Are you playing "Overwatch" yet? You should be.

In this chaotic multiplayer first-person shooter, there are 21 completely unique characters players can choose from. The sheer number of characters is one of the game's greatest attributes, but the game's artists had to figure out how to make each one look and feel completely different while also making sure it's easy to glean information about them at a glance.

Here's a screenshot of the huge character roster in "Overwatch." Blizzard Entertainment

When you encounter an enemy player, the following thought process has to occur in a fraction of a second: What character is coming towards me? What character am I playing? What abilities do they have that are going to be troublesome for my character? What can my character do to counter their abilities? Can I win this encounter? Should I run away?

Can you guess which character this is? Blizzard Entertainment

So, how do players obtain all of this crucial information in such a short amount of time?

According to Arnold Tsang, who worked as a lead artist for "Overwatch," the key to creating the game's instantly identifiable characters lies in their silhouettes.

Oh, let's break it down!

"First of all, [we design] the body type," Tsang told Tech Insider. "How much armor are they wearing? What’s the size of this character? If they're a Tank, usually they're bigger; if they're more mobile, usually they're smaller or slimmer."

For example, here's Roadhog:

He's huge. His giant, wiggly belly bursting through the front of his pants is instantly visible from across the room. This tells you that he's probably going to be hard to take down.

And here's Genji:

Even if you've never played against him before, his slim and elongated body tells you that he's probably quick and nimble, but probably not particularly good at taking a lot of hits.

The characters' sizes alone aren't enough to differentiate them, though.

"The running pose [is the next part of the equation] — so, the silhouette of the character holding the weapon and running around," said Tsang. "We go into animation... and we try to push the silhouette of that character running in the game to be as different as possible from the other heroes so they stand out."

Just take a look at how Roadhog runs:

He's lumbering and sloppy, right? This running pattern helps to make him instantly recognizable.

And now, look at Genji:

His movements are much more precise, mathematical, and athletic. Compare his movements to Tracer's, another character that's slim and mobile:

Her run is a bit more wild, and she has that telltale trail of blue light that always follows behind her.

Each character's silhoutte is like their fingerprint — a totally unique marker that sets them apart from everyone else. And, since there are so many characters you can face in any given match, it's important for players to be able to instantly recognize who they're fighting.

So, the next time you're playing "Overwatch," which Tech Insider's own Steve Kovach thinks is the most addictive game of the year, pay attention to how each character moves. It will tell you who they are — even from a distance — and maybe even offer some clues about how to beat them.