9 Reasons Overwatch Is The Most Exciting Gaming Franchise In Decades
We've needed something like this for quite some time.
Every now and then you happen upon a game, a film, a musician - all destined for true greatness. Theres something in the air around them; theyve got that aura of awesomeness.
Overwatch has that in spades, and thankfully, Blizzard know exactly how to execute on its potential. If youre unacquainted with exactly what Im talking about, Overwatch marks the companys first foray into first-person shooters, creating a multiplayer-only experience whose backdrop is essentially Watchmen by way of Pixar.
Yes, retired superheroes are coming back to save the world once again, but rather than have a ton of cutscenes in the game, theyve all been fleshed out through animated shorts on Youtube. A handful of characters including genius gorilla Winston, duelling samurai/ninja combo Hanzo and Genji, and most recently the mercenary-like Soldier: 47 have all received the full-motion treatment, resulting in a gorgeous and well-realised world - one thats resonated with MILLIONS of fans worldwide.
Because of course it has. This is Blizzard were talking about. Forgers of World of Warcraft, dealers of Hearthstone and bastions of Diablo, the studio always take their time and knock it clean out the park at release.
Overwatch has hit the ground sprinting, and regardless of whether youre strapped into the hype train or not, is already one of 2016s biggest successes.
9. One Hell Of An Awesome Premise
Superhero fatigue might be something that occasionally rears its head when the likes of Batman V Superman or X-Men: Apocalypse pop up, but for the most part theyre an inherently interesting premise. Where Overwatch is concerned, its brilliant mix of Westernised and bubblegum K-pop-style heroes are all bursting with individuality and charm.
The current scenario has them making like Alan Moores Watchmen, with the game taking place after their glory days are long since past, yet after a evil force appears to wreak havoc upon the populace, they take up arms and reform once again.
It's a lighthearted backdrop to proceedings that favours the over-animated presentation therein. Both the worlds and characters are built from the ground up for mass appeal, but without sacrificing a modicum of self-respect or charm.