In many ways, it feels like I’ve simply been given a reason to play Overwatch 1 again.
Is that enough for a sequel?
I’m not certain it is.
But perhaps it should be.
The good news is I needn’t spend long explaining the game.
Even people who never played the original know what Overwatch is.
Matches are fast, hectic, and oodles of fun.
The single biggest change Overwatch 2 brings to its matches is the new 5v5 team composition.
Heroes in Overwatch are divided into three classes: Tank, Damage, and Support.
Overwatch 2 has seen fit to remove one of the tank roles.
It feels harder to hold a spot against an enemy push.
The best course of action is almost always to reconvene and push.
That’s much rarer these days.
But I still can’t help but feel like something has been lost in the process.
It should come as no surprise that Overwatch 2 looks, sounds, and feels wonderful to play.
The maps are captivating and tightly designed; the heroes even more so.
The first-person animations are wondrous to behold, and the sound design elevates it all even further.
Cassidy’s Peacekeeper still feels weighty and dangerous.
Junkrat’s grenades still have that incredibly satisfyingTHONKas they leave the launcher.
Zenyatta’s orbs stillSHWINGpast like lethal and musical shards of glass.
Orisa has perhaps the biggest rework of all.
And even more important than that - they all just feel fun right out of the gate.
Next up was Sojourn, a Canadian soldier with cybernetic arms and legs.
My favourite is Kiriko.
Of course, that may soon change.
It’s an exciting prospect, as is the clean slate that Overwatch 2 provides.
Everyone starting from scratch, figuring out the new heroes and maps together.
It’s all very positive stuff, really.
It’s just marred by the context.
It was meant to work in tandem with Overwatch 1, but ended up replacing the old game entirely.
Even the decision to make the game free to play is telling.
The only way it would’ve been more obvious is if they’d tacked on a battle royale mode.
So much damage has already been done to the game simply by calling it Overwatch 2.
For a content update, Overwatch 2 does an absolutely phenomenal job.
For a sequel, it feels pretty underwhelming.
I wonder, would it have been better to use chapters like Fortnite did?
Something between a content update and a sequel?
In reality though, it’s hard to stay annoyed about all that when you’re actually playing.
Like its predecessor, Overwatch 2 is just plain fun, particularly with friends.
I wish you’d stop getting in your own way.
Activision Blizzard are currently the subject of a number oflegal actions,labour disputesand allegations ofworkplace harassment.
The latest news can always be found under ourActivision Blizzardtag.
