Overwatch, a game released by Blizzard in May 2016, is wildly popular among gamers across both console and PC platforms.
The gameplay is complex and fast-paced, and the game itself is constantly changing with new heroes, maps and modes, hich makes for a fun and addictive video game that attracts a host of different players, even amateurs who may not have been previously familiar with first-person shooter games. There are currently 25 different heroes to choose from, all with their own abilities, weaponry and strategies that players have to learn individually (as opposed to traditional first-person shooters, which usually consist of only a few builds with similar capabilities).
As a self-professed Overwatch addict, here are x things you'll get if you play it too.
1. "I need healing."
This phrase accompanied by a picture of Genji is scattered across the Internet—it's probably Overwatch's most popular meme. But honestly, if you're playing healer, it doesn't matter who's spamming the X key. They're getting on your nerves.
2. Genji
When people try to pull the "I'm a weeaboo" card just because they main Genji, and then spend the entirety of the match trashing on everyone else's skill while dying every 14 seconds on the opposite side of the map.
3. Too many snipers
A Widowmaker, Hanzo, and Ana combo does not a strong team comp make.
4. Mercy's Rez
You know that feeling, when you just killed their entire team and only have 3 health left and suddenly your teammate screams into the mic to kill Mercy, but it's too late, all the characters are coming back to life around you, shrouded in a lovely golden glow? Yeah, me too.
5. Hanzo mains
No description needed, honestly. You know what I'm talking about.
6. An attack Bastion
Refer to 5.
7. An attack Torjborn
Refer to 5.
8. Dad 76
Just your neighborhood dad, yelling at kids to get off his lawn while singlehandedly destroying the enemy team.
9. Symmetra
When she locks onto you through three walls from 100 meters away and kills you within 4 seconds.
10. An attack Widowmaker
Few can pull off this incredible feat, and guess what? The level 23 player on your competitive team who refuses to switch off of her the entire match is definitely not one of them.
11. Tracer
We love her, but her entire mission is to annoy us. She is usually successful.
12. D.Va's mech
When you spend 30 seconds doing 600 damage on her, expect an elimination, and then remember, oh, wait, destroying her mech doesn't actually count as an elimination. It's a hard life, man.
13. Roadhog's hook
Once, a complete and unavoidable death. Now, utter trash.
14. No healers
Being a healer may not get you the most glory or win you the Play of the Game, but somebody's got to do it. Or not.
15. When you're definitely behind the wall but D.Va's ult still kills you
Refer to 5.
16. When someone solo-ults you
When they have the opportunity to kill the entire team and capture the objective and probably get Play of the Game, but instead they use their ult solely on you, and you then have to wait 10 seconds to respawn, followed by a solid minute of running back to the objective to rejoin your team—only to realize, too late, that you've already lost.
17. AFK players
This isn't just an Overwatch problem, but we all know the struggle of that one AFK player who picked your main and is just sitting in spawn while the rest of you are getting destroyed. It's rough.
18. "I've got you in my sights."
Do you have time to run into that building before Soldier 76 targets you? There's always a chance.
19. "It's high noon."
See above description, replace with McCree, and know that no, there's never a chance of escape.
20. That one player that won't join voice chat and is playing Hanzo even though your team really doesn't need a Hanzo; it needs a Soldier 76 to take care of the Pharah that's continuously getting quadruple kills on your team.
Yep.
21. Pharah
A well-played Pharah on the enemy team is pretty much a guaranteed loss, let's be real.
22. Winning the game in 5 minutes
The most glorious feeling imaginable.
23. Losing the game in 5 minutes
The most miserable feeling imaginable.
24. Horizon Lunar Colony
It's a cool map to explore, but it sucks.
25. When it's Overtime and you're the only one on point
The most stressful situation imaginable.
26. When it's Overtime and their Lúcio is the only one on point but your entire team combined just can't kill him
Those rollerblades, man. Unstoppable.
27. When Mei walls you in
Doesn't matter which team she's on. Equally obnoxious.
28. When you get frozen by Mei
One of the most frustrating deaths achievable in this game.
29. When a play that doesn't deserve it gets Play of the Game
That moment when you had a quadruple kill with Reaper's Death Blossom that secured the objective for your team and won you the match, but a Mercy solo-Rezing Hanzo gets Play of the Game.
30. When Reinhardt puts his shield down right as D.Va self-destructs
...and your entire team dies as a result of it. Except Reinhardt, of course. He just gets killed 5 seconds later by the entirety of the opposing team converging on him. Karma.
31. That person in competitive that says in team chat at the beginning of the game that they have a crappy computer and/or their Internet is terrible
Just... why?
32. That clutch moment when Reinhardt's about to pin you but someone on your team kills him just in time
If you haven't had this happen to you as of yet, it is glorious. This particular transition from sure death to salvation is one that I hope every Overwatch has the opportunity to experience at some point during their career.
33. Taking a selfie after self-destructing
@D.Va.
34. When you're about to kill Tracer and she recalls to full heath
And now you're at 50% health, and she kills you. Every time.
35. When you shut down someone's ult
There are few greater pleasures in life.
36. When someone shuts down your ult
There are few greater tragedies in life.
37. Girl gamer Mercy-main stereotypes
I'm a girl gamer, and as such, I have the right to assert that yes, this is an accurate stereotype in 9 out of 10 cases.
38. When people assume girl gamer Mercy-main stereotypes
Is it mostly accurate? Yes. Does that mean that every girl gamer mains Mercy? No. I am an example of a strong, independent woman who breaks such stereotypes and does not main Mercy. (It may or may not be because I tried to be a Mercy main and was trash. We need not go into the details.)
39. Killing a Bastion with Genji's deflect
Indescribably satisfying.
40. And lastly, when all your mains get taken and you end playing a hero you thought you were terrible at, end up getting 3 golds and the Play of the Game, and realize that huh, maybe you're not so terrible at that hero after all
Overwatch is a game that always offers you new gameplay, no matter how long you've been playing, whether that be a hero you've never played or a new hero, map or game mode. It really never gets old.
Overwatch players are never disappointed by the game; there's always opportunities to improve and new ways to play the game. It's versatile and challenging, which definitely contributes to its overwhelming popularity. Whether you're a pro at FPS or just dipping your toes into video games, Overwatch is a game I highly recommend.
