To the huge surprise of those in attendance, Blizzard Entertainment announced their first new IP in 17 years. Without warning but substantial fanfare, Blizzard treated us to a pixar-esque intro sequence which introduced a number of characters as well as set the tone of the universe they were creating. Simply titled Overwatch, Blizzard has made a big move into the team arena shooter with a novel entry of their own. With a heavy emphasis on character design and class based mechanics, only time will tell if Blizzard will be successful.

In an even more surprising twist, Blizzard announced that not only was Overwatch gameplay footage available, but playable demos for everyone in attendance as well. With planned beta release in 2015, Blizzard’s got plenty to keep our plates full.

In Blizzard’s own words, Overwatch is a “highly stylized team-based shooter set on a near-future earth. Every match is an intense multiplayer showdown pitting a diverse case of heroes, mercenaries, scientists and adventurers, and oddities against each other in an epic globe-spanning conflict”. While some of this may come down to simple marketing speak, Blizzard does have the mettle to back it up. I’m not able to really comment on the globe-spanning conflict based on the demos available, but I can definitely say the game has style to spare. The demo already has 12 heroes available and based on various discussions with developers, at least a dozen more are currently in the works. We have a lot to look forward to if the variety of designs is maintained throughout the full cast.  Each character has a distinctive look and feel as well as radically different playstyles.

After spending some time with the game as well as a few developers, I came away with a strongly positive feeling. Without attempting to bait / provoke the trolls, the core gameplay wasn’t incredibly revolutionary, or really unique and has many similarities to Team Fortress 2, Tribes, etc.  That being said, the game showed the standard Blizzard pedigree that we have grown accustomed to. With their attention to detail, and unique character styles, the universe does not appear to be lacking on substance.  As I mentioned previously, each character has a distinctive playstyle.   And with a roster that already appears set to expand to include something for everybody without being constrained to just a handful of classes.

I spent most of my time playing with Pharah, a moderately armored, offensively focused hero with a rocket launcher and jetpack as well as Reinhardt, a Rocket Hammer wielding tank.   Both felt polished and well done and had a satisfying feel when firing their weapons or using their skills in combat.   The maps also seemed well thought out and easy to navigate, but also providing substantial cover, alternate routes, and varying elevations to keep things interesting.  One main concern, however, was with the balance of some heroes.   Bastion, for example, transforms into a gun emplacement with a high rate of fire as well as a defensive shield.   He was also able to wipe out my entire team on numerous occasions. Hopefully the balance issues are resolved as the game development progresses, but I’m not too concerned, as I was able to quickly change to a different hero and try different tactics. While I could wax on and on about the gameplay, you can check out the video below for yourself to get a better idea.   As a final note on gameplay, the controls were responsiveness and crisp and hold up well compared to any other AAA title out there. With a feel similar to Team Fortress 2 but shorter match lengths, Blizzard seems to be trying to strike a balance between fast paced team play with an easier to access time frame.

With Blizzard shaking up their development model with smaller, more bite-sized games like Hearthstone and Heroes of the Storm, it would not surprise me if they took a Free-to-Play approach similar to League of Legends with Overwatch. Again, this is strictly conjecture on my part, but with a roster of characters this large…it would make sense.   I left BlizzCon wishing I had more time with the title.  Actually, nearly everyone I spoke to at the event as well as a number of friends, have noted that they’ve had urges to really sink their teeth into the game, and really had fun with the few matches they were able to play.

I’ll be keeping an eye on this title, and I highly recommend that you do the same.