By this point, I'm sure most (if not all) of you know what Overwatch is about. If you don't here's a quick run-down. It's an online multiplayer shooter, pitting two teams of six against each other to complete a specific objective. But it's so much more than that. There are four different classes of characters(called "heroes"), with each of the currently 23 available heroes spread out among them. This helps ensue that everyone can have a play style that suits them, and allows those who may not be a regular shooter player (like myself) to have an enjoyable time. The classes are offense characters, who go out right in the middle of the fight, defense, whose main objective is to stop the enemies from advancing and guarding their objectives, tank, who can take heavy damage without difficulty, and support, who, naturally, aren't aggressive, but rather offer (for lack of a better term) support for their teammates.
Even with that basic diversification, even characters within the same class are completely different from each other. For example, while Junkrat and Hanzo may both be defense characters, they couldn't be farther apart gameplay-wise. While Hanzo is a sniper in every sense of the word, hiding with his bow drawn, ready to strike, Junkrat specializes in setting up traps to stop the enimies from moving forward. This deep diversification allows there to be countless ways to play.
This more than makes up for what some may see as a lack of game modes. Each character is distinct enough that playing each one seems like a new game mode. While Widowmaker, Hanzo, and Ana are all sniper characters, they're all incredibly different. Widowmaker is more of a classic sniper character, while Hanzo uses a bow and arrow, and Ana is a support character, so combat is not even her main play style, instead using various abilities like setting opponents to sleep. Overwatch has developed an incredible community (which I'll get to soon), and the fact that the characters are so diverse is most definitely a factor in it. It's almost a credit to the game that the character most similar to what you'd see in most shooters, Soldier: 76, feels somewhat out of place here.
Another big success of Overwatch is the world Blizzard created. These characters should not fit together, but like how Nintendo manages to bring all of it's diverse franchises together in Super Smash Bros., Blizzard manages to do the same. Cherry time-warper Tracer, robot ninja Genji, and the literally cold-blooded assassin Widowmaker seem like they all come from separate worlds, yet they also manage to fit together seamlessly. And that also brings me to the game's lore. It's there, but it's not in your face, and if you really want to get a sense of what this universe is like, you need to do your research, mostly in works outside of the game. But there is enough placed within the game itself to get a sense of what this world is like, if you pay close enough attention. Everything from details within the map, to dialogue of the characters helps flesh out this world.
Let me talk about the game's world for a bit here. In a world where many (though definitely not as much as years past) games have muted, realistic styles, it's so refreshing to see a game that is built on optimism. It is a game about unity, bringing together characters of differing genders, ethnicities, sexualities, and even species together fighting towards a common goal. It's not the best looking game, but the games blocky, cartoonish style works with the tone this game is trying to accomplish. Overwatch is like the vision of a hopeful future that we all want, one that is still attainable, and that for sure helps it stand out.
Overwatch was (and still is, in some respects) a gaming phenomenon. Not Pokemon GO-level phenomenon (I wouldn't be surprised if nothing else reached that level), but it was still one of the most talked-about games this year. The Overwatch community has emerged as one of the most vibrant and active on the internet. Now, even eight months after it's release, it is still never difficult to find a match if you decide to jump in. I could go on about this game, but I don't want this to turn into rambling, so I'll end this here. Blizzard created something special with Overwatch, something that will most likely be in the minds of games for years.
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