Finally, Xbox has implemented How Long to Beat , giving you a heads up on how long on average it’ll take you to go for a completionist run or just a main story playthrough. With gaming’s approach to length changing thanks to subscription services such as Game Pass and PS Plus, features editor Andrew King argues that this is long overdue, letting people find shorter nuggets to power through in their free time, or bigger time sinks for those who prefer a longer adventure with more commitm
But with the release of Overwatch 2 and its debut season less than two weeks away, we now have a concrete picture of how the experience will play out, as well as how much it differs from what came before. This isn’t a premium product anymore, but instead a free game that anyone can download, jump into, and have a reasonably good time without spending a penny. There’s a free version of the battle pass too, albeit with far fewer rewards and a focus on grinding things out over a prolonged period of time, but it’s there, and that kinda rules.
I don’t care for online shooters in general; I’m much happier with a good offline story game most of the time. That’s a big reason why my Overwatch numbers are so low – I’m busy playing through a gripping narrative rather than getting better at playing as D.Va or
Overwatch 2 is taking Blizzard’s 2016 hit and making it a free-to-play game which, as features lead Jade King points out , makes perfect sense. In the past six years, we’ve had goliaths like Apex Legends, Destiny 2, and Fortnite take centre stage – Overwatch is simply evolving with the ti
The Diablo portion of the presentation began with a reveal of a new character class coming to Diablo 4. The Rogue is a combination of the original Diablo rogue and the Diablo 2 assassin. The class will feature ranged combat with bows, dual dagger melee, and plenty of traps and stealth options. A trailer for the class shows off some of its fast and flashy gamep
The first online-only BlizzCon kicked off today with an announcement-filled opening ceremony. The livestream featured updates, reveals, surprises, and new game announcements, including some that are already available today. Here’s a look at everything announced during the BlizzConline 2021 opening cerem
Tracer and Soldier 76’s sexuality were confirmed in comics and other supplemental materials, and you’d struggle to see them mentioned in the game itself with the exception of a few small inclusions. Emily, Tracer’s girlfriend, is an optional spray, and the time-zipping agent will mention her briefly in a piece of dialogue in King’s Row, but beyond this it’s slim pickings for the gays in Overwatch. With the sequel set to focus on narrative to a significant degree, I sincerely hope Blizzard does a better job of embracing its queer characters instead of treating them like a dirty little sec
Typically, when games try and tell their in-game story outside of the game, it’s because the narrative is a bit naff. I don’t mean stuff like the Life is Strange or Tomb Raider comics, which both expand upon an existing story, I mean the likes of Outriders’ recent short there to give backstory and establish the lore of the game. Maybe just… do that in the game? But again, Overwatch is an exception to the rule. Overwatch’s character reveals feel like you’re reading a secret diary, it’s like you’re being let in on something special, not having a crumpled up piece of paper with the word ‘BaCkStOrY’ written on it in crayon – this, by the way, is exactly what watching that Outriders short felt l
Sexuality is a defining part of your identity, and the passion amongst fans to see this explored in the games is evident, but I will admit it remains drenched in heteronormativity. I committed the cardinal sin of searching for ‘Tracer and Emily’ in Google images and was greeted with far more than the comic introducing their relationship, with crudely animated porn primed on the male gaze being pushed more than anything e
Overwatch 2 lore|https://Overwatch2fans.Com/ was the game I played constantly at university, and playing around with its existing roster while delving into each new hero was a big part of its appeal. My flatmates and I would fall in love with specific roles, or gravitate towards certain heroes because their aesthetic called out to us. I’m a filthy weeb and also very gay, so my mains ended up being D.Va, Mercy, and Lucio, with venturing into DPS territory rarely.
Where a lot of hero shooters have characters that either riff on Overwatch or age old tropes, Overwatch’s originality makes it easy to project onto. They still aren’t perfect – we won’t be able to play as a Black woman until Overwatch 2 – but they’re head and shoulders above the competition in terms of what I look for in the genre, even though I never play
With a sequel, major characters will likely be reintroduced for a new audience, especially the likes of Tracer and Soldier 76. There’s no need to scream and shout about being queer from the rooftops, but just make that aspect of these characters clear in their history, and how it matters beyond a tick in the diversity box. I care about the relationships and dynamics of queer people, especially when I can see it in games like this, so the last thing I want is to see it shoehorned in and immediately shied away from whenever the situation calls for
