Developers for Ubisoft's forthcoming action-adventure title, Watch Dogs 2, proclaim that the game excludes the company's familiar tower climbing mechanic.

As many gaming fans may be aware, one of the most recognizable aspects of any recent Ubisoft title is tower synchronization, which involves players climbing tall structures to not only see the rest of the map, but also to unlock missions, landmarks, and further the story. Watch Dogs 2, however, will not further this particular trend with its gameplay, according to the action-adventure title's creative director Jonathan Morin.

The tower climbing mechanic was first introduced in Assassin's Creed, and the theme has since received numerous variations throughout Ubisoft's history, with The Crew, the Far Cry titles, and even the first Watch Dogs relying on the feature. Unlike these games, though, Watch Dogs 2 is set to depart from the pack by not being linked to set locations with the completion of story missions, with Morin explaining that the forthcoming release focuses instead on how many virtual followers Marcus Holloway, the game's protagonist, has accumulated.

"It's not a game where you open your map and everything's there. There are no towers. You just explore the world.

"Players start with a few followers in [hacking group] DedSec, but pretty soon you realise you're going to need more if you want to pull off big operations. So you start free-roaming.

"Every time you get followers, it's like you're unlocking the DedSec hivemind. You're also unlocking new knowledge, new operations, new co-op missions. And then organically you hit those end-game milestones."

Basically, Watch Dogs 2 players can view the accrual of Marcus' followers as gaining XP as they finish certain activities and make discoveries around the city. So, since the game has essentially excluded the method of having to be tethered to certain geographical spots in order to progress, it seems as if developers want fans to be able to have a truer feeling of an open world in its San Francisco setting.

Interestingly enough, Morin adds that with this freedom of exploration, Watch Dogs 2 fans "can barely touch the story," and thanks to the "different operations which give you followers, which guide your progression," players can "unlock everything else through co-op or free-roam." Should fans choose to finish the story above all else, though, they can do so by hitting three separate "milestones."

Of course, aside from the simple explanation of Watch Dogs 2's decision to move away from Ubisoft's frequently used tower mechanics, some fans might want a more in-depth understanding of how the game will operate more fully. With that being the case, gamers would do well to check out our hands-on preview of the title during E3 2016. If anything, perhaps it can help one determine whether or not Watch Dogs 2 will be worth a purchase later this year. Should folks decide for themselves that the game has the goods, there are certainly a lot of Special Editions from which to choose.

Watch Dogs 2 is set to release on November 15, 2016 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.

Source: Eurogamer