Overwatch lives very different times from the phenomenon that was in the distant 2016, being one of the games that marked a before and after in the hero shooter genre. Over the years, the impression that Blizzard left on the players was quite negative due to the repetition of events and the lack of communication from the developers, to which must be added the serious complaints against Activision, bringing to light internal problems of how they were managing several franchises.
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Overwatch 2 was announced in 2019, and finally, after a few years, we have something palpable in the form of a closed beta that has managed to bring together a large number of players, willing to watch four hours of streaming from select content creators on Twitch, to have a chance to test the closed beta. Among those lucky ones, I find myself, and having been a fan of OW since its release, I’ve been quite involved and excited to put hours into the OW2 beta.
– Photo: Capture (PC)
The first impression when you enter the game is that there is that familiar feeling from the days when you spent hundreds of hours in multiplayer. Once in the match, this is where you finally come across the changes being implemented. Blizzard bets on a renewed graphics engine that follows in the footsteps of what was seen in the original OW but improves various aspects such as lighting, textures and the sound of various weapons. Now when you shoot there is a very different feeling that is very positive.
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If there’s one thing Blizzard has always been good at, it’s being able to create beautiful environments, and OW2 is no exception. There are four maps available in the beta, and they all have a unique style, full of spaces where you can move to flank enemies or make direct attacks. There is a harmony between the design of the characters and the settings, which I am very grateful that this identity continues to be maintained.
– Photo: Capture (PC)
On the other hand we have an unprecedented mode and a new character called Sojourn. The modality is called “push” which consists of helping a robot to move a load, while the rival team is in charge of stopping our pace and taking control of the load to move it to another area. It is well thought out because at all times you feel the tension of knowing who is occupying the load.
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As for Sojourn, she’s a DPS that I still have my doubts if she could enter the meta of the game, but I can’t deny that she is interesting to play with, since she feels like a kind of Soldier: 76 2.0 being able to slide and with a weapon that you can charge a powerful laser beam that deals a lot of damage.
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Perhaps the most significant change is in the composition of the team, now the duels are 5v5, having two DPS, two healers and a tank. Of the latter, I think we can all agree that they now feel like true TANKS, as Blizzard significantly increased their health, and in Doomfist’s case, he went from being a DPS to a tank that can take cover from gunshots for a few seconds, while retaining some abilities such as a strong punch that pushes enemies away, as well as dealing damage.
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Photo: Capture (PC)In the same way, we have established characters that undergo significant changes but that have made them much more fun, such as Sombra and Bastion. Sombra can now turn invisible for as long as she wants, giving her more chance to move around the stage without being seen and to hack whoever is near her without losing her camouflage. Mind you, when she does, she will discover her position, so enemies can attack her together and kill her easily.
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We have Bastion with a total change in his abilities. He can no longer repair himself and by assuming the heavy machine gun stance, he can move, not like in the original Overwatch where he was stuck like a turret. His ult transforms him into a mortar, choosing the areas where his missiles will land. Mention to Mei that he is still DPS, but he no longer freezes when using his weapon and his shots come out faster.
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Orisa is the funniest tank of all – but also the most broken. Her skill set completely changed and now she is unstoppable. I’m 100% sure that they will nerf her but for now, in the beta everyone wants to use her because of her devastating power thanks to her javelin and machine gun that will only depend on not overheating her.
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Overwatch 2: Does it feel like a true sequel?
The most important point and that has already generated a whole debate in groups of players is whether Overwatch 2 truly feels like a sequel. In my opinion, what we have played in the beta leaves me with the impression of a “big update” that the original game needed years ago to be able to refloat again.
– Photo: Capture (PC)
Be careful, with this I do not want to detract from the work that the developers are doing, but I believe that the transition to Overwatch 2 will leave many with a similar thought to mine. Fortunately, those who already had a copy of the original OW will be able to access all the new content and will only need to pay for the PvE mode (story mode), raising another question with this… How many people will really be interested in the lore of Overwatch at this point?
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Being a beta, logically there are several future aspects to see, such as knowing what the established model will be. There is already talk of a next Battle Pass, and it would be the most profitable for Blizzard, since Battle Passes have become something traditional for several multiplayers.
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Something that will be undeniable when the Overwatch 2 beta ends in the fortnight of May, is that many of us will not want to return to the original OW because we will already be used to the new style that Blizzard is implementing with the sequel. And I’m not the only one, several content creators have that same perception, and even fans of the game.
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In short, the OW2 beta has brought me back to the times when I enjoyed the original OW non-stop. It is true that during these years the first game has not ceased to be fun, but already in the middle of 2022 it feels like a game “ancient” with outdated mechanics. From Blizzard they already said that new demos will arrive throughout this year, and if they want to continue on a roll, I really hope they keep their word.
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