Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
Platform: PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
Tested on: PC
Overwatch 2 – Review
The first Overwatch took the world by storm back in 2016 and it seemed like the game could go endlessly due to its continued support. Sadly, a lot of gamers moved on to better pastures and the once-popular online shooter saw a decline in its player base. When the announcement was made that a second game was going to be made, many players wondered if the first game shouldn’t just get an overhaul or additional content, and truth be told, that’s exactly what players received with the release of Overwatch 2. This ‘new’ title is basically just an update of the old game, albeit with a new business model, some new queueing options, and only three new characters. Did we still have fun with this new version of the first game? We did, but we also expected more.
Like its predecessor, Overwatch 2 is a first-person shooter with a fun cast of characters to pick from. All characters have their own set of unique abilities, and each character is also part of a certain class. In this case, the game has DPS, Tank, and Support as the main classes. DPS deals damage, Tanks try to soak damage for the team, while the Support heals the team. The offset is quite simple, and after a few matches, you’ll probably have a good idea as to which characters will cater to your playing style.
In all honesty, we could for the most part just copy-paste our original review here and call it a day. Overwatch 2 is basically still the same as the original game, albeit with better queueing options where people can select their preferred roles in advance. At the current time of writing, Support is the role that has the shortest queueing times, but it is also the most underappreciated role in the game. You’ll be providing constant support without any reward or satisfaction, and some enemy combatants are almost impossible to avoid when playing a Support character. The latter is actually a fairly big issue, as most Support characters are just unable to get away safely from – well – anything.
Another item that is different now is the removal of the Loot Boxes. While at first we applauded this change, on top of the free-to-play formula, it became clear that another business model was being pushed. Currently, players can purchase an overpriced Battle Pass or the Watchpoint Pack. The latter will give you some additional premium content, and it also allows you to immediately play with the new characters, which are otherwise locked for new players.
The gameplay itself has remained largely unchanged. The game is a very solid shooter, and we must say that it’s still a lot of fun to play this game with friends (or with strangers). The controls are smooth and it’s fun trying out different characters. Nonetheless, even though this is basically an update of the original game, it is currently suffering from a lot of server issues and other bugs. For example, we ourselves are still suffering from the bug that makes it so that we cannot find or see the Shop in-game. Due to this, we couldn’t even use the currency of our Watchpoint Pack.
Conclusion
Overwatch 2 doesn’t truly deserve to be called a sequel, as it’s pretty much an update of the first game. The fact that Overwatch 2 also replaces the icon of the first Overwatch in your Battle.net launcher also makes this rather clear. Nonetheless, fans of the first game will receive more of the same content they have played through for years, albeit with several tweaks and changes. The new business model may seem as if the game is more interesting to pick up, but the company is heavily pushing to buy the Battle Pass, as this gives players more interesting content to unlock, and many players will find a lot of content locked at first. With skins costing nearly twenty Dollars/Euros, it’s clear where the money needs to come from. While we absolutely despise loot boxes you can buy for real money, we do miss loot boxes that are rewarded to you by simply playing the game. All in all, you’re not getting a bad game here, it just feels like an update of the first game with very expensive Battle Pass options.
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