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Overwatch: Blizzard's Colourful First Person Shooter Videogame
Overwatch is a first person shooter that was developed by legendary games-maker Blizzard. Extremely colourful, full of character and easy to pick up and play, Overwatch offers enough depth and challenge to keep experienced gamers happy but is also perfect for less skilled players who just enjoy action-packed gameplay sessions. That may be why Overwatch has been an instant hit, selling 7 million copies within a couple of weeks of its release in May 2016.
If you want to get hold of an exciting multiplayer title that has broad appeal across age groups, Overwatch is the game for you. This buyer’s guide delves into its gameplay in a little more detail and lays out the best ways to find cheap Overwatch deals.
Massively Multiplayer Ego-Shooter
Blizzard started out in 1991, but things really started to take off in 1993, when they launched titles like Rock and Roll Racing and the Lost Vikings. However, their major breakthrough was a fantasy strategy game named Warcraft: Orks and Humans, which revolutionised the genre, allowing players to launch massive battles in real time.
Many sequels followed the original Warcraft such as Starcraft and Diablo, one of the greatest RPGs ever made, as Blizzard went from hit to hit. World Of Warcraft then sent their reputation into the stratosphere, creating the most immersive multiplayer game world ever experienced.
Overwatch emerged in 2014 as an idea for Blizzard’s fourth major gaming franchise. Instead of opting to develop the massive multiplayer concept via a working title known as “Titan”, Blizzard decided to focus on simplicity and sheer gameplay, creating a team-based shooter along the lines of Half Life: Team Fortress.
The game itself saw the light of day in May 2016 (after a beta testing phase which brought in 10 million players). The years spent preparing Overwatch were well spent, as the characters and game mechanics were universally applauded. Ranked as one of 2016’s finest games, Overwatch is a must-have for XBox, PS4 and PC owners.
The title also received an update in 2017, when Blizzard released Patch Notes for the PC version, fine tuning a few bugs and adding some new elements to the main characters.
Gameplay Basics
The most important word in the Overwatch universe is “team”. All of the gameplay revolves around six-person squads, with two of these squads doing battle on pre-set arenas.
Before joining a squad, players get to customise their character, choosing from 24 different avatars and four character classes (offense, defense, tanks and supports), and the best teams tend to balance the skills of these classes to cover every attribute they need to succeed.
When you enter the game world, the action revolves around vanquishing the opposing team. Each character has their own main attack weapon, which needs a brief period of cooling before being re-used. They also have what’s known as an ultimate skill which takes longer to charge up and can heal, inflict extra damage or provide a shield for a certain amount of time.
As you play, your character will also accumulate experience points (assuming you manage to score some kills). These don’t add attack capabilities or shields. Instead, they can be used to change your character’s appearance or add special victory poses – basically signs of your skill for other players to see.
The Key Characters in the Overwatch Universe
The core of Overwatch’s appeal is its wide range of characters that players can control. Many of these are brilliantly conceived, with their own trademark attacks and sound effects adding a layer of depth to the gameplay that other titles lack. Here are some of the key characters that you’ll be able to choose from:
McCree – A Clint Eastwood-style gunslinging cowboy, McCree is a killing machine at medium or close range. He has a special flashbang skill which briefly stuns opponents, he is one of the most accurate shooters in the game and his gun reloads extremely quickly (although defensively he’s pretty weak).
Reaper – The grim reaper come to life in a futuristic context, Reaper is armed with a pair of shotguns but also has the ability to teleport short distances, outfoxing his opponents. Sneaky and brutal at short range, he’s the man to take out heavily defended, slow/moving opponents.
Tracer – Remarkably athletic and agile, Tracer also has a teleportation function and can leap three times in just a few moments, making her virtually impossible to pin down. But, more impressively, she can also rewind time a few seconds, allowing her to reverse damage and re-run difficult passages of play.
Hanzo – A Japanese medieval-style archer, Hanzo’s arrows aren’t the ordinary kind. They are actually lethal weapons, dealing high damage points in enclosed spaces (particularly when he uses the scatter variety). His sonic arrows are also vital to detecting concealed enemies.
Mei – Mei’s abilities are all about ice. Her endothermic blaster freezes enemies for a short period of time, making them much easier to attack, while she can erect defensive ice walls as well, and she can use ice to her advantage, freezing herself into a virtually unassailable state.
Widowmaker – Overwatch’s specialist sniper, Widowmaker has an ultra-accurate rifle that can be modulated to deliver different levels of damage. She can reach the perfect sniping spot thanks to her grappling hook, but needs to be careful due to her lack of armour or shields.
Orisa – One of the tank class characters in the Overwatch universe, Orisa is an enormous female robot. Primarily designed as a defensive unit, she can protect her team mates as they prepare attacks and also use her special skill to charge up nearby team mates, making them much more powerful.
Reinhardt – A mean-looking tank, Reinhardt is capable of summoning up a formidable force field to block opponent’s weapons, while his fearsome hammer deals out plenty of damage when needed.
Winston – A potent attacking tank, Winston has jump jets that allow him to fly above enemies, while his Tesla cannon is one of the most damaging weapons in the entire game.
Roadhog – Something of an anomaly, Roadhog is a tank without a shield... or so it seems. But he has the ability to heal himself as well as a hook which can drag any enemy into the range of his team mates.
Sombra – Incredibly stealthy and sneaky, Sombra lives in the shadows. She can hack into opponents, rendering their skills inoperative, turn health packs into useless heaps of junk, disable turrets and – most importantly – become invisible via her special skill.
There are 24 characters in all to pick from, all with their own look, attributes and weapons, so there’s plenty of scope to explore and enjoy new aspects of Overwatch for months after you make the purchase.
Explaining Character Classes in Overwatch
All of the characters we’ve looked at so far fit into four different character classes and balancing different classes is one of the keys to team success:
Tank – These (usually) bulky characters come with far higher hit point totals than the others and can take a lot of punishment before they die. They tend to have abilities that allow them to protect their team mates and to bring opponents within attacking distance, so they are a vital part of any team.
Offense – The game’s attack specialists are fast and often come with cloaking or teleportation skills. You can nip around the map, launching pinpoint attacks and use their weapons, which tend to inflict brutal amounts of damage on opponents.
Defense – These characters are designed to defend particular locations on the map after attackers have captured them. To this end, they often feature engineering abilities, such as the ability to build traps or turrets, creating impregnable fortified positions throughout the game.
Support – Not as dangerous or strong as the other characters but just as important, Support characters have specific uses such as healing or adding extra strength to attackers. Don’t underestimate their importance to successful Overwatch squads.
Different Game Modes
Overwatch also features a number of different modes which determine how the games are organised. Here are the basic options:
Quick play – The most accessible game mode, where Overwatch players can dip in and out of play as they wish without incurring an experience point penalty.
Competitive – The main team mode. Players have to commit to playing a certain number of matches for their squad and are barred from joining another game until a game they are already involved with has ended. You’ll need to gain 25 experience points before you can join competitive mode games.
Play vs. Computer – You can also play matches against the computer AI if you’d like to hone your Overwatch skills.
Arcade – Another accessible, fast-moving multiplayer mode, Arcade is similar to Quick Play but features more maps and ways to accumulate experience points such as loot boxes.
Tutorial – The very first game mode that Overwatch players will encounter, Tutorial teaches them the ropes and provides a grounding in how the game’s mechanics work.
Practice range – A handy environment to test your skills featuring several training bots.
Maps on Offer for Overwatch Players
One of the other keys to Overwatch are the maps that teams battle for, and these maps come in four different classes – all of which offer a slightly different challenge:
Control – In this mode, teams have to capture a certain point on the map and then hold it continuously until a meter reaches 100%.
Escort – In this mode, one team is tasked with escorting what is known as a “payload” across the map within a certain time limit. The escorting team have to be close to the payload vehicle at all times or it will start to move backwards, while the opponents seek to ensure that the escort is as far away from the vehicle as possible.
Assault – A simple game mode where an attacking team has to capture two points on the map and the defending squad simply has to protect them. There’s no time limit. All the attackers need to do is capture the flag.
Hybrid – A mixture of escort and assault maps where the payload now becomes a target to capture and push back.
Overwatch Gameplay Trailer
Different Ways to Purchase Overwatch
If you’d like to buy Overwatch, you can do so for Windows PCs, PS4 or Xbox One. You’ll also be able to choose from a couple of different editions. Here’s how they differ:
Standard Edition – The cheaper option, Overwatch’s Standard Edition features every single game mode and map and is a great option for people who are new to the game or just want a pure gaming experience.
Game of the Year Edition – When Overwatch scooped up numerous 2016 Game of the Year awards, Blizzard capitalised by releasing the Game of the Year Edition, which features 10 bonus loot boxes, a range of exclusive Hero Skins and the Baby Winston Pet.
If you intend to play Overwatch on a standard Windows PC, your system will have to meet the following minimum specs:
OS: Windows Vista/7/8/10 64-bit
RAM: 768 MB VRAM, 4GB System RAM
Storage space: 5GB
GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 460, ATI Radeon HD 4850, or Intel HD Graphics 4400
CPU: Intel Core i3 or AMD Phenom X3 865
Those are really the bare minimum specifications. To get the most out of the game, Blizzard recommend having 6GB RAM, the GeForce GTX 660 and an Intel Core i5 processor, but it’s perfectly playable on lower spec systems.
What Kinds of Overwatch Merchandise are Available?
One of the reasons for Overwatch’s success is the charisma of its characters, so it’s no surprise that Blizzard have accompanied the release of the game with a flurry of merchandise. Here are some of the Overwatch merchandise options for gamers to consider:
T-shirts – Get hold of a t-shirt featuring your favourite character such as McCree or Roadhog, or stock up on polos and long-sleeved shirts with the Overwatch insignia.
Cosplay gear – Blizzard also offer plenty of apparel from the Overwatch universe such as leggings, so if you are intending to attend a gaming convention, there should be plenty of options.
Hooded tops – As with most games, Overwatch comes with a wide range of hoodies to wear around town.
Accessories – Stylish Overwatch accessories include backpacks, baseball caps, button pins, socks, scarves, lanyards and phone cases.
Collectibles – Add some Overwatch figurines to your collection or a few soft and cuddly plushies.
Gaming peripherals – You can even customise your gaming rig to suit your Overwatch obsession thanks to peripherals like mice, headphones and keyboards that sport the Overwatch brand.
How Can I Find Out More About Overwatch Tips and Tactics?
If you want to get up to speed quickly with Overwatch, it helps to consult advice from the experts. Thankfully, there are a number of places around the web where playguides and tactical tips are on offer.
The first port of call for all budding Overwatch masters is the game’s fan wiki. Here, you can find out more about the game modes, characters, weapons and how to progress as a hero within the Overwatch community.
IGN also have a very useful Overwatch tactics wiki, which lays out some of the lesser known strategies for success. Although the game is simple on the surface, there’s a lot to be learned about ways to kill opponents, how to heal, balance squads and the right approach to take with various character classes.
Overwatch at the Cheapest Price
Overwatch is fast becoming a video game classic, so don’t delay. This is one multiplayer gaming spectacular that all PC, Xbox and PlayStation owners need to be part of. The question is, how is it possible to find the best Overwatch deals and avoid paying over the odds?
The first thing to do is to make a decision: do you need all of the bonuses that come with the Game of the Year pack, or are you just after the core of the game? For most people, the Standard Edition will be the right option (and most of the bonuses included in the more expensive pack can be earned through experience points anyway).
Now, check out all of the places you could make a purchase. Shopping around is vital, so head to the HotUKDeals Overwatch listings where you’ll find a list of current discounts from the UK’s leading gaming merchants. For instance, you’ll be able to compare prices from Currrys, Smyths, Amazon, GAME, Tesco, Asda, Argos as well as lesser known retailers like Boomerang.
If you haven’t already upgraded from PS3 to PS4 or from the Xbox 360 to the Xbox One, you may even find bundle deals combining the console with Overwatch – a great way to save money on both purchases.
Another thing to consider is timing. If you can hold out that long, waiting until Black Friday and Cyber Monday in November is a great idea, as the year’s number-one retail event always sees massive reductions.
Wherever and whenever you make your purchase, Overwatch is sure to provide hours and hours of multiplayer action.
Buy Overwatch Bargains with HotUKDeals
2016’s hottest game, Overwatch is an all-action multiplayer experience for PC, PS4 and Xbox One. Anyone who enjoys taking control of imaginative characters and pitting their skills against their fellow players can do so as cheaply as possible by staying tuned to the Overwatch listings at HotUKDeals.