Overwatch (PS4) Review

Overjoy.

 Developer Blizzard Entertainment's most anticipated game of the year, Overwatch is finally here. I was pretty skeptical of it at first and didn't bother to mention it on my 2016 anticipated games list. However, after playing it for hours and hours, I was dead wrong. Based on the likes of Team Fortress 2, Overwatch is a first-person shooter with an emphasis on teamwork, similar to last year's Evolve but done better. It also carries some concepts from Blizzard's MMO, Titan, which didn't see the light of day. Anyway, let's get into the review.

STORY- Many years into the future, Earth has faced a crisis that puts them face-to-face with artificial intelligence. To combat this threat, Overwatch was formed by the UN to protect humanity. While all that sounds great, there's no story mode here. Which sucks since it would have been neat to explore the world of Overwatch and learn more about the playable heroes. 

Overwatch has a diverse cast of characters.

GAMEPLAY- Overwatch is a team-based first-person shooter, each of the two teams is composed of six players each. The characters have their own advantages and disadvantages. A hero has a main attack accompanied by two other skills. As time passes, a meter located at the bottom of the screen can be filled to unleash a hero's ultimate attack. For example, offense-player McCree's attack has him saying "It's high noon" and then immediately kills one or more enemies on screen, healer Mercy's ability has her reviving any allies that have recently died with full health, defender D.Va can self-destruct her mech once it's destroyed, killing nearby enemies if they're near the explosion. Every character has their own unique ultimate attack that you should consider giving a try. 

The gameplay is easy to learn but is hard to master.

 Characters come in four varieties: offense, defense, tank, and support. Offense characters deal great damage and have good mobility, but have low health. Defense characters have medium health and are perfect for protecting bases from enemies. Tank characters have the most health and do a good job at distracting enemies, however, they're mobility is slow. Finally, support characters provide healing and buffing to their teammates. However, they deal the lowest of damage and can be killed easily. Initially, I've been continuously playing as McCree, D.Va, and Pharrah. However, after trying other different characters such as Junkrat, Winston, and Reaper, I've been having more fun than I previously had. If you have a specific character that's working well for you, that's great! But you should still try out other characters, they might become your new faves.

 Towards the end of a matchmaking game, you'll earn experience points. The amount depends on how well you did on that game and if your team has won or lost. As you reach a new level, a crate that's filled with cosmetics such as skins, sprays, and coins-- the game's currency. Coins are used to unlock additional cosmetics for your characters too. If you're an inpatient player, Overwatch has micro-transactions that let you can buy crates with real-world money form the PlayStation Store. A feature I don't like seeing in big-budget games, but I guess this how things are going this gen. 

The variety in Overwatch adds more depth to the
overall experience.

 Overwatch has a variety of game modes found in other multiplayer games. There's your standard tutorial and practice modes that'll help you get familiar with the game. Additionally, there are other modes such as custom play, matchmaking, and ranked play where you can invite your friends, fight against them, or just play with them in private. An annoyance I had with the game is that it's strictly online and there's no form of offline play. It's especially annoying when there's a big update and the game tells you that you can't play anything until its completed.

PRESENTATION- Overwatch is one of the gorgeous games of the year. I'm a big fan of its cartoon-esque designs and backgrounds. Also, the game runs at a stunning 60 frames per-second making the overall flow of the game feel smooth. Voice-work is good, though nothing noteworthy. The soundtrack is great and I found myself enjoying some of the neat tracks in some stages. 

The production values here are superb.

OVERALL- So far I haven't enjoyed much of this year's releases. However, I had plenty of fun playing Overwatch, especially with friends. It's high production-values and addictive gameplay are its strong areas. While While story mode would have been a nice addition, the game makes up for it with lots of content. I don't think I gave the game much justice in my review but I recommend that you consider getting it. You'll be surprised at the amount of fun you'll have.