Overwatch 2 shouldn’t lose character identities in the quest for balance
surveillance 2 has made significant changes to its hero roster, which is understandable given the move to 5v5 gameplay. With this new approach of removing one tank from each team, several heroes need to be adjusted. Supports need to spend less healing, tanks need to be able to carry entire teams alone, and Damage characters need to be adjusted so they aren’t too powerful with fewer shields in play. However, Blizzard needs to ensure these changes don’t cause characters to lose their identities.
While much of the hero reworked for surveillance 2 well-received, there is some resistance to customization on certain characters. Although the changes to Doomfist were entirely character-specific, adjustments to two specific characters were a cause for concern. While Orisa is more fun to play and Mei is a lot more balanced, both characters have lost a bit of their identity in the eyes of some fans.
Concern about Mei and Orisa’s changes
From a gameplay perspective, Mei’s overhaul was long overdue. over watch Fans have regularly pointed out how unfun playing Mei is, given the frustration of being frozen by her primary fire and losing the option to fight back. While her ultimate ability to freeze enemies is one thing, the fact that she can constantly lock players in place made her too tiresome in the eyes of some fans.
In response to all the complaints, Blizzard has greatly increased the damage of Mei’s primary fire, but it can no longer Freeze her opponents. With Mei being able to quickly deplete HP bars but losing her most annoying trait, she’s undoubtedly more balanced than ever. Although this has garnered a positive reaction from those who dislike Mei, certain fans of the hero have resisted the change. These players argue that freezing enemies was an integral part of the hero and made her a pleasure to play, adding that her weapon feels far less satisfying since it can only slow down enemies now.
Orisa is a very different situation, but one worth discussing. Even though surveillance 2 Players love the new Orisa and consider her rework to be the best in the series. The changes made to her kit contradict some of her established lore. Orisa’s playstyle, which is more aggressive, is great from a gameplay standpoint as she was one of the most boring tanks to control. From a story standpoint, however, it feels like a big change.
Orisa’s shield and Supercharger fit the idea of the hero being a protector rather than a fighter. Now she sheds her shield and uses a spear to attack her enemies. While that fits surveillance 2‘s new philosophy for his tanks brings with it a sudden shift in Orisa’s goal as a defender. Her vocal lines also reflect a more aggressive attitude, so perhaps Orisa’s creator Efi updated her personality and features. However, if there is no background reason for their changes, this is another example of balancing that results in a small loss of identity.
In the future, Blizzard must address the concerns of over watch Community in mind when revising characters. While explanations of the lore will help in a situation like Orisa and making the gameplay more fun for everyone is a good driving force behind the Mei changes, over watchThe unique heroes of have always been its greatest strength. As such, it would be a shame if they lost their identities, so future character kit updates will need to be done carefully.
surveillance 2 Coming to PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series X on October 4th.
https://gamerant.com/overwatch-2-character-identities-lost-balancing-focus/ Overwatch 2 shouldn’t lose character identities in the quest for balance
