Overwatch 2 Feels Like A Completely Different Game

There have been many sequels that rise higher than their predecessors and fall below them. Overwatch 2 was my redemption arc. It came out months ago. The Beta version of Overwatch is now available on my preferred gaming platform, Xbox. I have had the pleasure to play through many different game types and arenas with my favorite heroes and without any keyboard or mouse control. So, Overwatch 2 may not be as scary for me. Take a lookLike a different experience to its forebears. But it certainly is. PlaysLike one.  

Overwatch 2 has received a much-anticipated facelift. This includes an improved UI from the match preparation screen to the scoreboard. While it is sad that medals have been removed, it does make inter-team toxicity less. There are three options for players: framerate, balance and resolution. If you want to be competitive, I recommend that the first option is enabled. – the hero shooter hits an impressive 120 fps, and its graphical quality is stunning all the while.

I was convinced by the first beta period that having less opponents and more ally made it easier to use role passives and spread out maps. Even going so far as to say that no single match’s outcome is determined by a team composition. I often find myself unsure whether to trust the initial impression or completely ignore it. Every hammer swing, laser beam, and every other action is part of a mysterious metagame that combines strategy and intentionality. This metagame gets more restrained when you remove the off tank role. 

Ana, who is my number one support pick, sees value in large, muscular bodies. Because her sleep dart and healing rifle require precise accuracy, hitting thin targets consistently is difficult even for top-tier players. Also, the biotic bomber is most effective when it’s used in conjunction with teammates or adversaries. This is largely due to tank selection. For instance, if my team’s tank wasn’t carrying a shield – Zarya, Doomfist, Orisa, Dva, Junker Queen (that’s more than half of the playable tanks!) – we were more susceptible to devastating damage from hitscan and projectile characters. Dispersals resulted in it being harder for teammates to use grenades to heal them all, leaving me to defend myself against flankers. It is easy to see that I didn’t want to die in those matches.

Kits for Overwatch are meant to be combined. Genji-Zarya, Pharah-Mercy and other examples are just two of many. By decreasing the player count and implementing passives that can outright cancel certain heroes (the DPS speed boost makes life unbearable for unsupported healers and lessens Lucio’s viability), it isn’t strange to wonder if specific team compositions are mandatory. This realization will become more apparent in high-rank playlists, where moment-to-moment decisions are immediately punished/rewarded, and inconsistencies in mechanical skill are rare. 

Even the introduction of the Junker Queen, a tank whose powers feel more aligned with DPS heroes – the ferocious combatant wields a pump-action shotgun with a mean punch, wounds adversaries with a jagged blade, and even prevents opponents from being healed (hey, that sounds just like Ana!) – changes the flow of battle in equally exciting and frustrating ways. Although it might speed up combat, the absence of a second tank can lead to more group-ups, unprotected healers and DPS playing styles that are more lone-wolf. Overwatch 2 was a big step for Blizzard, and I’m not sure if it is the right move.