Citizen Interactions

Learn about the Reputation and Heat Level systems in watch dogs. Understand how your actions affect how citizens and police perceive you.

Reputation

The Reputation system in watch dogs tracks your actions and how Chicago's citizens perceive Aiden Pearce. A positive Reputation leads to positive reactions, while a negative one makes the game harder as citizens will report you to the cops. Most actions do not affect Reputation, but the following specific actions do:

Negative Actions:

• Kneecapping a cop
• Wounding a cop
• Killing a cop
• Wounding a civilian
• Killing a civilian
• Letting a criminal flee
• Killing a victim or letting them be killed
• Holding up a business
• Using explosives with a civilian witness
• Having a witness complete an emergency call
• Exploding a large scenery object (such as a large propane tank, gas station, etc.)

Positive Actions:

• Rescuing civilians
• Non-lethal takedown of a criminal
• Killing a criminal
• Saving a victim
• Completing a Main Mission or Investigation
• Watching random citizen events (such as a mime artist, etc)
• Participating in vigilante events

Heat Level

The Heat level determines the difficulty and number of police when you are detected via a Police Search or when cops arrive during a mission. It's generally a good idea to avoid cops, as hostile actions against them will only lead to more encounters. The only way to reset your Heat level is to head to a Hideout and take a nap.

The Heat Level stages are as follows:

At levels 1 and 2, cops are armed with pistols and shotguns. At level 3, cops use assault rifles and SMGs. At levels 4 and 5, SWAT team members attack in black SUVs and are heavily armed.

Shops

Stopping at shops between missions to stock up is recommended. You can steal cash from the register by waving your gun, which will call the cops. Cops can also be called if your Reputation is too low and Aiden appears in the news.

Crimes Detected

Occasionally, you may hack a phone or receive an update that a crime is about to occur. You can choose to help the potential victim or let the crime happen. Letting the crime occur results in no loss, but you miss out on the positive Reputation gained for preventing it. A crime area appears on the map as a blue triangle with a light blue field. The Profiler will indicate in yellow if a person is a potential Victim or Criminal. You must wait for the crime to begin before intervening.

Wait to intervene until:

• The information bar on either person reaches 96% or higher.
• The information bar rating turns red.
• The alert icon above the criminal's head turns to a yellow exclamation point, but not before the alert turns red.

Warning: If you are spotted before these conditions are met, criminals may refrain from performing the act, and you will miss out on Reputation Points. Once the crime begins, rush in before the criminal can kill the target to increase your reward. Taking out the criminal non-lethally (e.g., by running them down and using a melee attack) will also increase your Reputation.

• Catch 1 Criminal: Quick Switch Skill
• Catch 10 Criminals: Chrome Weapon
• Catch 20 Criminals: Read-only Trophy/Achievement

The Enforcer achievement requires you to use the Crime Detection System to take down 20 confirmed criminals.