| Overwatch 2 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | Gameplay & Story | Pre-Order & DLC | Review |
Overwatch 2 is a free-to-play 5v5 hero shooter featuring iconic heroes fighting for a better world in the aftermath of a global crisis. Read on to learn how it plays, what it’s about, and everything else we know so far.
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Overwatch 2 Gameplay
Overwatch 2 builds upon the foundation of its predecessor, centering its gameplay on objective-based, team-focused battles across a variety of dynamic maps. Players choose from specialized heroes, each assigned a role that defines their contribution to the team’s success.
Heroes fall into three main categories: Damage, Tank, and Support. Damage heroes excel in dealing high amounts of damage but are less durable. Tank heroes absorb damage and shield teammates, often using barriers or crowd-control abilities. Support heroes provide utility through healing, shielding, or disrupting enemies, ensuring the team’s longevity and effectiveness in combat.
Each hero is equipped with a primary weapon featuring unlimited ammunition and a primary fire option, with some also offering an alternate fire. They also have unique abilities tailored to their role, typically including a primary offensive or support ability, a movement skill, a passive, and a game-changing ultimate ability. Ultimate abilities gain charge over time or through actions like dealing damage or providing healing.
Unlike other hero shooters, Overwatch 2 forgoes an in-match shop system in favor of more reactibility in hero selection. Players can switch heroes freely when in the spawn room, allowing for dynamic adjustments during gameplay.
Regarding in-game progression, all heroes and abilities are available to unlock through continued gameplay, removing the need for unlocking characters through in-game currency. Metagame progression is tied to a seasonal battle pass, which rewards players with cosmetics such as skins, sprays, stickers, and highlight intros for participating in matches. Competitive players can also test their skills in the game’s ranked mode, climbing the ladder against others seeking the same challenge.
Overwatch 2 Story
The narrative of Overwatch 2 builds on the foundation established in the original game. Set in a near-future Earth recovering from global crises, the game explores the resurgence of the Overwatch organization, a once-disbanded international task force dedicated to maintaining peace and combating threats to humanity.
The story takes place in a world where advanced technologies like robotics, artificial intelligence, and cybernetics coexist with global conflict and political unrest. Years after the Omnic Crisis—a catastrophic war between humans and Omnics (sentient robots)—the uneasy peace between the two groups is crumbling.
A new wave of threats emerges, including terrorist organizations like Talon, which seeks to manipulate global chaos, and Null Sector, a militant Omnic faction fighting for robot liberation through violent means.
Key characters include Winston, a brilliant scientist and former Overwatch member, who takes the lead in reuniting the disbanded team to confront these threats. Alongside him are iconic figures such as Tracer, Genji, and Mei, as well as new recruits like Echo and Baptiste.
The game’s overall story is still currently unfolding with the release of new heroes, updates, and supplementary material like webcomics and cinematics.
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