In a recent update for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One Overwatch has received a couple of bug fixes and a couple of hero nerfs. But what is arguably the biggest change is Competitive Play mode.
Up until now the online options to play in Overwatch were Quickplay matches and Custom Games. With the addition of Competitive Play mode players can now score points to earn standings. What you need to know about this ranked mode is pretty simple, it starts with season one. Season one runs until August and once it’s over it will start again at season two. You’ll start competitive mode by playing 10 placement matches which will calculate your overall player rank. Once you get that rank you’ll be placed in matches with other people around your rank.
Now maybe like me, you had a few – 7 – bad games. Maybe you weren’t feelin’ the vibe, maybe you hate Route 66 or maybe you had three people playing Genji and someone who thought it would be genius to play Torbjörn on attack. No worries because you can absolutely advance your standing, however it is not simple to do. Gaining any progress typically feels like it’s coupled with 2 steps back, as having a solid winning streak is almost unheard of.
So what to do? Firstly if you really care, DO NOT play with randoms. You will rarely have synergy in your team and when there’s an arbitrary point system in place you feel a weird amount of pressure to excel. Now I play this game a lot – it’s one of the only game I’ve played since it came out in May. I’m by no means an expert but if I could impart some tips here are a few that will not only help you but the rest of your team.
- Support – They squishy as hell y’all and they need your protection, a smart enemy team will target your healer and make life terrible for them. Don’t let them do that, if they stay in the game you stay in the game. As support character you have the ability to self-heal to a degree. Lucio and Mercy can both restore HP (Mercy will auto-regain after not taking damage for 3 seconds) Zenyatta and Symmettra have shields that will replenish after a few seconds as well; take the time you need to regain your health.
- Tank – You’re there to absorb the hatred of the other team. Every Tank character has a way to take a bunch of damage and protect your teammates as well. That saying, “Stay Behind the Rectangle” people allocate to Reinhardt is true for every Tank, let them be your shield.
- Offense – Do what you do best, bring down the other team. You work well in almost every scenario, so get in for the flank kill or scout ahead of the escort convoy to keep it moving forward. But remember the rest of your team. The players who sin the most are the offensive ones. Offensive players have a habit of going off and doing their own thing. You need healing? Go find Mercy. You have a Reinhardt? Fire from behind his shield. Your versatility is amazingly accentuated by using your teammates collective skills.
- Defense – It’s all about maintaining an area. Pick a location on the map that you want to guard and make that place yours. Set traps, block entrances or position yourself in a way that doesn’t let others into that space. You’re amazing at holding a position or maintaining it. The biggest sin here is, you are not an offense hero. Widowmaker, Hanzo, Bastion, Torbjörn? They’re made to hold an area or safe guard it. Think of maps as different regions you’re looking to hold, don’t spread yourself too thin.
And that’s my two cents, the most basic of functions that can help you work as a together. Remember it is a team game, your composition and how you and you work together is essential. When you start to play as a team rather than just with other people it becomes a lot easier to win and a lot more fun to play!
