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Overwatch: It is not often the case that a game is developed and published by the same company – but similar to a number of other things, this game breaks those boundaries. Blizzard Entertainment are behind this game and have also been behind a number of hits like: World of Warcraft, Hearthstone and Diablo III (one of the best games I have played in a number of years). However, none of these previous hits are first-person shooters, and that filled me with slight trepidation.
When you switch on the game, you are treated to a video intro and I really do mean treat. It starts off with Winston (one of the heroes) giving an incredibly motivating speech about how he needs all the heroes to come together, reunite and help save the world once again. After watching the story, it highlights how, once upon a time, all the heroes saved the world but they were rejected by the civilisation and alienated. Now they are all separated and in hiding, but Winston is worried about the world once again and needs them to become the heroes they are.
I have to admit I really loved this video – it was funny, well filmed (well made) and had excellent visuals. It actually inspired me to play this game and complete what I was hoping to be a great story.
Story… Yeh, what story? I would say this is pretty much my only gripe with this game. There’s no darn story mode. Unlike the similar (but not as good) Battleborn game, you actually only have an online mode, and the online mode is number of different team games rather than a particular story. Yes, this annoyed me. Yes, I wanted a story. No, this doesn’t make it a bad game and that must be testament to the guys other at Blizzard.
I have nothing bad I can say about the graphics, so let’s not be critical and let’s talk about the good stuff. Firstly, the characters look absolutely amazing. They are full of fine details ranging from their attire, their weaponry as well as their facial differences. I found myself playing as each character for the first 21 times *just* so I could see what they looked like.
Not only do the characters look great, but so do all 12 of the maps. You go from exploring streets of Mexico in Dorado to jumping around the bright trees of Japan in Hanamura. All 12 maps offer something different, visually, and at times I even found myself running around exploring the maps rather than actually focusing on the mission objective (don’t tell my teammates). What is important, is how I couldn’t notice any change in the frame rate of the game when I was involved in large brawls. This game manages to play and looks good which isn’t always the case with modern games.
The music doesn’t offer anything new to this genre, however, it does provide you with a perfect gaming soundtrack. All the songs you hear follow the same progressive dance sound where, as the music continues, you become more inspired and ready to complete your mission. The voice acting is clear and all the characters’ voices are believable. The general sounds of the game offer that standard online shooting game style, and if I’m honest, they reminded me of Destiny and even Halo at times. This isn’t in anyway a bad thing as many games have tried something new and it hasn’t paid off.
Go to page 2 for more thoughts on the game plus conclusions.
I have been a video game player since 1993 and a music fan since I can remember. I studied Film and Journalism at university and ended up becoming a Primary School teacher. Video games changed my life and sent me on the right track and have stayed with me ever since.