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Overwatch - Review Thread

Granted, this was at launch and seems to be fixed, but there were plenty of errors, just like most online-only games.

Seems like another Bioshock Infinite. Game will be praised for a while and real criticism might take a while, but I just don't get why this is getting perfect scores. Meanwhile, a game like GTA V which is 100% superior to Overwatch in about every way gets a 9/10 from Destructoid. I just don't get it.

Bioshock infinites visuals and story presentation overshadowed the core problems in the games gameplay/level design. Thats not the case here. Sure we'll probably get some people who get tired of the same maps but most people seem to agree that overwatch is simply fun to play.
 

Dad

Member
So a game with problems at launch (meaning you could only play the shitty tutorial)

Are you sure the rest of the game wasn't downloading in the background? If this happened to you during the beta or if you bought the digital version on PS4, I know you can only access the training mode while the rest of the game is still downloading and installing. Otherwise that's an issue I haven't seen from anyone before
 
Are you sure the rest of the game wasn't downloading in the background? If this happened to you during the beta or if you bought the digital version on PS4, I know you can only access the training mode while the rest of the game is still downloading and installing. Otherwise that's an issue I haven't seen from anyone before
The game wouldn't connect to servers at launch.

...for fifteen minutes. Big deal.
 
Are you sure the rest of the game wasn't downloading in the background? If this happened to you during the beta or if you bought the digital version on PS4, I know you can only access the training mode while the rest of the game is still downloading and installing. Otherwise that's an issue I haven't seen from anyone before

Yeah it downloads in the background. A relatively quick download gives you the tutorial and test area, with two characters, while the rest of the game downloads. For people who have played the beta this is obviously disappointing but expected. I'd rather have it than to wait for the whole thing because then you get nothing at all to do and save no extra time anyway.
 
I'm pretty sure you can't even play the tutorial without connecting to the servers.
Yeah I'm pretty sure you're right about the downloading in the background issue being what he was referring to.

I just was offering a defense that there was indeed some technical problems at launch ;)
 
Correct. This is a valid concern. Coupled with their choice of "trust the client" hit detection it's going to continue to cause issues unless addressed.

It isn't 100% trust the client, and it isn't as critical as in CS because most (not all) guns chip away at health or shields, so you're not nearly as often hinging things on one shot. Except for maybe Hanzo.
 
Finally a metacritic user saying the truth:
Li67fzw.jpg

Not having 21:9 support is a legitimate complaint, its a basic feature that every modern PC game has no excuse not to have.

Its especially shitty from someone like blizz.
 
Overly generous so far by the critics given how content-lite the game is on release. 2 game modes with no option to customize queue options (unless you field 2 full team for custom game) for a multiplayer game is inexcusable. Yes I know the game is fun as hell, but that shouldn't be the only criteria for evaluating a game.
. Titanfall got slammed when it had more maps and modes.
 

anothertech

Member
Not sure why the 'outrage' at micro transactions? When all heros and maps are confirmed free in the future, and the only thing I see available for purchase is the loot boxes which you get just from playing the game..

or am I missing something?
 
Not sure why the 'outrage' at micro transactions? When all heros and maps are confirmed free in the future, and the only thing I see available for purchase is the loot boxes which you get just from playing the game..

or am I missing something?

At some point in time some people learned that "micro-transactions" is a bad word and never gave it much thought past that point.
 

DrArchon

Member
Not sure why the 'outrage' at micro transactions? When all heros and maps are confirmed free in the future, and the only thing I see available for purchase is the loot boxes which you get just from playing the game..

or am I missing something?

Microtransactions in a $40/$60 game is awful, even if they're cosmetic. It'd be one thing if it was just buying skins or some such, but it's buying a CHANCE at a skin or some such. The only thing scummier would be a pay2win scheme which thankfully Blizzard opted not to do.

I guarantee less people would be complaining about them if Blizzard let you buy gold or specific items directly.
 

packy34

Member
Microtransactions in a $40/$60 game is awful, even if they're cosmetic. It'd be one thing if it was just buying skins or some such, but it's buying a CHANCE at a skin or some such. The only thing scummier would be a pay2win scheme which thankfully Blizzard opted not to do.

I guarantee less people would be complaining about them if Blizzard let you buy gold or specific items directly.

There's nothing awful about optional purchases that don't affect gameplay. Don't care about loot boxes? Don't buy them. Their method is absolutely fine.
 

Zackat

Member
Microtransactions in a $40/$60 game is awful, even if they're cosmetic. It'd be one thing if it was just buying skins or some such, but it's buying a CHANCE at a skin or some such. The only thing scummier would be a pay2win scheme which thankfully Blizzard opted not to do.

I guarantee less people would be complaining about them if Blizzard let you buy gold or specific items directly.

I guarantee you are wrong. Ask how people feel about Heroes of the Storm cosmetic prices. This is the better way.

Wouldn't be surprised if Activision money hats are in play...
J8IcvQc.jpg
 

strikeselect

You like me, you really really like me!
I'm having fun with Overwatch but the high scores so far are a little suspect. I'd rate it about a 85/100 given the lack of content. It's a barebones multiplayer shooter with average graphics and fun gameplay. That's Overwatch in a nutshell.

Wouldn't be surprised if Activision money hats are in play...
 

RevenWolf

Member
I would say the weapons that they have added for each class allow a player to really customize their play-style with the class they want to play as. Besides mastering the original weapons, the variations allows you hone in on game play aspects you really enjoy.

For example solider, Splash damage vs Precision vs Speed all with different rockets launchers, then you have some fun buff items that will boost team play. You can also do some dumb combos like rocket jumping with the stomp boots that lets you take zero damage on rocket launching and instantly kill any enemy you land on.

I like Overwatch they simplified a lot of things for the better, but there is something missing from the game perhaps i have not discovered any of the high level game play yet.

I would argue that Overwatch's map design combined with how a huge portion of the much larger roster has different movement properties, and many having multiple abilities granting them further mobility increases the skill and Map knowledge required way past that of tf2.

That combined with there being more than twice the number of characters, pretty much all of them having more offensive and defensive abilities/weapons compared to tf2 characters also increases the skill ceiling beyond that of tf2.
 
I'm having fun with Overwatch but the high scores so far are a little suspect. I'd rate it about a 85/100 given the lack of content. It's a barebones multiplayer shooter with average graphics and fun gameplay. That's Overwatch in a nutshell.

Wouldn't be surprised if Activision money hats are in play...
People will never stop saying dumb stuff like this, will they?
 

labx

Banned
so people wanted Overwatch to be good, but not THAT good? Crazy stuff. People complained about the microtransactions in The Division? Or Destiny? Overwatch beta was the second coming everybody was HYPE but now that the game is out, people are not hype because is the same game of the beta? So Uncharted 4 micro-transactions are not outrageous because it has a single player game with cool multiplayer?

Its hard out there.
 

Bluth54

Member
what does TF2 have that gives it depth that Overwatch doesn't have? i haven't played TF2 but i've seen this position held by people and i'm curious.

TF2 definitely has a higher skill ceiling. None of the characters in Overwatch can move like a good Solider or Demoman can in TF2 (I'm guessing it's just not possible to do stuff like Rocket Jumps/Sticky Jumps well with a controller).

From my time playing the Overwatch beta if you go up against 2 players by yourself in Overwatch it seems much less winnable then a 2 on 1 fight in TF2 does.

In TF2 the closest thing to an Ultimate is the medic's ubercharge, which a medic will loose if you kill them before they deploy it. In Overwatch if you die while you have ultimate you don't get penalized. You also have no way of knowing when a character has their ultimate, while in TF2 you get little hints when a medic has their uber (they say a line and small amounts of lighting/electricity starts appearing on the medic's medigun).
 

K.Sabot

Member
The people reviewing it now are the people who were excited enough for the game to play the "beta" before and that's how the reviews are out quick.

The score will drop when some bumfuck magazine drops this game on a poor editor's lap and asks them to review it, no worries.
 

NZNova

Member
The game is pretty amazing. It's grabbed me and I am not a multiplayer shooter fan by any means. The only possible downside I can think of right now is the lack of map variety, but as long as Blizzard can pump out some more maps (and heroes!) now and then they're onto a winner. I can see myself playing this thing for years if they keep putting out more content for it.
 

Griss

Member
Really surprised at those reviews. I played plenty of the open beta and it felt dull, uninspired and content-light to me. The maps were small and not particularly interesting, the game modes were bog-standard fare. The heroes were the best part of the game both in terms of gameplay design and art style, but the weapons themselves lacked any kick at all. Some of the abilities were very clever.

The RNG loot rewards boxes grinding are something I deeply dislike in a 70 euro game, and are probably there to cover for the lack of single player, maps, and game modes, as well as make money off rubes.

Overall I thought it was deeply mediocre. Wouldn't pay more than 20 euros for it.
 

borghe

Loves the Greater Toronto Area
Would PS4 be a viable purchase or is it going to fall behind in support compared to PC?

no, console support will not fall behind. We know two things (because blizz has said)

they are committed to releasing all content essentially day and date on console

they are not (necessarily) tuning console in the same way as PC. If something needs to be tuned differently on KBM than it does on dual analog, blizz has said they will tune it differently.

The biggest down side to console is that people are still playing SC2 6 years later and D2 (yes, Diablo 2) 16 years later. So obviously no it won't have that kind of life on console.. But at minimum I'd guess it will have a healthy life over the life span of both consoles.

Really surprised at those reviews. I played plenty of the open beta and it felt dull, uninspired and content-light to me. The maps were small and not particularly interesting, the game modes were bog-standard fare. The heroes were the best part of the game both in terms of gameplay design and art style, but the weapons themselves lacked any kick at all. Some of the abilities were very clever.

The RNG loot rewards boxes grinding are something I deeply dislike in a 70 euro game, and are probably there to cover for the lack of single player, maps, and game modes, as well as make money off rubes.

Overall I thought it was deeply mediocre. Wouldn't pay more than 20 euros for it.

the maps are actually quite brilliant. Not small at all for a 6v6 game, and the design combined with movement powers is incredible. Maps are typically raved about second after the characters. Also not sure about what you mean by weapons and "kick". As in they don't behave like COD (or future COD) weapons? I mean that flat out isn't the design of the game. No one wants COD/realistic/post-apocalyptic weapons. We want a new aesthetic.
 
they are committed to releasing all content essentially day and date on console
It should be noted that they already do this with Diablo 3, Reaper of Souls on current gen.

They're different builds but consoles still get content updates day and date with PC.
 

Siege.exe

Member
borghe;204587220the maps are actually quite brilliant. Not small at all for a 6v6 game, and the design combined with movement powers is incredible. Maps are typically raved about second after the characters. Also not sure about what you mean by weapons and "kick". As in they don't behave like COD (or future COD) weapons? I mean that flat out isn't the design of the game. No one wants COD/realistic/post-apocalyptic weapons. We want a new aesthetic.

I think "kick" was meant to be taken as impact rather than just behaving like COD weapons. Overall I don't think the game is lacking in that department, but I would say there are a couple of characters that don't feel satisfying to shoot people as.

On a different note, I don't think it's all that fair that people are being jumped on for saying there isn't much going on content-wise. The game plays fantastically, but there really aren't that many modes to play, and I can totally see that part turning people off despite enjoying the moment to moment shooting.
 
someone photoshop the reviews of SFV next to the reviews of Overwatch lets get the joke out of the way.

Oh shit! just saw that there is already a thread about the two and their reviews.
 

23qwerty

Member
Honestly expected low 80's considering there's no single player, not that that's how I personally think. These are some deserving high scores though
 

BashNasty

Member
Honestly expected low 80's considering there's no single player, not that that's how I personally think. These are some deserving high scores though

I think that's an errant viewpoint bandied about here quite a bit, but I don't think that's necessarily how the general population thinks. A game not having single player is 100 percent fine. I would far rather we get heavily refined multiplayer experiences like Overwatch that have had the teams full attention focused on the important part of the game, rather than let the core experience suffer because a strange vocal minority feels that every game needs to have single player to make it a worthwhile value (which is so completely absurd I can't believe the idea still persists).

Let games focus on what they do best. Overwatch is absolutely a 10/10 game, and one that I will be playing for a long, long time to come.
 
Not having 21:9 support is a legitimate complaint, its a basic feature that every modern PC game has no excuse not to have.

Its especially shitty from someone like blizz.

May I say something?

I don't think they should allow 21:9 since the field of view gives a fair advantage in a game that it's focused on competitive gameplay.

I'm I wrong to think like that?
 
I think "kick" was meant to be taken as impact rather than just behaving like COD weapons. Overall I don't think the game is lacking in that department, but I would say there are a couple of characters that don't feel satisfying to shoot people as.

On a different note, I don't think it's all that fair that people are being jumped on for saying there isn't much going on content-wise. The game plays fantastically, but there really aren't that many modes to play, and I can totally see that part turning people off despite enjoying the moment to moment shooting.

76's gun does feel like it should pack a punch a little but the rest of the guns feel just about right. Zenyatta feels like he's throwing punches every time he launches an orb.
 

spootime

Member
TF2 definitely has a higher skill ceiling. None of the characters in Overwatch can move like a good Solider or Demoman can in TF2 (I'm guessing it's just not possible to do stuff like Rocket Jumps/Sticky Jumps well with a controller).

From my time playing the Overwatch beta if you go up against 2 players by yourself in Overwatch it seems much less winnable then a 2 on 1 fight in TF2 does.

In TF2 the closest thing to an Ultimate is the medic's ubercharge, which a medic will loose if you kill them before they deploy it. In Overwatch if you die while you have ultimate you don't get penalized. You also have no way of knowing when a character has their ultimate, while in TF2 you get little hints when a medic has their uber (they say a line and small amounts of lighting/electricity starts appearing on the medic's medigun).

Yeah this is basically what I meant. There are a select few overwatch heroes that have the same "skill ceilings" as TF2 characters (widow, genji, arguably mccree and junkrat), but the rest require little to no aim or movement ability - its just positioning and decision making, almost like Dota.

Its pretty clear if you look at the TF2 class analogues in overwatch

*Widowmaker has an escape (grapple), very good close range damage, and a high HP pool. Sniper has no escape, low HP, and only the absolute best players can use him effectively close range with quickscoping.

*TF2 Soldier takes hundreds of hours of practice to effectively move around the map using rocket jumps. Pharah has you press shift

*Tracer reduces the speed of scout, gives her more dodges, and even gets a "get out of jail free" card whenever she's in trouble.

Overwatch is just a lot more forgiving of mistakes, even on its high skill classes. This isn't to shit on overwatch - I think its a really fun game. I just don't know if I see myself playing it 50 hours from now. I certainly don't see it becoming a big esport or anything like that.
 

Zomba13

Member
Not sure why the 'outrage' at micro transactions? When all heros and maps are confirmed free in the future, and the only thing I see available for purchase is the loot boxes which you get just from playing the game..

or am I missing something?

It's just shitty to see it being done. I don't mean microtransactions in general, I mean the gambling. Like Uncharted 4 has microtransactions but you just buy the Uncharted Bux and then spend that on what you want specifically, you're not spending $40 on a slim chance to get that one skin you want.

After TF2 and crates and buying my share of shitty keys and getting shitty fucking useless weapons I'm just sick of the gashapon gamble. I'd much rather buy x amount of the ingame currency and then spend that on what I want. Leave it to luck and ingame drops or pay $4 to get that legendary skin you want? That's great, that's fine! It might even get me to spend additional money! It's just the gamble makes more money because whales don't give a fuck about their money so throw it at the screen for virtual boxes containing shit for the hope they get slightly shinier shit.
 
I think the competitive TF2 vs Overwatch argument is silly to make right now. No one was doing insane rocket jumps with Soldier on Day 3 of TF2. Tracer getting a "get out of jail free " card means someone else has to have a higher level of skill to kill her. People are making these weird 1-1 comparisons between characters without taking into account any of the context.
 
Yeah this is basically what I meant. There are a select few overwatch heroes that have the same "skill ceilings" as TF2 characters (widow, genji, arguably mccree and junkrat), but the rest require little to no aim or movement ability - its just positioning and decision making, almost like Dota.

Its pretty clear if you look at the TF2 class analogues in overwatch

*Widowmaker has an escape (grapple), very good close range damage, and a high HP pool. Sniper has no escape, low HP, and only the absolute best players can use him effectively close range with quickscoping.

*TF2 Soldier takes hundreds of hours of practice to effectively move around the map using rocket jumps. Pharah has you press shift

*Tracer reduces the speed of scout, gives her more dodges, and even gets a "get out of jail free" card whenever she's in trouble.

Overwatch is just a lot more forgiving of mistakes, even on its high skill classes. This isn't to shit on overwatch - I think its a really fun game. I just don't know if I see myself playing it 50 hours from now. I certainly don't see it becoming a big esport or anything like that.

The problem with the TF2/OW hero comparison is that if you can't compare soldier and pharah and be done with it, they're really different within their game world.

Pharah doesn't have RJ but her objective is to stay high and above everyone else most of the game and disrupt with her conc shot.
 

spootime

Member
I think the competitive TF2 vs Overwatch argument is silly to make right now. No one was doing insane rocket jumps with Soldier on Day 3 of TF2. Tracer getting a "get out of jail free " card means someone else has to have a higher level of skill to kill her. People are making these weird 1-1 comparisons between characters without taking into account any of the context.

People have been playing competitive overwatch for half a year.

The problem with the TF2/OW hero comparison is that if you can't compare soldier and pharah and be done with it, they're really different within their game world.

Pharah doesn't have RJ but her objective is to stay high and above everyone else most of the game and disrupt with her conc shot.

I don't disagree but anyone can do what you just described with pharah. You press shift and tap your space bar every once and a while. There's no learning curve.
 
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