Real Talk By: KJ

Blizzard brings character driven “Overwatch” to retail.  Marketing has been fierce.  Fifteen-foot action figures in Paris.  A Beta that basically made the entire game playable before the plug was pulled.  Fantastic promo videos.  The hype train was in full motion, and real.  We are truly in the MOBA era.  Many studios have released games jammed with large cast members.  What makes this shooter any different?  It is very much in how powers combine.

As of this review there’s no deathmatch style of mode, so no-one person can do it all.  The game does a great job of not only explaining how to properly use characters, but informing the team when their squad isn’t balanced.  Displays on screen (for example): “No Support Heroes”.  One may want to change, as this could be the key factor between a Win or Loss.  Stepping out of your comfort zone is rewarding.

Offense, Defense, Support, and Tank types.  There’s a character guaranteed to meet your play style.  Roadhog is a pot-bellied renegade who throws a chain hook pulling players in.  Winston is an intelligent Ape equipped with primal rage, and an electric gun.  A teammate was Roadhog as I controlled Winston.  As he reeled in the enemy, I electrified the foe.  He was KO’d before Roadie could finish the job.  Team Work.  Long as significant damage was done, even if the final blow wasn’t dealt by the first attacker, they will still be awarded an elimination.  Very frustrating to have a kill stolen when you did most of the work.  Thankfully it’s a non-issue in Overwatch.

The tracer is one of my favorites.  She can teleport in short bursts, distracting others from the main objective.  An annoying fly that’s hard to swat.  Tracer remains balanced since some can eliminate her in a single hit.  Each has an ultimate move that takes a bit to charge, but used properly can change the tide of battle.  Expert archer Hanzo, launches an arrow which turns into a dragon, annihilating anyone caught in its crosshairs.

As of now gameplay consists of teams capturing, and holding down a zone.  Another sees players getting a zone, unlocking and pushing a payload from Point A to B.  The cargo moves faster when more teammates crowd around it.  Those who hang back and snipe, will certainly help players on the frontlines, but the payload won’t move as fast.  Many trade-offs surround the entire experience that you’ll need to be aware of.

A video plays at the end of any match, showcasing a top performance.  Blizzard is planning on making this feature even more accurate later.  Afterwards, voting allows others show respect to key participants.  Those who blocked damage, scored many eliminations, or helping in other ways could receive thumbs up from their peers.

Maps are exotic/colorful locals across 12 areas.  Great layouts, making every skirmish fun.  Hidden health pickups, and flanking opportunities await.  Every single area delivers.

It is smooth online all around.  Fast finding a game every time.  For real.  Linking up with buddies is simple.  People who remain inactive, get booted quickly and replaced even faster.  I’ve put in many hours and have yet to run into laggy players.

Unlocks include skins/costumes, victory poses, emotes, dialogue.  Extras are obtained through loot boxes, which appear every time you rank up.  Get it all quicker through micro-transactions.  Save your money, and just play the game.  Thankfully extra maps and characters have been touted as free DLC in the future.

Memorable and fun-to-use characters all around.  Too bad a story mode doesn’t exist.  This interesting cast deserves a much bigger spotlight, as their bios are quite interesting.  The mixing of abilities, experimenting with heroes is rewarding, adding more life to this multiplayer-only game.  Overwatch could potentially be played for years.   This is all up to Blizzard.  One thing’s for sure, the foundation has been laid.

Overwatch Gets

4 Out of 5

What’s Legit?

+Fantastic Character Options

+Polished Gameplay

+Super Smooth Online

What’s Perpetrating?

-Lack of Modes

-Microtransactions

#Overwatch @PlayLegit