Thus far,Overwatch 2has brought some interesting limited time modes to fans of the hero shooter franchise. An excellent co-op mission called Wrath of the Bride started things off on the right foot, with Battle for Olympus being another good game mode only weighed down by grindy challenges. Even the Kill Confirmed variantCatch-a-Marihad a lot of charm due to its quirky music and Blizzard using Roadhog as an announcer. Unfortunately, Starwatch may have brought an end to the recent run of success.
Though the concept of anOverwatch 2PvPvE game mode is an excellent one, Starwatch does not quite deliver on its potential. While a remixed Horizon Lunar Colony is a solid enough setting, and the amazing space opera skins and unique dialogue do a lot of heavy lifting, the actual gameplay of the mode leaves a lot to be desired. Though it is not bad by any means, it is very unbalanced since the defending side consists of powerful, less skill-dependent characters. However, the mode’s biggest issue is something different: it relies too much on the “player” section of its description and de-emphasizes the “environment.”
RELATED:One Aspect of Overwatch 2 Could Be a Game-Changer for Destiny 2
Overwatch 2’s Starwatch Needed Better PvE Elements
Though the PvE portion ofOverwatch 2’s Starwatchgame mode was advertised to play a major role, in reality, it quickly becomes an afterthought. The gravity canisters that pull enemies toward each other like Zarya’s Graviton Surge almost feel more impactful, as the AI tools for the attacking and defending sides do little to help. The villains’ turrets are easily dealt with, especially if Winston bubbles his allies like Ashe and Torbjorn. The heroes’ AI partner is even more useless, however.
Though Starwatch is a 4v4 PvPvE game mode likeDestiny 2’s Gambit, the attacking team does get an AI-controlled teammate to help even the odds a bit. However, this character is Doomfist, a notoriously high skill hero that is going to be exceptionally hard for an AI to make good use of. Unsurprisingly, this Doomfist becomes useless, and he arguably makes it easier for the enemy team since he can provide another source of Ultimate charge - something that makes the enemy Sojourn or Soldier 76 even more terrifying for attackers.
Considering that the villains defending 3CHO - a droid version of theDamage hero Echo- have turrets that are easily destroyed, and that the heroes have an NPC character who is more of a hindrance than anything else, the PvE portions of the mode are largely forgettable. Any fun that comes from Starwatch is down to the PvP battles and interactions between the alternate versions of characters, as players either fly through the turrets or mow down Doomfist without feeling threatened at all. As a result, Starwatch feels like just another PvP mode with some minor distractions, failing to fully lean into what makes it different.
While improvements to Doomfist’s AI could help with the balance issues of the mode, this would not be enough to make it more interesting. Alongside a more expansive arena, it would be great to see a larger variety of PvE mechanics inside Starwatch.Overwatch 2’s PvE campaignwill be adding a number of AI enemies that could have made perfect allies for the Watchers and Infinite Empire, and the Talon enemies from Retribution could have also been incorporated. Perhaps a wave of friendly NPCs could spawn each time the attackers get an objective, with more appearing if the point is taken quickly. On the defensive side, maybe the team’s Tank could be given a one-time use mini boss to deploy, slowing down the attackers so that the defenders can regroup.
Starwatch’s comic book storyline being decided by whichever team wins the LTM the most is an entertaining concept, and something that Blizzard may want to consider when it comes to officialOverwatch 2lorein the future. Unfortunately, playing the associated Starwatch game mode can feel like a chore if players end up on the attackers side, which is only made worse by a lack of meaningful PvE elements that ensure Starwatch’s uniqueness quickly wears off. Hopefully, if Starwatch returns in 2024, it does so with far deeper PvE mechanics and a more balanced lineup of heroes on both sides.
Overwatch 2is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
MORE:One Overwatch 2 Hero is in Desperate Need of More Lore, and It’s Not Who You Think
