This review was written before the game released
Context for this review: I've hit grandmaster on tank & DPS and mostly play socially and for the gameplay. My Overwatch 1 review is four stars.
- Gameplay changes are a mixed bag, but I'm enjoying the gameplay a bit more than I expected (I had low expectations from the beta). Removing CC and shields is an upgrade. 5v5 is... I don't know, less deathmatchy than I thought it would be, though I still prefer 6v6 (especially because many heroes still aren't balanced well for this change). The faster pace kinda works, though Overwatch was fast-paced already. The new hero additions are great, best gameplay from new heroes in ages. I somewhat dislike the linearity and gameplay of push, but some of the new maps are pretty alright. Ping system is good.
- Cosmetically, definitely a downgrade. Miss the on-fire meter, player cards, old competitive ranks, the old UI, and many QOL features. The in-game leaderboard is nice from an information perspective, but could look better. Some of the new art is pretty.
- The lore is neglected - let's see if they improve on that by releasing PvE (which they'll certainly heavily monetize).
- For casual players' sense of progression, it's a huge downgrade. Cosmetics aren't viably earnable anymore, levels are removed, all to point people towards the battlepass for any dopamine. This is really bad for Overwatch's health in the long run; with the competitive scene dying, it relies on casual players.
- The monetization is atrocious and makes me want to quit the game. I'm trying to ignore it as much as possible. FOMO and preying on people with addictive impulses is the name of the game for Microsoft-Activision-Blizzard now.
Overall verdict: Worse. I'll probably still play it consistently, but the monetization scheme may make me quit in the long run.
Edit: I play only a couple times a week now, changed my rating from 3 stars to 1.5. Game is just soulless.
- Gameplay changes are a mixed bag, but I'm enjoying the gameplay a bit more than I expected (I had low expectations from the beta). Removing CC and shields is an upgrade. 5v5 is... I don't know, less deathmatchy than I thought it would be, though I still prefer 6v6 (especially because many heroes still aren't balanced well for this change). The faster pace kinda works, though Overwatch was fast-paced already. The new hero additions are great, best gameplay from new heroes in ages. I somewhat dislike the linearity and gameplay of push, but some of the new maps are pretty alright. Ping system is good.
- Cosmetically, definitely a downgrade. Miss the on-fire meter, player cards, old competitive ranks, the old UI, and many QOL features. The in-game leaderboard is nice from an information perspective, but could look better. Some of the new art is pretty.
- The lore is neglected - let's see if they improve on that by releasing PvE (which they'll certainly heavily monetize).
- For casual players' sense of progression, it's a huge downgrade. Cosmetics aren't viably earnable anymore, levels are removed, all to point people towards the battlepass for any dopamine. This is really bad for Overwatch's health in the long run; with the competitive scene dying, it relies on casual players.
- The monetization is atrocious and makes me want to quit the game. I'm trying to ignore it as much as possible. FOMO and preying on people with addictive impulses is the name of the game for Microsoft-Activision-Blizzard now.
Overall verdict: Worse. I'll probably still play it consistently, but the monetization scheme may make me quit in the long run.
Edit: I play only a couple times a week now, changed my rating from 3 stars to 1.5. Game is just soulless.