Overwatch 2 first impressions – hands-on with early access

metro.co.uk:

Was there really a need for Overwatch 2? That’s the big question, and even after playing the game the answer is still not clear.

It’s six years since the launch of the original Overwatch, so in normal circumstances a sequel would seem overdue at this point. That’s not generally how live service games work though and even when they announced it, developer Blizzard made it clear this isn’t a normal sequel. Exactly what it is though has been frequently unclear in the run up to its launch, but now finally we’ve had a chance to play it… sort of.

Although it has a number at the end of its name this really isn’t a sequel in the traditional sense, but a continuation of the same game with a lot of the same characters, maps, and mechanics. The existing characters are all included and while most have had major overhauls the differences still aren’t significant enough that they couldn’t just have been part of the first game.

Having said that, the redesigns do bring a certain freshness and a feeling that you’re in the next gen era of Overwatch. There’s more variety and intricacy in their designs and despite the departure of lead hero designer Geoff Goodman, mere weeks before the launch of Overwatch 2, there is still the sense that new additions to the roster have the potential to be even more innovative than before.

However, if you’re new to the Overwatch franchise, you’ll have a grind on your hands in order to unlock all of the characters. Those that did play Overwatch have automatically had their heroes transferred over and don’t need to put in the hours to obtain them, but everyone else starts with a very limited roster that focuses on the three main new characters – and even then only two are instantly accessible for everyone.

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