How Watch Dogs Legion Online's Spiderbot Arena Could Be Improved
Fans of Watch Dogs Legion have been looking forward to the multiplayer mode for a long time now. It's unfortunate that it got delayed until 2021, but at least, it's on the horizon now with a release date of March 9.. A lot of the gameplay involves different categories of co-op missions that are fairly similar at their hearts, asking players to bring agents to the table to complete anti-Albion objectives as a squad. However, the spiderbot arena is a very different take on Watch Dogs Legion gameplay, as the valuable utility bots can now be used to do battle in Watch Dogs Legion Online's PvP mode.
Some players might have expected Ubisoft to spring for a more traditional PvP mode, whether that meant deathmatch gunfights or more direct hacking elements. However, the spiderbot arena is a breath of fresh air. It makes good use of Watch Dogs Legion lore and offers fast-paced action that players might find themselves coming back to on the regular. Ubisoft still has a lot of room to improve on the game mode, though, based on Game Rant's time with the mode. The spiderbots can be used for more game modes than just deathmatch, and Ubisoft's London offers many more settings that should be converted into spiderbot arenas.
The spiderbot arena revolves largely around a deathmatch mode. It's a standard affair: the player with the most kills at the end of a short time limit wins the game. The spiderbots' versatile weapons and good mobility make deathmatch fairly compelling, but it'd be great to see how the bots handle in more modes. For instance, even something as simple as a team deathmatch game mode would be great in the arena. They accommodate up to eight players, which is more than enough for teams of two or four. Team deathmatch might encourage Ubisoft to come up with more weapons for the spiderbots, like stun weapons that players can use to set up kills for their allies.
Something like a King of the Hill mode would be interesting. Both of the spiderbot arena maps have significant high ground that a player could be responsible for defending while everyone else tries to knock them off and claim the throne, and that makes King of the Hill a pretty easy addition too. For something more creative, the spiderbot arena could probably introduce a Capture the Flag mode or some other objective-based team game. While it's fun to run around smashing each others spiderbots, players might enjoy the change of pace that an objective-based game mode offers. It might also convince the Watch Dogs Legion developer to innovate some special versions of maps designed for Capture the Flag.
There's two maps in Watch Dogs Legion Online so far. The Factory map is dense and has several moving platforms that players have some measure of control over. In contrast, the Museum map is much larger and more open, including exhibits and catwalks that players can climb onto to get a height advantage. These two maps are different enough to add variety, but then two maps aren't very many overall. Ubisoft would be wise to look at some parts of London that could be converted into Watch Dogs themed arenas.
If Ubisoft is interested in focusing on famous places in London, it could consider a Clock Tower map inspired by Big Ben. That would mean opportunities to create moving and rotating platforms for players to navigate, demanding that players bring skillful control over the spiderbot's movement and not just good gunplay. Another option might be a Bridge map inspired by London Bridge. Something like this could have pitfalls or water hazards that players have to avoid. That way players would have the option to pressure their opponents into dangerous locations to get an advantage and secure the kill.
The spiderbot arena is already a high point in Watch Dogs Legion Online. That doesn't mean Ubisoft can settle for what it's already like, though. The best way to ensure that the spiderbot arena is successful is to keep expanding on it and give fans more ways to enjoy it. Online modes demand commitment from developers, and although the spiderbot arena is only a minigame for Watch Dogs Legion Online, it's strong enough that it shouldn't be disregarded. It deserves continuous updates just as much as the rest of the upcoming multiplayer mode.
Watch Dogs Legion is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Watch Dogs Legion Online will release as a free update on March 9.
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