So after all these years, I finally received a closed beta invitation to play Blizzard Entertainment’s “Overwatch” on PC. From April 15 to April 16, I had played over five hours of the game. From exploring multiple characters through all game modes, I think it’s safe to say I got an overall great introduction to the game. With a release date of May 24, 2016, launch day is extremely imminent. Being so close to the release date, it is safe to assume that most of the features I played will remain in the final product upon release. So how does it stack up both as a team-based action shooter and as a Blizzard Entertainment product?
“Overwatch” can be comparable to another popular team based action shooter called “Team Fortress 2.” However, “Overwatch” exceeds in many ways that “Team Fortress 2” simply cannot. For starters, the variety of character classes in this game is both staggering and exciting. As it currently stands, there are 21 playable heroes in the game, allowing for 21 different play styles for players to choose from. In addition to this, all playable heroes are extremely unique from one another, comprised of different nationalities and ethnicities. This variety ensures that anyone can pick up the game and play comfortably with whoever they want. From a Swedish Dwarf to a hyper-intelligent Gorilla named ‘Winston,’ “Overwatch” has just about any stand-out character you could want in a video game. Disregarding the aesthetics of each character, this variety also allows for multiple options in strategy and decision making for how you and your friends want to build a team. Whether you want to make a team comprised of different classes or if you want a team strictly comprised of only ‘Winstons,’ the choice is yours!
The overall gameplay is a fun and refreshing experience. Each character deviates away from the standard formula of typical shooters and have their own skill sets. This allows for players to find a character that specifically caters to the player’s style of gameplay, thus allowing even more variety. That being said, there were a few characters I played with where I didn’t do well with at all. ‘Bastion,’ the tower-defense robot, is a favorite amongst many players in the community, yet I couldn’t find my groove with the character. I quickly found the perfect match after having played other character, ‘Genji.’ In that sense, it was a great experience to switch around characters and find the one that suits me the best.
The only issue I had with the game, ironically enough, was the variety amongst game modes. There was an amazing variety between characters and playstyles, but not so much with what to do in the game. The game seemed to only have two modes, both being some variation of a defense-like game. One team defends this spot while the other tries to take it. Though the two game modes were fun, I feel as though it has the potential to become boring quickly. As with most games in recent years, companies have been known to add more content to their games, both free and paid. It is possible that within time, Blizzard Entertainment will add more game modes, thus creating more variety amongst modes to play with.
In conclusion, “Overwatch” has brought a new and refreshing experience to team-based action shooters everywhere. With a star studded memorable cast of 21 heroes on such beautiful landscapes, it will be hard to forget this game in the years to come. With concerns of no variety amongst game modes, I have confidence that Blizzard Entertainment will add more in time. As a product of Blizzard Entertainment, I’m sure “Overwatch” will be among the elite and rake in a big player-base. Then again, it was only the beta. Only time will tell of the possible success of the game or the possible failure. Everyone shall see!
