Over the last decade, Blizzard Entertainment has assured their status as amongst the elite gaming developers in the industry, with big names like World of Warcraft, Diablo, Hearthstone, and Starcraft. As made apparent by their latest release, they have no intention of slowing down. In May 2016, Blizzard unveiled the multiplayer online shooter, Overwatch. Since then, it has been figuratively taking the world by storm. If you haven’t already, get on the bandwagon now because it’s only getting better.
Drawing inspiration from several successful franchises, Blizzard strived to create a game where teamwork was essential whilst individuality was respected. In that regard, 21 playable characters are offered, each with their own unique play-styles, abilities, and roles on the team. Much like the distinct characters in Team Fortress 2, or Super Smash Bros., this allows players to have their own preferences that comply with their skill set. On top of that, each character is customizable through various costume designs, catch phrases, victory poses, emotes, etc. A high degree of personalization and the option to shape a characters appearance based on your personal taste, akin to that of RPG’s and many newer generation shooters, is what everyone wants, whether they know it or not.
Not only is every character customizable through appearance and mannerisms, they are also each attributed with a vivid back-story and relationships with the other characters. Blizzard has gone above and beyond in creating an entire comprehensive world, full of history and lore, in which the characters have lived and fought. Each is provided a Wiki page consisting of an elaborate story, chronicling their adventures within the Overwatch world (which is actually our world sixty years in the future). Blizzard has also continually produced animated shorts of each character, which detail the perils they’ve faced. If you play the game and haven’t seen them, type, “Overwatch animated shorts” into Youtube and begin the binge. With such endearing characters and profound narratives, it will be interesting to see where Blizzard goes with them.
Regarding the gameplay, Overwatch is a first-person shooter (FPS) that exploits almost every conceivable possibility of weaponry. From the standard machine gun, snipers, and pistols, to photon lazers, pulse rifles, and giant hammers. Just as every character has a unique backstory and appearance, so too are their combative abilities and techniques. With 21 different heroes to play and master, there is never a shortage of entertainment.
Apart from promoting individuality, Overwatch fervently encourages teamwork. Six-player teams go head to head in various objective-based games, such as escorting a payload across a map, or king of the hill. Since every character brings something different to the table, complimenting each other in distinct ways, working together is vital for success. It may frustrate some people, but an aspect that makes this game so good is that it is extremely difficult to win without effective communication and cooperation, which is what most video games inherently indoctrinate anyways.
It’s always a drag to be left behind while everyone around you gets into a new show or game; especially when it seems to keep getting better and better. Overwatch is one of those games you don’t want to leave you behind, as Blizzard is constantly updating and keeping the fan-base informed along the way, unlike a certain irksome developer we all came to detest. Awarded ‘Best Game of the Year’, ‘Best Game Direction’, and ‘Best Multiplayer Game’ at the 2016 Game Awards, it seems the sky is the limit with Blizzard’s Overwatch. Fall in love with it now before you have to catch up.
