As a free-to-play successor to Blizzard's 2016 hero shooter (that also replaces the original game), Overwatch 2 is both reinvigorating and regressive. It's an exciting new reason to play a game that shaped modern shooters and get a glimpse at why nothing in the last six years has bested it. But its biggest changes and invasive monetisation system threaten to drain the joy out of it until there's nothing left.
Overwatch 2 is Overwatch 1 at 1.5x speed. It's the same game, but compressed. Two teams battle over an objective in beautifully rendered, near-future locations around the world. Each side has a tank hero, two damage dealers, and two supports. Both teams fight to occupy space on the map with all their various hero abilities and ultimates. It's an FPS in form, but matches unfold a little differently than they do in most other shooters.
Team fights are an exchange of resources, punctuated by powerful ultimates that swing it in a new direction. Instead fights urge you to think of it like a game of chess.
