Can we just talk about what we think of Overwatch as a game? Please?

[IllumInaTIma]

With all the threads about female character designs and oversexualization it feels like game itself kinda gets pushed to the background and it is simply a shame. So, let's talk about a FREAKIN' GAME!

I am so excited about it!!! So, I woke up and all over the news there were some weird images and talks about NEW BLIZZARD IP! I launched the cinematic trailer and holy hell I was amazed! Is that really Blizzard? But it looks so... shiny and bright and, for the lack of the better word, cheerful! It was so refreshing! And then I saw the gameplay and specific character trailers and was blown away even further! "Holly hell, it is Team Fortress from Blizzard!" and it is amazing! Multiple unique classes and really effective, but simple control scheme and skills implementation. Space, Shift, LMB, RMB, Q and E and here you go! MOBA experience in your first person perspective!
But, I guess the main reason I'm so excited is because it seems like it's going to the first truly CLASS BASED FPS since... well, since Team Fortress 2, and as an avid fan of TF2 I couldn't be happier!

What about you guys? Any early impressions? Perhaps some of you lucky bastards were able to actually try the game out on Blizzcon?

 

[Grumman]

As I said in another thread, this feels like another dumbed down Blizzard game. There's only a handful of things you can do per character, and half of those are just variants of each other locked behind cooldowns of ten seconds or longer. Pharah can walk, multi-jump and fire AoE rockets, and can intermittently high jump, fire AoE grenades and fire an AoE ultimate. If you want to do more than jump and fire AoEs, too bad. At least TF2 lets you use your rocket launcher or your shotgun.

 

[IllumInaTIma]

As I said in another thread, this feels like another dumbed down Blizzard game. There's only a handful of things you can do per character, and half of those are just variants of each other locked behind cooldowns of ten seconds or longer. Pharah can walk, multi-jump and fire AoE rockets, and can intermittently high jump, fire AoE grenades and fire an AoE ultimate. If you want to do more than jump and fire AoEs, too bad. At least TF2 lets you use your rocket launcher or your shotgun.

Limited options for each class is kinda the point of a class based game. And your comparison with TF2 doesn't make any sense.
Oh, you want to hit someone from afar with a Demoman? Too bad, because your class is designed for close quarters and utilizing explosions. Oh, you want to kill multiple enemies with a sniper? Too bad, because your class is designed to eliminate single enemies from afar. Oh, you want to be fast and reach the point in shortest amount of time? Too bad, because you're not the scout. I can keep going.

Having only a handful of things you can do per character is what class based game is about!

 

[The Madman]

Looks neat. I don't really play many competitive fps anymore aside from UT2004 which I keep installed for whenever I'm in the mood, but from what I've seen of Overwatch so far I'd at least be willing to give it a try. Seems bright and colourful enough to stand out from most of its competition while the different classes all look intriguing to play.

As for the complaints such as Gumman's above that it might be dumbed down... it's a shooter. In most shooter you only need to do one thing: Shoot. You point, you click, then either they die or you die. This isn't exactly a deep genre to begin with, we're not talking PCrpg or grand strategy titles here.

 

[AfroBattler]

The game looks really fun and interesting to me which surprised me cause these days I'm not that fond of first person shooters. The CG trailer also helped a bunch as it looked like something Pixar would make.

While I can sympathize with what Grumman is saying about the limits on what each class can do, that's actually what drew me in. Each class looks completely unique with no two looking like they play or act the same. The great separation of abilities between the classes creates a greater focus on teamwork as well since each class on the team has to use their strengths to cover the other's weaknesses. Even if teamwork doesn't cross the mind, for me testing out the radically different characters seems like a fun time. Out of all the classes though the hammer tank interests me the most if only to see how a more melee focus class would do in a gun fight.

My favorite classes I want to try first so far though would have to be Tracer, the monk robot, the hammer wielder, and the robot turret.

 

[Eddie the head]

I watched the trailer. The guard playing Hearthstone was funny. I don't really have much more of an opinion.

Edit. Why did they feel the need to add a Dwarf and a Paladin?

 

[WhiteTigerShiro]

The game is amazing. Just got back from BlizzCon, and I spent the entire time (hyperbolically speaking) rotating between waiting in line to play Overwatch, and playing Overwatch.

As I said in another thread, this feels like another dumbed down Blizzard game. There's only a handful of things you can do per character, and half of those are just variants of each other locked behind cooldowns of ten seconds or longer. Pharah can walk, multi-jump and fire AoE rockets, and can intermittently high jump, fire AoE grenades and fire an AoE ultimate. If you want to do more than jump and fire AoEs, too bad. At least TF2 lets you use your rocket launcher or your shotgun.

I like how you compare Pharah to the Soldier as an example of how you can do more with the class in TF2, yet in your own example you spend more time talking about what Pharah can do than what Soldier can do. And yeah, a lot of what Pharah does is AoE-based because that's her thing, she's also the obvious strawman for your argument, since most of the characters have quite a bit of variety in what they can do. Tracer has a blink, a rewind, and a sticky grenade; Bastion can go into turret mode, has a self repair, and a spider mine; Symmetra has turrets, can shield her allies, and a teleporter; and then there's Reinhardt who has a tackle, a projectile, a shield, and a ground slam. Oh yeah, just look at that lack of variety that the characters have. If you don't like that Pharah is AoE and pretty much only AoE, then don't play as Pharah. Maybe play as Ronin who has strong single-target and good AoE.

 

[Kopikatsu]

This thread needed to be made. And that makes me sad.

Regardless, of all the characters, I think Tracer would probably be my favorite to play. Low health high mobility assassin. I like that Reaper dual wields shotguns, but eh. His skills aren't interesting IMO.

Zenyatta doesn't look interesting mechanically, but I'd feel the need to play him just because punching orbs at people to kill them is very... visceral. And his throwing animation is amazing.

I've already signed up for the beta.

 

[IllumInaTIma]

The game is amazing. Just got back from BlizzCon, and I spent the entire time (hyperbolically speaking) rotating between waiting in line to play Overwatch, and playing Overwatch.

As I said in another thread, this feels like another dumbed down Blizzard game. There's only a handful of things you can do per character, and half of those are just variants of each other locked behind cooldowns of ten seconds or longer. Pharah can walk, multi-jump and fire AoE rockets, and can intermittently high jump, fire AoE grenades and fire an AoE ultimate. If you want to do more than jump and fire AoEs, too bad. At least TF2 lets you use your rocket launcher or your shotgun.

I like how you compare Pharah to the Soldier as an example of how you can do more with the class in TF2, yet in your own example you spend more time talking about what Pharah can do than what Soldier can do. And yeah, a lot of what Pharah does is AoE-based because that's her thing, she's also the obvious strawman for your argument, since most of the characters have quite a bit of variety in what they can do. Tracer has a blink, a rewind, and a sticky grenade; Bastion can go into turret mode, has a self repair, and a spider mine; Symmetra has turrets, can shield her allies, and a teleporter; and then there's Reinhardt who has a tackle, a projectile, a shield, and a ground slam. Oh yeah, just look at that lack of variety that the characters have. If you don't like that Pharah is AoE and pretty much only AoE, then don't play as Pharah. Maybe play as Ronin who has strong single-target and good AoE.

Oh hey there. I have a question, since you actually had an experience with a game. How does the shooting feel? I'm not worried about the balance and overall gameplay, but Blizzard is kinda novice when it comes to shooting genre.

 

[WhiteTigerShiro]

Oh hey there. I have a question, since you actually had an experience with a game. How does the shooting feel? I'm not worried about the balance and overall gameplay, but Blizzard is kinda novice when it comes to shooting genre.

The aiming is very solid, and the guns are a blast to use. I didn't try every character, granted, but I never felt hampered by the controls with the ones I did play.

 

[Grumman]

I like how you compare Pharah to the Soldier as an example of how you can do more with the class in TF2, yet in your own example you spend more time talking about what Pharah can do than what Soldier can do.

Yes, it's almost as if this is a thread about Overwatch. Maybe that could be why I talked more about Overwatch.

If you don't like that Pharah is AoE and pretty much only AoE, then don't play as Pharah. Maybe play as Ronin who has strong single-target and good AoE.

Not a chance. A character like Tracer or Bastion, sure, I'd get the game to play as one of them if the gameplay is good, but characters like Hanzo or Torbjorn don't interest me enough to want to play the game for their sake.

 

[Keoul]

I'm gunna wait until a few weeks after release before trying it out.

It looks great and pretty damn fun, like an actually good Brink (shots fired). I'm only worried about balancing and how they're gunna make money off this. I'd say TF2 is they biggest competition so making it free seems like a good way to go but I'm worried they'd just go with a shitload of micro transactions which would put me off.

So basically it looks great, hoping it's good but trying not to get too hyped since we haven't seen enough yet.

 

[SycoMantis91]

Oversexualization? ... What?

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

It's a TF2 knock-off. What else is there to talk about, if not skins and their design?

Tracer = Scout
Reinhardt = Heavy
Torbjorn = Engineer
Widowmaker = Sniper
Mercy = Medic

etc.

 

[Elvis Starburst]

Jesus, remember when games were about the games? Thanks for this thread, OP!

Honestly? I'm not into these co-op shooter thingies. But, it did look pretty neat. Found a few classes I could see myself playing as in the end, so... I might give it a shot. Maybe

 

[Tayh]

From early impressions, it looks too much like a tf2-clone to me. Which isn't a good thing.
Especially Mercy, the angel.
I like the diversity of the classes though. Both functionally and visually.
And the amount of classes, too. The human brain is perfectly capable of keeping track of more than 6 different classes.

I'll hold off final judgement until I see some more of the game.

 

[Texas Joker 52]

It looks good. In fact, the best way I've been able to see it, is that it's a MOBA/FPS hybrid. Unlike Team Fortress 2, which it has a lot of similarities to, this doesn't have classes so much as 'champions' that each have their own particular flavor when it comes to abilities. I love the idea of each having a basic weapon, movement ability, utility ability, and a 'super'.

What I can't help but wonder is if there's a limit of one player per-character: Only one person can play Reaper, either period or on either team, everyone else has to pick someone else. That'd be understandable, but I can also see it forcing someone into playing a character they aren't familiar or comfortable with. As someone who can have a hard time adapting to different playstyles, I can attest that if it works out badly, it's not fun.

I'm also hoping that maybe, just maybe, it'll get a console release with post-release support. And yes, I can already hear the backlash to that particular hope. "What? NO! I don't want those filthy console-losers dumbing down my glorious PC title!"

To that, I say that it's clearly meant to be mainly a PC release, even if it goes multiplatform. If anyone suffers from the 'dumbing down', it'd be the console players, and I'm fine with that. The way I see it, going multiplatform means Blizzard has more potential profits, and more people get the chance to have fun with the game.

And lastly... When the hell is Blizzard going to make a full-length animated movie for some of their properties? They have the animation chops, the Cinematic Trailer for this, and the proper cutscenes for Starcraft 2 are proof enough, and I'm loving the settings they're making. I would pay to watch a Starcraft movie, no questions asked so long as it's made by Blizzard themselves. I know they can do it.

 

[The Goat Tsar]

It's a TF2 knock-off. What else is there to talk about, if not skins and their design?

Tracer = Scout
Reinhardt = Heavy
Torbjorn = Engineer
Widowmaker = Sniper
Mercy = Medic

etc.

I see the similarities with Widowmaker and Torbjorn but not the rest. Reinhardt and the Heavy are only similar in that they fulfill the role of tanks. Their play styles are completely different, unless you play the Heavy as someone who runs up and punches people instead of using his giant mini-gun. And Tracer and Scout? Yeah, they're both fast, but what else? Does Tracer have an equivalent of the Soda Popper, Mad Milk, Force of Nature, etc.? Can Scout teleport all of a sudden?

And you didn't even address the weirder classes, like Zenyatta in Overwatch or the Spy in TF2.

 

[IllumInaTIma]

What I can't help but wonder is if there's a limit of one player per-character: Only one person can play Reaper, either period or on either team, everyone else has to pick someone else. That'd be understandable, but I can also see it forcing someone into playing a character they aren't familiar or comfortable with. As someone who can have a hard time adapting to different playstyles, I can attest that if it works out badly, it's not fun.

There's no limit to a number of similar characters. That kinda gives a hint that if the game is gonna be f2p, all the characters are gonna be unlocked right away.

 

[Rayce Archer]

Have to play it to see for sure. The characters look fun to play and I like the idea of some of them straight up flying. OTOH the art in general is kind of generic looking. And boo to bringing the Demon Hunter's dorky strafe animation to their FPS. I'm not sure what all that business is about "everyone only has 4 things you can do, not as good as TF2" though; last I checked each class in TF2 had 4 slots (except melee demoman who has 3). I'd love another wacky hijinks FPS, and Bliz has a pretty solid track record in my book.

Re: not exploitin' teh wimmins: I don't think the ladies in there look much more or less naked than in most shooters. Perhaps versus the silly skinshow that is RPG armor they're overdressed, but compared to UT and company, about the same. I certainly don't think anything about them warrants any bitching.