Heat Level in Watch Dogs: Legion

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The player has a one "star" heat level

The Heat Level is a gameplay mechanic in Watch Dogs: Legion.

Overview

The heat level system measures how wanted the player is by Albion. There are five heat levels, which increase as more crimes are committed. Unlike in previous Watch Dogs games, civilians no longer call the police when they see a crime, instead Albion officers will immediately respond to the crime. Albion captains have the ability to call reinforcements, which is shown by a red triangle above their head. If the triangle fills, a message will appear on the screen saying “Albion has called reinforcements”. The higher the heat level, the stronger and more numerous Albion officers will be. Lethal force will only be used by Albion if the player wields of fires a gun, and only after heat level four if the player only uses melee combat.

Analysis

When the player earns a heat level, a row of triangles will appear with the number of white triangles indicating the heat level. If the background to the row is red, the player is still being chased by Albion. If it is blue and lowering, the player has escaped Albion temporarily and are searching for them. When the blue bar empties, the player loses their heat level, and the player can roam the streets as normal.

Attracting Albion Attention

Due to the abundance of Albion forces in the streets, it is extremely easy to earn a heat level. Committing one of the following crimes will immediately alert Albion to the offender:

• Wielding a firearm in the view of an Albion guard
• Assaulting an Albion officer
• Firing a weapon in front of people
• Firing a lethal weapon
• Assaulting a civilian in the view of an Albion officer
• Hijacking a vehicle in the view of an Albion officer
• Insulting an Albion officer
• Climbing on top of an Albion vehicle
• Being seen driving an Albion vehicle
• Climbing on top of a checkpoint
• Hijacking an Albion vehicle
• Ramming an Albion vehicle
• Taking down a Albion officer if an arrest is in progress
• Assaulting too many civilians
• Blowing up too many civilian cars with the CT Drone
• Throwing a Missile Drone
• Hitting motorcycles in view of a officer
• Assassinating a officer (Darcy Clarkson only)
• Driving through a checkpoint with a level already active
• Causing too many explosions (Parcel Fox drones or other methods)
• Firing missiles from the Spy's car
• Taking a trapped Tech Point (Resistance Mode only)
• Standing too close to a officer (Resistance Mode only)

Pursuit

After a crime has been committed by the player, and has attracted Albion attention, if the player chooses to flee in a vehicle the pursuit phase begins.

First Phase: Albion Pursuit

When the player attempts to flee in a vehicle, Albion vehicles and chase drones will follow. If the player attempts to flee on foot, Albion will get in their vehicles and follow the player.

Albion vehicles will try to spin the vehicle out and force it to a stop, and chase drones will fire at the vehicle to make the player lose control. The player can use vehicle directional hacks to crash Albion vehicles, and disable hacks on drones. If the player is seen using a weapon, Albion officers will shoot them on sight.

As the levels increase, Albion becomes more aggressive, with Albion vehicles slamming into the players vehicle more frequently, in an attempt to bring them to a stop, and more aggressive drones, such as Riot Drones and even Counter Terrorism Drones deployed to stop the player. At higher levels, it becomes more difficult to lose Albion easily.

During a pursuit, all activities, underground stations, clothes shops and the Safehouse are locked, and they will stay locked until the player loses the pursuit. Civilians pedestrians and vehicles spawn less frequently around the vicinity of the player, with Albion forces replacing them.

To lose a pursuit, the player must lose line of sight with Albion vehicles and drones.

Second Phase: Search Mode

After the player has temporarily lost Albion, the heat level bar will turn blue and will begin to empty. However, the chase phase will resume if the player is detected by an Albion officer or drone, or drives through an orange checkpoint. The pursuit ends when the blue bar is completely empty.

Dispatched Units

• 1 Level: 1 Talos Police Saloon
• 2 Levels: 2 Talos Police Saloons and 1 Chase Drone
• 3 Levels: 2 Talos Police Saloons, 1 Landrock Police Car and 2 Chase Drones
• 4 Levels: 3 Talos Police Saloons, 1 Counter Terrorism Drone, 1 Riot Drone, 3 Chase Drone's and 1 Arbiter
• 5 Levels: 4 Talos Police Saloons, 1 Counter Terrorism Drone, 1 Riot Drone, 3 Chase Drone's and 2 Arbiters

Trivia

• Some areas of the map allow operatives to commit offences with no punishment. Officers may still retaliate to the player's actions if caught.
• Firing a gun at any location while in view of people will give heat to the player.
• It is possible to see Albion vehicles drive really fast down a road to catch up with the player.