Normal military tanks? Boring. How about a spider mecha, which you can use to cause havoc around the city of Chicago? Now that’s what I’m talking about.
You can see the spider tank in action in this preview by Eurogamer:
The spider tank actually exists in a mini game where you get points for destruction, in case you were wondering how this fits into the actual game. The mech can climb any surface, and it comes equipped with machine guns and rockets. You can also use the spider’s legs to destroy things, just like you’d be able to run over something with a normal tank. Heck, you can even upgrade the spider tank — it comes with a skill tree and everything.
All in all, a very cool inclusion — and I say this as someone who hates spiders.
Watch Dogs: Spider Tank – Eurogamer Preview[Eurogamer]
Comments
27 responses to “Watch Dogs’ Spider Tank Is A Real Thing You Can Ride In”
…you know, that is cool, but nobody is interested in Watch Dogs for Micheal Bay/Call of Duty explosions. They were interested in it for a game in which you solve all your problems via hacking. People were annoyed at the gameplay trailers that showed hi-speed chases, brutal combat and chest-high walls cover based shooting. Now you’re shoving in a spider tank?
Broaden the appeal I guess…
Completely agree with you; my interest in Watch Dogs was peaked due to the trailer that showed you avoiding combat via hacking. The gunplay, car chases and now… a spider tank has kind of turned me off of the game – it just seems like another Tom Clancy game
yeah totally – what the hell does a spider tank have to do with hacking. I reckon the next trailer’s gonna be all QTEs…..
Yeah, I agree. Everytime I see new information regarding this game it makes me want to buy it less and less.
“People were annoyed at the gameplay trailers that showed hi-speed chases, brutal combat and chest-high walls”
First time I’ve heard of chest-high walls being a sore point for the community? Personally high speed chases are awesome, brutal combat is awesome and my opinion on chest-high walls…well I hadn’t put much thought into that yet…
I really feel like people are stretching to find things to hate with this game, spider tank is lame, but so is not having a tank at all like GTA4.
It’s a new IP with AAA physics and graphics, from a company known for creating awesome fresh IP…people haven’t played it and they’re complaining about features which haven’t even been fully detailed by the developer?
Chest-high walls are a very hated feature in games by many, as is cover-based shooting as a whole.
Games with high speed car chases and “brutal combat” are everywhere and some people want a game with a more subtle (As in, not a spider-tank.) approach to sandbox gaming. It’s perfectly fair to be annoyed by things like this, as it’s an indication that Ubisoft may take this game in a much more action-oriented direction, which isn’t good.
Open world games are about choice, and as long as everything is implemented well, there are no drawbacks. You dont have to go on digital trips if you dont want to. You dont have to stand in cover if you dont want to (i personally would, especially when being shot at), so if you dont like those inclusions you dont have to use them. Doesn’t mean the game is going to be bad.
What everyone seems to be missing is that the spider only has 6 legs! ARACHNIDS HAVE 8!
Mate I’ve been gaming since I was a pup and I’ve seriously never heard ‘chest high walls’ as being an issue…bad PC ports is a real issue, developer/publishers who don’t listen to their fanbase is a real issue and considering AC IV PC implementation was really well done, full range of PC video and control customization options, I think it’s likely that the Watch Dogs team will implement the PC version as a fully fledged PC game in its own right.
The attitude that annoys me is that people think their vision for the game is the only valid opinion…
The problem wasn’t really about chest high walls. It’s the game mechanic of cover based shooting that was the sore spot for a lot of people. I believe it came to a head with the original Gears of War as the success of it changed FPS’s from then on (Other FPS at the time had cover based shooting, like Halo, but GoW made it brutally apparent). Essentially the issue distills down to it taking less “skill” to press a button, snap to cover (chest high walls mostly), pop up to fire at the enemy, and duck down when you need to reload or they start their firing pattern, rinse, repeat. It was also coupled with regenerating health as a mechanic the majority of the time, which again, people had an issue as it takes less “skill” to hide for a few seconds and regenerate your health to 100% than it does to try and attempt to get to somewhere to use or find a medkit whilst on really low health. GoW also was really responsible for the “browning” of the colour palletes of these games to make them more realistic and gritty.
I’m not saying I agree with them, but the issue is a little deeper then chest high walls, saying they were the issue was a poor choice of words, but the problems with the cover based shooting mechanic does factor as an issue for some people and has for quite some time.
PS. I hope it’s more of a Spider-Drone instead of a Spider-tank, which implies other less ridiculous drones to control through the game. Which I think sounds pretty dead on for Watch Dogs. Hacking drones sounds pretty fun!
Hold up there, I see where you are coming from but it’s not like we weren’t aware of all you mention. (Aside from spider tank)
We saw all that during the very first teaser, using hacking and stealth to enter a club and track a target, but it then turns to brutal hand to hand against bouncers before causing a pile up and becoming a shoot out after which he escapes in a car while being chased by cops…
Again, I get where you are coming from but hacking accents both play styles, stealth and action.
As for the spider tank, a big nod to Ghost in the Shell and it’s hacking themes I am guessing and I agree it seems a little out there for a real world setting, which is why I think it’s part of the virtual side quests. (Although it might be something you can unlock in end game for shits and giggles….not sure how I feel about that, but random non cannon tom foolery never hurt anyone)
Did anyone even watch the video? It’s a mini-game for a reason…
That’s not a real tank – it’s only a video game tank 🙁
The title of the article says it’s a real tank that I can ride in!
Sue for false advertising and buy one.
Also sue ^^^ for suggesting you can buy what does not exist. THEN will you have enough money to hire a spider tank for an afternoon (probably just 45 minutes though).
This looks like a lot of fun – but surely it doesn’t really fit in Watch Dogs.
I think they’re alluding to the metaphor of the spiderweb, which is associated with reach and control in the world of iconography. Very much fitting in with the surveillance theme.
I think that’s a very hopeful way of looking at it. It’s a motherfucking Spider Tank, they did it because why the fuck not. It doesn’t have to fit in, that’s why it’s badass.
Also memories of FFVIII are giving me feels now.
I don’t think it’s a tank. It seems like a Military Spider-Drone that he’s hacked. If so, hacking a variety of drones seems pretty in tune with what Watch Dogs is all about.
Or Ghost in the Machine and it’s own networking and hacking themes
It seems like everyone doesn’t understand this is a “digital trip” where the main character is basically tripping. It’s even fake in the game’s world. These are totally optional, and everyone’s acting like you need to hop in this giant spider to run around Chicago during the most important mission in the game. It’s a fun cool thing to do if you want to take a break from the more serious content the game has to offer. It is a very good game, they could have made it better of course but I think they accomplished what they wanted and I enjoyed it a lot. Also the car chases and gun fire is rather necessary for a character that is a vigilante bent on revenge. What would everyone like him to do get back at the bad guys by hacking into they facebook accounts and posting embarrassing things on their wall? Maybe send a few offensive tweets? C’mon people wake up!!
The eurogamer preview (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpwiEZNDblQ) has tons of info for those interested. These minigames are called “digital drifts” and have sci-fi or supernatural themes.
I worry (like the previewer) that they’ll add too much, like I feel Ass Creed does, and not polish the basics like the story and level design.
It will only be good if i can spawn it in the open world with cheats.
No im not a gta fanboy either i havnt.played them.
This is all starting to sound like a rip-off of Ghost in the shell – SAC.
This game keeps making me think more and more Ghost in the shell
With a Key element set around Hacking and now even multi-ped tank
That spider reminds me of a big toy i had when i was a kid, and it had batteries and would walk. The legs used to always fall off.
I think it was from He-Man
That’s Spydor – http://www.x-entertainment.com/pics2/spy1.jpg
More I see of this the more it looks like a futuristic GTA with a bit of hacking thrown in there to change things up.
If it wasn’t for the fact that this game is on the PS4, I probably would have cancelled my preorder already. I’m so starved for good PS4 games that I’ll take anything remotely decent at this point.
Saint’s Row called, they want their Tank Mayhem challenges back. Seriously though, I’m all for challenge missions in games, but when they deviate this much from the core concepts and tone you have to wonder if they’re not trying to cater for everyone in the audience and diluting the experience. At least we know where the extra polish time is going.
Is it technically a Spider-Tank? Isn’t it more of a Spider-Drone? I mean, taking control of Drones sounds right up Watch Dog’s alley doesn’t it?
It’s a new style of GTA with a tweet. A spider drone dude it’s the new age of weapons. If you can use it to hunt down other players I can see bitching but I don’t see that.