Overwatch 2’s beta test will take place on the 26th, and I have to play a few hours in advance of the closed alpha time. While I didn’t play any PvE modes, I did experience the feel of the new 5v5 PvP matches. Overwatch 2 has a lot of hero changes and new maps, and although the things I can play in the closed alpha version are very limited, I have a general understanding of how Overwatch 2 performs in PvP mode and try out the new game mode: push . Here are my thoughts after taking the closed alpha test.
First, Overwatch 2 does look gorgeous. The environment is clean and tidy, with updated and refreshed hero appearances. Opening Overwatch 2 feels like opening Overwatch for the first time at launch, but with better graphics and performance. The new map looks vibrant and lively, a nice change from the same map lineup that has been used for a long time in Overwatch. There’s also a new ping system that lets you point out specific enemies next to the callout system in Overwatch 1. The ping system is very intuitive and allows you to more accurately communicate with your team, and I’ve always felt that modern FPS games need at least a basic ping system since it’s really just a quality of life adjustment.
Since Overwatch launched, it’s been a 6v6 team game, basically consisting of two tanks, two DPS, and two healers. But now with Overwatch 2, we’re going to be a team of five with just one tank, two dps, and two healers. This new combo feels odd when playing unranked, since before you had two tanks to counteract DPS damage, healers can use it to put pressure on your team. With only one tank in the team, making any meaningful progress in the game mode feels very difficult.
For example, in a “capture point” objective, it’s very difficult to really have a solid push with the team sitting on the point, and even at the other end, defending the point is just as difficult because you don’t have the extra tank effort to protect significant damage. In a 5v5 situation, Overwatch 2 feels like a contest of who can do the most damage in the shortest time, and that team will win the fight and be able to secure the goal. But even the winning team loses massive numbers and has to wait for a respawn reset to really advance. So the match cycle for more damage starts again, and it just flushes and repeats.
While the original Overwatch also felt like a tug-of-war, it never felt as unbalanced as this new entry. This is most evident in the new game mode Push, which takes players to a symmetrical map where two teams battle to control a robot that will push a payload into enemy territory. The team that pushes the bot/payload farthest from the enemy wins. With Push, the tug-of-war feel becomes overwhelming, and when you realize the match is taking a long time to play because both sides are dealing more damage than tanks, it creates a feeling of constant exchange of kills and stalemate.
Of course, this is a closed alpha test with a limited number of invited players, so in a live game, skill-based matchmaking might balance things out a bit and make the 5v5 balance feel less distorted. But my immediate reaction to playing with the new balance and changes isn’t exciting, and I’m more concerned about the longevity of Overwatch 2’s PvP than anything else.
Some hero changes include Doomfist changing from a DPS hero to a tank hero. This was a change I never expected and felt very strange at first.I didn’t get a chance to experience Doomfist firsthand in this alpha test, but I did have time to fight him and it was more intimidating to face him
His base health has been increased from 250 to 450, and his mobility remains the same as before as a DPS hero. Although his skill damage has been reduced, Doomfist as a tank is very difficult to adapt as he deals a lot of knockback, stun and slow. As Sombra’s main force, I’m still able to negate a lot of Doomfist’s abilities, or any push we make would be a debilitating loss for our team, but it feels like we’ve always had to make sure he’s completely out of combat times.
Orisa has also seen a change in heroes, and while she’s still a tank, her abilities have changed dramatically. Orisa no longer has her shield, but has increased her health and armor to help her become a fighting tank. Now, the more damage her primary weapon fires, the closer she gets to enemies, her weapon now doesn’t need to be reloaded, but requires a cooldown if it fires for too long.
Orisa still has Fortify and it brings some added tweaks like giving her more shot time before the weapon cools down and giving her 125 more health. Orisa also has a secondary firepower that allows her to throw energy javelins at enemies that need precision, and will cause a stun and increased damage when an enemy has a wall behind her. This is actually a very interesting ability, especially if you’re good at sniper shooting and need to deal a little extra damage. Orisa’s kit now includes the Javelin Spin ability, which she can spin to destroy incoming projectiles and damage enemies as they push them back.
So with her buffs, she’s a pretty decent force in close combat, and her ultimate has been reworked to add to this aggressive toolkit. Terra Lance, the new ultimate, empowers Orisa and pulls nearby enemies while charging up for AOE attacks. Enemies don’t get sucked into ultimates like Zarya does, but it does allow her team to quickly coordinate focused attacks when the ultimates hit. Honestly, Orisa’s changes feel really good, she feels more like my hero because she’s still a tank, but can now fight in close quarters and provide a lot of support to her team. Her rework feels interesting and makes Orisa feel like a better tank even without her shield.
The Overwatch 2 beta, which launches on April 26, will include the Overwatch 1 map and four additional new maps, the hero rework discussed above, and a new playable hero, Sojourn. If you’d like to try Overwatch 2 for yourself, you can now sign up on the Play Overwatch website to opt-in to the beta. Since I’m in closed alpha, things may change, we’ll be doing beta testing and keeping a close eye on Overwatch 2 development. So, between now and the official release of Overwatch 2, make sure to stay on IGN for all your Overwatch updates and news.
Stella is a video producer, host and editor for IGN. Her gaming focus is on competitive FPS games, and she has previously reviewed Apex Legends, Hyper Scape, Halo Infinite Multiplayer, and Battlefield 2042. When she’s not streaming on her Twitch channel after get off work, she regularly hosts and streams competitive Apex Legends and Halo Infinite tournament exits. You can follow her on Twitter @ParallaxStella.
