Overwatch (the thread of the game)

[noiseredux]

So the beta is happening now for those that pre-ordered. I believe an open beta will be kicking off in a few days as well. The game doesn't come to retail until 5/24, but was curious if anyone else had started playing the beta - or if anyone is planning to get in the open beta or pick up the game when it's actually out?

I've only gotten to play for a little over an hour, but so far I really like what I experienced. It certainly has that recent Blizzard knack for easing you into a competitive genre that you may have little or no prior experience with.

I did the tutorial stuff and then played a good half-dozen games w/ online teammates vs. AI to see how things work. I've only had a chance to try a couple of characters yet. I'm really enjoying playing as Mercy - she's a healer primarily, but her mobility is excellent (basically if she can see a teammate she can quickly fly to them, and that power recharges pretty rapidly). She's got a healing gun and shooting gun. And her special power (that's filled by doing damage) can actually revive a fallen teammate before they respawn. Good stuff.

Anyway, seems like a pretty awesome game. Anyone else interested in it?

[emwearz]

I am totally interested in it, but for some reason it goes live way later in Australia, not even just across the time zones, but relatively it is later as well.

So I have been playing it on PS4 until I can get back to the master race.

It actually reminds me of a more FPS / Arena style version of SMITE.

[MrPopo]

I'll probably check out the open beta; it might be what gets me involved in multiplayer gaming again.

[Erik_Twice]

I'm kind of on the fence about it. On one hand, it's fun and well-made but, on the other, I can't help but notice that it compares very poorly with Team Fortress 2.

This is a bit unfair, because to me TF2 is one of the best shooting games ever made and most other games will inevitable fall short. But it's also unvoidable because Overwatch takes liberally from it, to the point that one of the characters, Bastion, is a gimped clone of the Heavy and the game modes are clearly inspired by it.

My main problem with Overwatch is that, ultimately, it's a lively set of characters on a mediocre chasis. It's fun, and good-enough, but the Quake-inspired mechanics of TF2 have been replaced by softer post-Halo design, with automatic hitscan weapons being commonplace. It kind of runs on the same set of mechanics as Titanfall or Evolve and those simply aren't the best ones.

It's polished, sure, but it just feels second-rate to me. The hodgepodge clichéd characters and bright "you are a hero" world are not deep and neither are the narrow, canyon-like levels of the game.

I don't know, for me it's just ok. It's fun, but I can't love it. And at first I was okey with that, but over time the thought of spending 30€ on it is starting to make me uneasy.

Part of this is the community. It's going for the same audience that plays Heartsone and LoL and they are incredibly toxic. In the two or three days I tried the game I received more complaints and harrasment than I had in years of Team Fortress. The first time you see a manchildren yell and cry because you picked a "bad" character you laugh, but when it happens every game you enjoyment of the game really goes down.

Typing that, I think that the whole community thing is a bigger turn-off for me than the mediocre mechanics. I just don't have fun and if it reaches the point I have to mute everyone, should I even bother?

[noiseredux]

I'll probably check out the open beta; it might be what gets me involved in multiplayer gaming again.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Niu9Zmrx0p8

[noiseredux]

I'm kind of on the fence about it.

One thing you need to understand is that Blizzard's bread & butter these days seems to be taking these huge games with huge followings and sort of making them more approachable to a new audience. I'm not saying they're dumbed down or noob-ish or whatever. But they are purposely more approachable. Part of that may even be that they're new games rather than long established ones.

For me, I never got into TF2. So playing that is more intimidating than starting fresh w/ Overwatch. Who knows, maybe I'll want to play TF2 after I get into this? On the same note, I never thought I'd like a MOBA, but I've dumped around 60 hours into Heroes Of The Storm. MTG never really allured me, but I played a friggin' ton of Hearthstone. You get the point.

[Ack]

I'm kind of on the fence about it. On one hand, it's fun and well-made but, on the other, I can't help but notice that it compares very poorly with Team Fortress 2.

This is a bit unfair, because to me TF2 is one of the best shooting games ever made and most other games will inevitable fall short. But it's also unvoidable because Overwatch takes liberally from it, to the point that one of the characters, Bastion, is a gimped clone of the Heavy and the game modes are clearly inspired by it.

The funny thing about TF2 is that this is how I felt about it after playing TFC.

[MrPopo]

TF2 achieved perfection when they released the Mannpower game mode.

[fastbilly1]

So why should I play this over Battleborn?

[noiseredux]

So why should I play this over Battleborn?

because I am.