BETA TEST – In 2014 at Blizzcon, Overwatch was unveiled. Since then the media and the gaming community has been following the product’s every move, and waiting for Blizzard. As this is a new IP, and it is very different from the usual Blizzard genres, we still are expecting their quality work.

A lot of people thought this game was an MOBA. Luckily I can dismiss all such issues, as after the first match I can confirm that this is something much more, and even the developers stated that it is far from the genre. So what exactly is Overwatch? In essence, it is a multiplayer shooter. We will give a summary of all the most important factors of the game. Detailed analysis will be provided in the final review.

The Fall of Titan led to the rise of Overwatch

After the developers had scrapped Titan, they decided to create Overwatch. Of course, a few things were saved from the old project, but not much is included.

The gameplay is the focal point of Overwatch as it is entirely fast paced, and atmospheric. It barely lets us breathe, and most of that is only given when waiting for a new match. The game requires constant attention as an attack comes from any direction. Not only that as all of the twenty-one characters can attack us with different weapons, and each has their special ability.

For example, Tracer can blink short distances, and has two small machine guns. Hanzo besides having the ability to climb walls can also summon a dragon that kills everything in its path. The controls are okay, not the best, but also not the worst.

You can easily familiarize yourself with the controls, but that does not mean we’ll get to master the character in a second. It is the typical Blizzard method, easy to control but hard to master. The graphics are not revolutionary, but the colors, character designs, and character animation is the primary focus, beyond the quick action. It efficiently manages 60FPS.

What I loved was the detail of the levels. This part is usual the death of such games, but luckily Overwatch can overcome this hurdle. The levels are big enough and have just enough alternative routes not to feel boxed, or to feel like if the player was in a maze. The combat objectives are also not that complex. Overall it is capture and defends missions.

The question is if anything else is needed for such a game? At first probably not, but a few patches will probably amend this, and new game modes can be added. It shows that Blizzard is focusing on the gameplay, which is done masterfully here. Not to mention that there is no need to run for ammo as there is unlimited ammo for everyone within the game. While the special abilities can be used only after cooldowns. There is a lot to learn, and we have to figure it out on how to play.

Only for fans of the genre

For those who played Blizzard games to slay monsters, or loved to roam the endless lands, they should think twice about getting Overwatch, as this is an entirely different game. It is entirely PVP, so just be careful. For those who love multiplayer FPS, this is a must have, as Overwatch based on the beta will have a lot of new fans.

-Perzifal-

More information about Overwatch here:

Twitter : @OverwatchEU
Facebook : facebook.com/OverwatchEU

Publisher: Activision

Developer: Blizzard

Genre:  Multiplayer FPS

Publication: May 24, 2016