Are you still thinking about considering giving Blizzard’s Overwatch beta a try? Give your self a good slap and look in the mirror, buddy. This game is tremendous, filled with charm and infinite replay-ability, the Beta is free to try until the 9th and when you fall in love it will be available to buy in full on the 24th of this month.
It’s hard to know where to begin with a game like this, because every aspect of it has been given so much care that it’s difficult to contain the excitement. The music, the character design and the game play are all so on point but the most captivating feature of the game is the teamwork. It really does take a team to play this game, if you have a group of 6 show-boating Reapers? You’re gonna lose. You need a well-rounded and diverse group of tanks, snipers, defense, offense and support to really bring home a win.
Which brings up the point that this game is not just for the FPS enthusiast. Regardless of your play style you can find a character to fall in love with. Even if you’re not a guns blazing hero type – which I’m not – there is certainly someone for you. You can provide support from the rear or defend and boost your team, anyway you want to help is open for you! And regardless of your play style you are commended for it, the final boards at the end of each match display memorable player kills as well as teammates healed and support given. Of course if you are the type to go down in a show of glory there are lots of options for you as well and the final boards will definitely reflect a 20 man kill streak.
The heroes are so lovable and diverse it’s so great to see a wide array of character types, races and genders all together. I like playing as Symmetra – mostly because I like turrets – but also when else does a video game give you the opportunity to play as an Indian woman?
The skin swaps as well for each character are incredible, there are pallet swaps as well as full costume changes! Play as pirate Torbjörn, Devi Symmtera or First Nations Totem armor Pharah. Unlockables/purchasable items and skins are so rewarding to collect and with every level up you get a new Loot Box and a new chance to gain even more amazing stuff! The maps are beautifully designed and detailed with lots of opportunities to maximize character’s potential with their special abilities. Which can really change how you approach a match, whether you go in head on or take a more cerebral approach.
Here at The Game Fanatics we always try to get together online and play something, but this is the first time we felt we needed to play together. This game calls on your greatest instincts to co-operate and have fun; it’s so rewarding to win in a group and even more rewarding to win in a group of friends. This game is something you can pick up and play by yourself and get a ton of joy out of, or it’s a game you can play with a group of colleagues or buds for a bit of extra excitement.
Without delving into the game play too much – in the interest of saving it for the full review – the controls are easy to pick up. Beta matches are all online with the exception of training mode where you can get to know your preferred play style. Each character has at least two special abilities as well as a chargeable super ability and of course there is your regular shoot/combat button for every character. Having said that shooting/combat is not the same for everyone – not every character has a gun – which again, gives a player a lot many options. As for the abilities? Warp from place to place with Reaper, route your enemies with Mei’s ice walls or go full ape-scat and pulverize them with Winston’s primal rage; the options are as diverse as the characters themselves.
This may seem like a lot to handle, but every character has a window to open at any point in order to re-affirm how to use them. It may take a couple of matches to get your feet on the ground but once you do it’s easy to start running, with so many options in characters, play modes and maps this beta will have you playing from the 5th straight through to the 9th and waiting patiently for the 24th.
This has been a very promising beta release for Overwatch and once you try it you’ll probably be just as hooked as we are. So stay hyped and keep your radar on The Game Fanatics because we’ll have the full review as soon as it comes out.
