Game Review: Overwatch 2 and its stressful release

With the original release of Overwatch 2 on October 4th, the launch ran into many server issues immediately. This resulted in Blizzard Entertainment, the creators of Overwatch, being hacked and becoming the victims of two DDoS attacks. This caused a lot of backlash from the fans who blamed the company and the perpetrators of said attack. Many fans were also upset as the creators of the franchise shut down the servers to the original Overwatch, in order to prepare for the new free-to-play sequel. While they were working on making the game available to the public again Aaron Keller, the current director of Overwatch 2 released a statement over twitter.

We’re steadily making progress on server issues and stability, as well as working through a second DDoS attack. We’re all hands on deck and will continue to work throughout the night. Thank you for your patience - we’ll share more info as it becomes available.
— Aaron Keller (@aaronkellerOW) October 5, 2022

Despite all this the servers were fully available to the public on Thursday the 6th of October. However, players who were eager to play remained in a queue with thousands of others until they were eventually allowed access. After playing this game over the past few days I have concluded that despite all the hassle Overwatch 2 is an improvement from the original.

Overwatch’s original way to earn skins and other cosmetics for your characters was their infamous Loot Boxes. In the original, you would gain one with every level completely free. They also had an endorsement system where your team-mates were able to congratulate you and with that you would gain a minor level where you could also receive Loot Boxes. However, for those who wanted the cosmetics without levelling up you were able to purchase them with your own money in bundles and individually to give you the most access. In Overwatch 2 however; they have replaced this system with a new battle pass. Following in the footsteps of other popular games such as Fortnite and PUBG.

Sojourn is a damage main whose abilities focus on fast movement and dealing major damage with her primary weapon, her gun is used for rapid fire however, if you use one of her abilities it can become an explosive blast. Her last attack comes from her arm which creates a vortex that deals damage to surrounding opponents over time. Overall, Sojourn is a great addition to the game and is a perfect option for new players who want to do well in unranked and competitive games. Her attacks are clean and powerful and with her fast movement, you can get away if you’re in need of healing.

Also, with the release of the game we were given 3 new characters. Sojourn, Junker Queen, and Kiriko.

One of the new characters, Sojourn. Credit: Jordan Blackwood

Junker Queen is a tank main who focuses on hitting hard and helping her allies. Junker Queen uses a shot gun that has a slower fire rate than Sojourn however, it deals a lot of damage. She also has a secondary ability that allows her to charge up an axe at close range to deal hard hitting blows. Her last attack is a knife which she can throw and call back to her, if an opponent is hit on its return, they will be dragged toward Junker Queen so she can eliminate them. Junker Queen is a good addition to the character roster however, she is probably a better option for those with a bit more experience with precise aim and those that don’t mind slower movement. However, her auto heal that slowly heals her health over time may be a good option for those wanting to live a little longer.

Kiriko is a support main whose focus is to heal her allies in battle. Kiriko uses her Healing Ofuda ability that hones in on her teammates to restore their health. However, Kiriko doesn’t only heal, she also has her trusty kunai which she uses to deal damage to her opponents and while the damage isn’t the largest, they still do a reasonable amount. She also has a Protection Suzu ability that grants herself and allies' invulnerability for a short amount of time allowing them to resist damage. Kiriko’s Swift Step ability also allows her to teleport to her allies in need of healing within a specific range. Overall, Kiriko is an amazing addition to the game as she is easy to use and navigate and due to her speed and selfheal is a great option for new players that still need practice and to gain more of an understanding of the game.

Overall, the release of Overwatch 2 was quite messy however, their brand-new additions to the game help make player experience a lot better. They have introduced new characters, new abilities, new maps for fights and even new graphics. While not much else with the game has changed, what they have added has made it a rather enjoyable experience and as it is now free on all platforms except mobile, it gives everyone the chance to enjoy the wonder that is Overwatch 2.