Overwatch
Description
Overwatch is a team-based multiplayer first-person shooter developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment. Described as a "hero shooter", Overwatch assigns players into two teams of six, with each player selecting from a roster of over 30 characters, known as "heroes", each with a unique style of play that is divided into three general roles that fit their purpose. Players on a team work together to secure and defend control points on a map or escort a payload across the map in a limited amount of time. Players gain cosmetic rewards that do not affect gameplay, such as character skins and victory poses, as they play the game. The game was initially launched with only casual play, but a competitive ranked mode, various 'arcade' game modes, and a player-customizable server browser were added after release. Additionally, Blizzard has added new characters, maps, and game modes post-release, all free of charge, with the only additional cost to players being optional loot boxes to earn cosmetic items. It was released for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows in May 2016, and Nintendo Switch in October 2019.
Overwatch is Blizzard's fourth major franchise and came about following the 2014 cancellation of the ambitious massively multiplayer online role-playing game Titan. A portion of the Titan team came up with the concept of Overwatch, based on the success of team-based first-person shooters like Team Fortress 2 and the popularity of multiplayer online battle arena games, creating a hero-based shooter that emphasized teamwork. Some elements of Overwatch borrow assets and concepts from the canceled Titan project. After establishing the narrative of an optimistic near-future Earth setting after a global crisis, the developers aimed to create a diverse cast of heroes that spanned genders and ethnicities as part of this setting. Significant time is spent adjusting the balance of the characters, making sure that new players would still be able to have fun while skilled players would present each other with a challenge.
Game Details
Genre(s): First-person shooter
Developer: Blizzard Entertainment
Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment
Release date: May 24, 2016
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC
Gamemode(s): Multiplayer
Screenshots
Reviews
2 years ago
Bob
Shooters don't always have to be dark, gritty, or realistic. Cartoony fun has its place, even in gun-filled PC games. That place has been filled by Valve's Team Fortress 2 for nearly a decade, and now Blizzard is looking to replace it with Overwatch. This $39.99 game for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One takes all of the hallmarks of TF2, such as colorful levels, multiple game modes that focus on teams attacking and defending, and characters with vastly different play styles, and adds a few MOBA-like twists. Overwatch is a thoroughly enjoyable first-person shooter that's filled with mechanical variety, thanks to the game's many heroes and classes. And, considering Blizzard's history with game support, it could develop as faithful a player base and as long a lifespan as TF2. That said, Overwatch has one glaring problem: its microtransaction structure.