has no personality but that's a load of bollocks. He has a personality. He has a sense of humour, if a bit dark. He's just a bit gruff and rough around the edges.
I thought Aiden was a good protagonist it’s honestly a breath of fresh air seeing people starting to do a double take and revaluate his character because he really is interesting.
What was interesting about him?
@@nathannix3217 hope you're not one of those trolls that circlejerk that there's nothing interesting about him
@@Nadie47 How was Aiden interesting he just seemed like a Punisher knock off to me?
@@nathannix3217 of course it's bad faith questions and arguments. You'd know if you played the game or just skimmed through the comment section. Also, Punisher doesn't have a family to protect.
@@Nadie47 Frank Castles family was murder he went after everyone that had to do with there deaths. He’s dedicated his life to killing criminals and enjoys it. Sounds a lot like Aiden to me.
getting yourself arrested? that is a terrible plan, I love it
Just goes to show that people finally appreciate something when that thing was lost
Back when watch dogs was a good saga
People hated on Lincoln Clay from Mafia 3 same as they did to Aiden in Watch dogs, if you forget about the problems both games had. You can really take something enjoyable from both games, the gameplay is oddly sastifying from both and the story is better than Tlou2 could ever dream off...
another example would be Connor (AC3) he was very hated too, Aiden is a very good character like Lincoln
@@palomaanamarivianabriceno4924 They are all great concept, gameplay, characters and story locked into a trash structure game.
Aiden Pearce is a better relatable character than any of those protagonists in GTA V. His journey is more impactful and it really sells the point of what they tried to accomplish, all it needs is just some graphic mod to fix it and people wouldn't complain.
i really loved his voice and tone
also his badass but still good and human morals
I liked the first part of watch dogs the most and I would like ubisoft to do another part in this style, preferably with Aiden in the lead role.
WD1 is so much better than the happy hippy WD2
Aiden Pearce is a legend 🔥
Watch dogs 1 is my favorite watch dogs. Aiden is a great character and even its open world is the best. So much stuff to do and minigames and stuff.
As far as I'm concerned, in 2014, people weren't ready for a protagonist like Aiden but now they are and Aiden is finally getting the love he always deserved. So Ubisoft, focus the next Watch Dogs with him as the main protagonist once more instead of disposable playable NPCs... that's a weird thing to say given what NPC means.