Overwatch will forever and always be a shooter classic, but my heart sinks when I think about how its once pristine legacy has been dragged through the dirt in service of a future that right now still seems so unclear. I formed so many memories around long nights experimenting with new heroes or diving into seasonal events with life-long friends by my side. Few games have ever managed to ignite that sense of passion within me, and that alone is an achievement worth celebrating. Now, as the servers prepare to switch over for good, I’m left mourning the empty void that once defined an entire part of my life.
For the first couple of years, Overwatch was unstoppable. Each new hero was a major event, hyped up with months of speculation as players tried to guess who was coming our way next by digging into the game’s files or drawing from small clues left behind by Jeff Kaplan and friends. Sombra, Doomfist, Orisa, Ashe, Ana, Moira, and Brigitte were all big deals, igniting imagination across the fandom with how their relationships intertwined with the existing roster and how their position in the narrative would come to play an important role.
Her ability to use her boosters to fly, a defense matrix to eat up enemy fire, and some ultimate abilities, make her a decent defender, as well as a moderate attacker, with a great way to flank enemies and cause a riot thanks to her health and ability to stay alive once her mech is destro
Of course, we had awesome women like Mei and Zarya amongst the cast, but there was D.Va, Tracer, and Widowmaker strutting their stuff alongside them. Overwatch was a real sticking point in our development as horny gamers, and a willingness to embrace sexuality in our games and view it as something to no longer be ashamed of. Overwatch was a stepping stone to this point, but a stone covered with the slippery moss of the mid ‘10s Whedonised feminism, where the best way to make a female character strong was to make her sexy too. Putting aside the smut, I was invested in some of the game’s queer ships for years, whether it be through tasteful fanart or brilliantly written fiction that understood these characters better than Blizzard ever will. Pharmercy till I die. You know Overwatch was something special because it made you care, and the relative indifference from Blizzard in the years since is almost upsetting.
Don’t get me wrong - I don’t mind that there’s an Overwatch 2. Hell, I don’t even give a shit that it’s a free-to-play nightmare that’s going to be dominated by kids with rich parents. I work in show business - the entire world is dominated by kids with rich parents. And I respect that in order to keep their esports racket fresh, Blizzard creates new Overwatch content just like how their professional players create new racial slurs.
Gamers may have rejoiced at the celebration of classic Mario Party a la Superstars , but some seem to have forgotten the charming showdown that was this Switch debut. With vibrant visuals, reworked gameplay, and fun new co-op features, this game stands out amidst a crowded pool of MP predecess
The most apparent is the team size reduction. overwatch 2 hazard guide 2 features 5v5 battles instead of 6v6, meaning both teams have one less tank in the fight. Opinions will vary, but I think it’s obvious that this is a huge improvement. Half the number of tanks means half the number of shields, which means fights are more active and exciting. Instead of both teams poking at each other from behind cover until everyone fires off their ults, every match is a constant back and forth. Getting picks has a much greater impact, so it’s easier to coordinate pushes with your team, even if you’re only communicating non-verbally. It’s a simpler, easier to follow spectator experience, which will help the Overwatch League reach a wider audience. Resizing the teams has an effect on every aspect of the game, and it’s been overwhelmingly posit
If you’re not intimately familiar with Overwatch, it might be hard to tell Overwatch 2 is even a different game. It has a few new characters and some new maps, a new game mode called Push, plus some subtle character redesigns, but it's largely the same game it's always been. But if you’ve been an active Overwatch player, a lot of the subtle changes have actually made a pretty big differe
Mauga is a big target, and his abilities may help somewhat in battle, but players will want a healer at their side to make sure they stay alive. His ability to take reduced damage and heal through dealing damage is fairly average, and his Cage Fight ability to trap himself with enemies isn't the most efficient other than for a sacrifice play or to create further aggressive carnage that can easily distract opponents long enough to secure objecti
Even better still, Winston has a Jump Pack that allows him to get involved in the fight, or jump away from it, and his Barrier Projector allows for a shield bubble that can trap enemies and ensure their damage does not leave the dome. Whilst he doesn't deal the best damage, he can be great at distracting and targeting even great support heroes whilst other heroes run in to take care of mean squ