Overwatch 2’s dating sim is short, sweet, and maybe too silly

Overwatch 2’s Valentine’s Day event includes a dating sim — something fans have wanted for years. There’s a whole cast of smoochable characters on the shooter’s roster, and the game spawned a massive, ravenous fandom that loves to speculate on which heroes would make the best match and how their dates would go. Loverwatch, a bite-size dating sim that launched to celebrate Valentine’s Day (it’s available until Feb. 28), is Blizzard’s response to this fervent and frequent demand.

It’s a shame, then, that Loverwatch feels so hesitant. While there are two different dating paths, one for Mercy, and one for Genji respectively, they all follow the same pattern. Players go on three dates with the hero of their choice, assisted by Hanzo — I mean, Cupid — in a pink toga. The players can choose to respond in the best way and sweep the hero from their hands. Failure to meet the date means you go home on your own.

That’s a perfectly cute premise, but it’s undercut by the fact that the narration is so meta-heavy. Cupid, the protagonist’s inner monologue, and even your date continually pepper their dialogue with Overwatch in-jokes. Mercy blushes… just like her Mercy pink skin. It’s funny, but she does indeed spend much of her time caring for DPS needs! Like Genji! Genji needs healing! That meme is well-known. Do you remember how Genji gamers often claim they are in need of healing? Loverwatch Just a reference to that

Loverwatch Psyop was partly responsible for this. Hooked On You: Dead by Daylight Sim Dating Game — another game that continually turned to break the fourth wall by nudging the player and making references. A Are You Hooked? You might have a few moments where you feel like something is happening.

Loverwatch doesn’t have the time for this; the pace is too breakneck as the game rushes toward another joke about the official Overwatch cookbook. There are a couple of sweet moments for characterization and connection, like Mercy sharing her dream for the world to accept her real identity as Dr. Angela Ziegler, but then it’s right back to the shenanigans.

It’s a shame, because I would have loved a serious, straight-faced swing at the concept of an Overwatch dating sim. It’s hard to get a funny, silly response after so many years of asking. LoverwatchIt aims to make the game accessible and inclusive to everyone, even new players. However, it was a fascinating concept that I wanted to explore more. The Hanzo skin looks cute.