FIRST and FOREMOST, Overwatch is NOT a first person shooter where the main objective is to get as many kills as you can. If you can’t grasp that simple concept, STOP READING, this game ISN’T FOR YOU! You’ll be saving yourself and a lot of Overwatch regulars a lot of frustration by not playing. If this doesn't apply to you, then please keep reading. Apologies for the long read ahead, but hopefully this will provide enough insight to help make a decision on whether to get this game. Ok, now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, here’s the down low on the game:



I’ve been playing this game for over two years and am still enjoying every moment of it! In fact, it’s been the only video game I’ve played since Sep 2016 (when I bought it). I’ve played my share of multiplayer games with some sort of team aspect (Team Fortress, Unreal Tournament, Rainbow 6, Battlefield 1), and Overwatch is by far the best to me.



I love the unique implementation of the team aspect. The team objective modes in the game aren’t the capture the flag or team death match that’s typically seen in other games. Instead, the gist of the game revolves around capturing/holding a particular area, escorting a payload to its destination, or keeping a payload from getting to its destination. A departure from the norm which I very much like.



The sheer number of unique playable characters enhances the replay value of the game. There are 29 playable characters with about a new character coming out every 3 months or so. It’s almost like a different game whenever you choose a new character to learn!



Now the maps. There are currently 29 playable maps in the game and counting! Each time a new map comes out, you know Blizzard put a lot of thought in developing it because EVERY map in the game is unique in its own way.



The game’s learning curve is dependent on the character you choose to primarily use. Some characters are harder to learn than others. For first timers, I recommend Soldier 76 since he’s pretty simple and basic.



Ok, despite me raving about this game, it does have its downsides. Not downsides to the game itself, but downsides to playing the game. For one, you may be teamed up with, in polite terms, “less than optimal” team mates. When this happens, prepare to be frustrated to no extent. Or think of it as a learning experience. I like to think that playing with less than optimal team mates helps me become a better player.



There are also your share of toxic people in voice chat. Basically, I define toxic people as flat out jerks who are vulgar, spew out degrading insults, and are quick to blame others if the team isn’t doing well. Toxicity comes in all ages, from 10 to 12 year olds raging so loud in anger that you feel your ear drums are going to rupture, to teenagers trying to act tough with vulgar statements, to adults that are just plain mean. So, if you’re a parent, you may want to disable voice chat so your kid isn’t exposed to all that. For adults that get annoyed by this, you can mute players who you don’t want to listen to.



In summary, if you like playing as a team and are looking for good replay value, then this game is for you! That concludes my review portion of the game. For further advice on how to make Overwatch more enjoyable, continue reading!



#1. This goes without saying, but always play with the objective and team in mind. Always back a team member up whenever you can and never abandon the objective without good reason.



#2. Learn at least one character from each class, which are Tank, Offensive, and Support. Typically a decent team composition is made up of two from each class. In a nutshell, Tanks are made to take damage, Offensive are meant to deal damage, and Support are meant to heal damage. You don’t want to compromise your team composition due to your inflexibility. I don’t know how many times I’ve played matches where everybody on a team chose Offensive characters, which led to the team lacking Support or Tank characters, which ultimately led to their demise. For me, I learned D.Va for Tank, Tracer for Offensive, and Zenyatta for Support.



#3. If your team isn’t toxic, communicate with them. The Social menu of the game should allow you to see who is in voice chat. Even if they’re not talking, relay information about the enemy team (like “Reaper is almost dead!” or “watch out for the sniper!”). You can also relay some simple commands without voice chat such as “Group up!” or “I need healing!” Some communication is better than none at all.



I can go on forever on tips to make the game more enjoyable, but there’s a subreddit for that already.