Overwatch: The Next Generation of First Person Shooters

Overwatch turns the FPS genre on its head by delivering a colorful, bright world, 21 unique heroes and game mods that require players to work together if they want to be victorious. For years, Blizzard fans all over the world anxiously waited for the studio to unleash their Project Titan - a game which was hyped as a FPS MMO and was considered the successor of World of Warcraft. As the industry shifted, Blizzard cancelled Titan and announced a smaller, team-based shooter called Overwatch.

Initial reactions scaled from frustration to disappointment, but now that Overwatch is here, it's evident that Blizzard was right all along. Overwatch is a

very untraditional FPS that features DPS fighters, tanks and healers. The game doesn't have a campaign, but the addictive multiplayer mode means that many players will sink hundreds and hundreds of hours into it without any lore to keep bringing them back for more. Unlike Blizzard's recent titles Hearthstone and Heroes of the Storm, you'll have to pay full a full retail price for Overwatch to play it on PS4, PC or Xbox One. This may sound like a hurdle for some shoppers, but it does mean that all 21 characters are unlocked right from the start. There's no rotating heroes to deal with or the need to purchase your favorite character as a micro transaction. The only micro transactions are for aesthetic changes.

What makes Overwatch really special is how unique every playable character feels, looks and interacts with the world. Only because two heroes both use long distance weapons to do damage, it doesn't mean they are interchangeable. The game is full of incredibly well balanced rock, paper, scissors match ups between heroes, and the players that put the time into the game will quickly understand which opponents they are best against and which ones are the worst against.

The 21 heroes certainly don't look like they belong in the same game, but all the little details that make the bizarre cast and setting really work well. The space marine, mad scientist, humanoid turret and cowboy all feature the smallest bright details that give players the sense that they belong in the same world. What also helps is their abilities interacting in ways that mean they're made to fight together. In terms of lore and world-building, Blizzard really gives the players a lot of homework. Aside the ridiculous intro cut scene, the game doesn't have any lore. Fans can watch the animated shorts, which provide details about the characters and why they're saving the world. The players in the game win together or lose alone. There are no rewards for going solo. It takes time to adjust to the philosophy, but the need the game puts on players to play together makes Overwatch really complex and incredibly rewarding.