Why “Overwatch” is the Best First-Person Shooter Game

In 2016, the video game “Overwatch” hit the market. Since then many other games have been released and praised. However, it is my firm opinion that “Overwatch” is still one of the best and most original multiplayer first-person shooter games to come out in the last ten years. What makes it so amazing? The characters. Plain and simple.

“Overwatch” shines by implementing a wonderful array of exciting heroes and evil villains. You can play as a giant, German knight or a mutant scientist monkey. You can become a deadly femme fetale or an energetic British time-traveling pilot lass. 

Each hero’s unique abilities are like ingredients in an original dish, all working together to make a delicious meal. Where games like “Apex” or “Valorant” cap their complexity level by making various characters’ abilities mere augments to existing playstyles, “Overwatch” makes each character rare with game-breaking special abilities and earth-shattering ultimates.

To return to our food analogy, the heroes in “Apex” are like hamburgers. They are good on their own and there is a lot of stuff you can add to them, including bacon, onions, mustard, and more. However, “Overwatch” is the whole shabang. It not only allows you to add to the burger but the meal as a whole. You can take a very complex burger and then pair it with a creamy chocolate milkshake and melty jalapeno cheesy fries. In “Overwatch,” there are infinite combinations for characters that are open to players and countless strategies to master. 

In the cookie-cutter world of first-person shooter games where annual franchises reign supreme (“Call of Duty,” “Battlefield,” etc.), “Overwatch” is a breath of fresh air. The bright, engaging characters and environments are full of life and a story that is in sharp contrast with the starkly similar and bland territories in games like “Call of Duty.” 

“Overwatch” is something special in the first-person shooter genre. Beautiful in its simplicity, it effortlessly emphasizes both personal skill and team play. There is no extraneous fat on this game; it is pure fun. With “Overwatch 2” coming free to play on October 4th, there isn’t a better time to jump into your first teamfight.