Overwatch 2 beta review – a good hero shooter

New heroes, modes and maps, changes in the appearance of characters and graphics, as well as general impressions – in the Overwatch 2 beta review.

Recently I’ve taken part in a closed beta testing of Overwatch 2 – the long-standing Overwatch 2 game, which used to be a dream of the fans, but now is only occasionally recalled by the most loyal fans of the title. Now I’ll tell you what I saw, felt and understood while running around the seemingly familiar maps with seemingly familiar characters.

Backstory

The first Overwatch came out in 2016 and was, unfortunately, the last truly revolutionary and pattern-breaking project from Blizzard. This heroic shooter became incredibly popular thanks to the exciting gameplay, interesting characters and, of course, active developer support – new maps, characters and seasons were released regularly, fueling interest in the gameplay.

First Overwatch, 2016

But a few years later, things have changed. Updates became rare, fresh patches sometimes broke what was already broken, and no one responded to the community’s requests. A little later the rumors about the work on the second part began to appear, and the players associated the developers’ reluctance to update Overwatch with their busyness. They eagerly awaited the sequel and imagined how cool it would be.

And so, at Blizzcon 2019, Overwatch 2 was announced. Mostly with a really chic cinematic that gave even players unfamiliar with the title goosebumps:

It would seem that the hype was a success, gamers were ecstatic – it was time to release something. But, as the months went by, no news. To be more exact, there was no news about the game itself, but the development of the game started to spread unpleasant rumors. Insiders kept saying that the leading developers were leaving, their roles were changing. There were even suggestions that Blizzard simply do not know what to do with the sequel and in what direction to develop it!

Gamers, of course, just wanted an improved first part. But the company, which was going through bad times, largely because of the pandemic, was trying to figure out how to squeeze more money out of Overwatch 2.

Well, now, in 2022, three years after the”almost finished game” was announced, we know what Blizzard has come up with. We’re in for a conditional free-to-play shooter with pretty much the same maps and heroes. It will go into early access on October 4, 2022, and in 2023 we’ll be introduced to paid PvE content. Of course, there will be seasons, season passes, new heroes and maps, skins and other”stuff”. Happy or cry? Let everyone decide for themselves.

April 26, 2022 passed the first ZBT – judging by the insiders, the game was completely broken, many of the mechanics did not work, the players filled the developers with complaints.

On July 15, 2022 the second ZBT started – you know, if the insides were true, I am shocked. I didn’t find anything broken, the characters I felt were playable, the optimization was fine. Has Blizzard really taken an active approach to the game? It’s too early to judge, but the beta gives some insight into the future of the product.

What happened in the beta!
The main menu of the beta was modest but tasteful.

There were, it seemed to me, all the old characters and one new one. We were shown a couple of new maps, redesigned abilities of some characters. There was practice, a custom game (custom matches) and an unranked game for the Zarubb. Now about everything in order.

Heroes

Describing the detailed changes in mechanics, abilities and characters is a thankless task. Because a lot can change closer to the release. However, there are some trends.

The available characters are rookie Sojorn in the company of other damagers. The interface of the first Overwatch – looks prettier, right? We’ll talk more about that at the end.

First of all, the tanks turned out to be an imbo. The developers have previously stated that they want to make them more maneuverable and dangerous, so that they were not dummies for punching. Apparently, a little too much. Because of the current balance tanks bend literally in every match, and damagers and even more support just ran away from them in all corners.

Changes to the standard Widow model – old one on the left, new one on the right. Yes, no cleavage. But the Widow is a professional sniper, it’s not good for her to shine her charms, and it’s uncomfortable. Model became more realistic, it’s hard to argue with this.

Secondly, the standard model of each character was changed, but not too much so that they were recognizable. Some of the changes were successful, some were dictated by the”fight against unnecessary sexuality,” some were new costume details that made the characters more realistic. Overall, though, nothing impressive – a refreshing change in the appearance of the characters, nothing more. I would have liked to see something bolder or more interesting. In the meantime, everything looks like an addon to the original.

Maps and modes

I noticed four new maps, two each for the old modes and the new one. The new mode is onslaught. There are two robots and two loads on the map. Controlling the robot, you must move the cargo as far as possible. The team that did better wins.

Taking cargo around New York City in a new mode. Seems interesting, but there’s a suspicion that the balance will still be tweaked.

The maps for this mode include New Queen Street in Toronto, Canada (home of the new hero Sojourn) and the Colosseum in Rome. For the escort mode, there are maps of the Royal Route in Monte Carlo. And for the hybrid mode, they added Midtown New York. Maps are very nice, on par with the old ones, no complaints here.

Gameplay

This is good old Overwatch. Significant changes in physics or shooting have not noticed. Except that some characters are now played in a new way. Same Orissa buffed so hard that it from a passive tank turned into a killer robot. Otherwise, nothing fundamentally new.

You can read what Orissa is capable of now – if they don’t fix it, it’ll be trouble.

Except the tagging system has been upgraded to make it easier to use. But why? Overwatch – it’s a dynamic shooter on small maps, the situation here is changing every second. Specifying these or those targets with tags is a pointless task – it’s easier to talk in chat. That’s why almost no one uses them. But they were updated, spending extra effort.

Graphics

If you do not go into the fine details, the graphics has remained almost the same. There’s no jump at all. Again, there are thoughts of an”add-on to the first part” rather than a full-fledged sequel. But to make sure not to piss off the gamers, Blizzard have made some small changes. There is less coloration, the lighting seems to be softer and nicer, the picture is more realistic (as much as possible in a cartoon setting). I liked it, but that’s a matter of taste.

Graphon isn’t”wow” even on max settings. But everyone plays on minimum settings anyway, FPS is more important. So the developers have decided not to bother with new effects, cool textures etc.

As for the interface, it was completely redesigned and made even more minimalistic. And it’s not very cool. In the first Overwatch, the interface wasn’t overpowered as it was, but it looked stylish and in theme. Here the icons and windows look like they were drawn on the knee at the last moment. Hopefully these are placeholders for the really cool UI we’ll see on release.

General impressions and thoughts

Yes, I wanted to see a cool return to the series in the form of a sequel created from scratch, with cool grapho, lots of new content, etc. But we’re in for a slightly overhauled original with new maps and skins. PvE will be added, but how many will buy it, having a free multiplayer?

On the other hand, entering the free-to-play hero shooter market, Overwatch 2 may well take a shot. In direct competition it is probably only Paladins from developers Evil Mojo Games and publisher Hi-Rez Studios. Of the strengths of this game – constant updates, a huge amount of content and a strong community. Of the weaknesses – the aging graphics and the frequent need to buy heroes (especially new ones, while they are unbalanced).

When Overwatch 2 and Paladins meet in a battle for the hearts of fans, I think that the brainchild of Blizzard has a good chance to win. The graphics there is nicer, the physics is also better, the lore is richer, and the fan base is there. The main thing is that the developers release updates more often – without these updates the game will die out for the second time.

As for the beta itself – I liked it. Ran and shot. The imbalance was confusing, but the pleasure of gameplay was still. Now I’m waiting for the early access, which starts on October 4, 2022. I believe Overwatch will come back and break into the top again.