Blizzard’s iconic hero shooter is still one of the most enjoyable and phrenetic shooters on the market today. Despite many competitors coming and going in the (almost) decade since its release, Overwatch’s level of character, polish and variety remain virtually unmatched in the world of competitive shooters. Especially for those looking for a game with a less hardcore or high-stakes focus.
Whether you’re jumping into Overwatch 2 for the first time, or returning to find the game radically different from its original form, this Overwatch 2 guide will help you navigate everything the game has to offer. Helping you get your bearings with the game’s many systems, heroes, maps and modes.
What Even is Overwatch 2?
Overwatch is a hero shooter. Tasking players with choosing a hero from the vast roster in order to team up, fight for objectives and win across a variety of simple game modes.
Free-to-play, with cross-platform support, Overwatch 2 is a great point of entry into competitive gaming, as it offers a slightly more casual tone than many of its competitors.
Overwatch 2 is a strange beast. For new and returning players it can be hard to get your head around what exactly makes this a sequel. And, well, that’s because it’s not really a sequel. It’s a significant overhaul and expansion of the original Overwatch experience.
This means Overwatch 2 has significantly more heroes and maps than the original game, while also tweaking a number of mechanics, most notable having teams be comprised of 5 players (1 tank, 2 damage and 2 support) instead of the original 6v6.
Heroes
Heroes are the core of the Overwatch experience, and this Overwatch 2 guide breaks down the game’s roster to help you find the perfect hero for your playstyle. With 42 heroes currently available to play, the game offers an incredible variety of play styles to suit everyone. Whether you’re looking to click heads, or you can’t aim at all. Whether you like to be up in the action, or prefer hanging back and supporting your team. Or anything in between, the roster of Overwatch 2 heroes has anything you need.
This vast roster is split into three major categories: Tank, Damage and Support. In a standard game of Overwatch 2, each team will consist of one tank, two damage heroes and two support heroes. Although there are certain game modes which can change this.
What are Heroes?
In Overwatch 2, heroes are the equivalent of classes in other games. Each of which coming with a specific loadout of abilities, unique equipment and a specific health pool.
This means that switching hero will switch up almost everything you can do, offering new opportunities.
All heroes will have a weapon with unique shooting mechanics and often multiple modes. They also have 2-3 unique abilities which can be deployed on cooldown. All heroes finally also have an ultimate ability, which must be charged up by dealing damage, healing or blocking damage.
Understanding Tank Heroes
If tanks had to be summed up in one word, it’d be “intimidating”. In Overwatch 2, Tanks are beefed-up versions of their former selves. With each tank becoming a formidable front-liner.
The job of tanks ranges from holding the front line and pushing into the enemy to claiming space on the map and protecting your teammates. Although each tank plays differently, making them better suited for different tasks.
Some of the most iconic tanks are Reinhardt, Zarya, Doomfist, D.Va and Winston. But with 13 to choose from, you have a variety of play styles to pick.
Understanding Damage Heroes
Perhaps the most straightforward role to understand, but also arguably the toughest to play well, damage heroes are there to secure eliminations. That means you want to focus damage on specific targets and wipe them off the battlefield.
Damage heroes come in many forms, each with unique strengths and weaknesses. If you’re unsure which ones suit your playstyle, our DPS tier list offers valuable insights.
Unlike tanks, damage heroes are squishy (easy to kill), meaning that positioning and tactical play are crucial to staying alive and dealing consistent damage.
Again, there are a wide variety of heroes in this class. From snipers and close-combat brawlers to builders and ability-focused heroes.
Understanding Support Heroes
Perhaps the most diverse set of classes in terms of their kit, support heroes are tasked with keeping their team alive, offering healing alongside other utilities like speed boosts and damage boosts. If you’re looking to learn more, check out our support heroes tier list for insights on the best picks.
While support heroes have defensive kit, they are not helpless. Each hero has offensive capabilities which can and should be deployed frequently. And, when played right, can often come out on-top in 1v1s with other hero types.
When playing, the most important thing to do as a support is to stay alive. This allows you to keep your support, healing and damage flowing. Supporting your team, and allowing them to do their jobs.
Maps and Game Modes
The amount of maps and game modes in Overwatch 2 dwarfs those available in the first game. Offering up not only most of the original maps, but also 3 totally new game modes and plenty of new maps for all game modes, new and old. For a full breakdown, check out our overwatch 2 map tier list.
Maps and Game modes are tied together in Overwatch, with each map only offering up a single game mode. While this may sound strange, it works to the game’s advantage. Allowing each map to be carefully tailored to that specific game mode. Offering up optimal play.
For this reason, this article will focus on introducing you to the game’s many game modes, not all the individual maps.
Standard Game Modes
When selecting any quick or competitive play, your match will be randomly assigned a map and its corresponding game mode. These consist of:
- Control
King of the hill across multiple maps. Capture and control the point to win a round. The game is judged on a best of three. So first team to win two rounds wins.
- Escort
One team attacks while the other defends, pushing a cart through the map to a designated goal. In competitive play, you will play both attack and defence roles in subsequent rounds. The team to push it the furthest wins. In quick play, it’s only one round, so you play either attack or defence.
- Hybrid
A combination of control and escort, Hybrid maps begin with one team attempting to capture a point. If successful, they then push the payload through the rest of the map. In competitive play, you will attack and defend, with the team progressing the furthest winning. While quick play games will see you play only one side.
- Flashpoint
Take control, and compress the three different maps into one larger map , and you have flashpoint. Where teams must capture and hold control points across a large map with five control points. First to three points wins.
- Push
A true tug-of-war, Push is a competitive payload push; where both teams are attacking. The payload begins in the middle and players compete to push it to their opponent’s end, on either side of a mirrored map. A team wins by getting the payload to the end, or by going the furthest before time runs out.
- Clash
Think of it as a tug-of-war of control points; but instead of holding the point, you just need to capture it. The map consists of 5 control points which fall roughly in a straight line in a mirrored map. Both teams begin by attempting to take point C (in the middle). Then depending on who wins, the next point will be closer to the opponent’s spawn point. And so this continues, until one team has made 5 captures.
Arcade Game Modes
For those looking for a variety of fun outside of the quick and competitive play of Overwatch, Overwatch 2 has a few options.
- Deathmatch / Team Deathmatch
A free-for-all on small, purpose-built maps, simply choose a hero and get as many eliminations as you can. This mode is great for practicing your 1v1s!
A team deathmatch mode is also available.
- Assault
A legacy game mode which was removed from the standard modes upon the release of Overwatch 2, Assault is an attack-and-defend match where one team attempts to take two capture points defended by the enemy team.
The mode was removed from competitive play due to matches occasionally spiraling out of control, running for far too many rounds.
- Capture the Flag
The classic task, capture the flag is exactly what you would imagine.
- Elimination
A search-and-destroy like game mode across multiple rounds, Elimination takes place on small maps where players must eliminate the enemy team before their team is taken out.
Variants of elimination include 5v5, 3v3 and 1v1. While lockout elimination is a fun challenge which locks you out of heroes which you used to win a round.
- Seasonal Game Modes
Overwatch also features a number of seasonal game modes for its many annual events. These range from lucioball (think Rocket League with Lucios). Junkerstein’s Revenge, where you defend against waves of bots. Yeti Hunt, Snowball fights, and more!
PvE Modes
While Overwatch 2’s long-awaited PvE mode was cancelled for its initial release, there are still a number of PvE modes available in the game, for players who enjoy co-operative play.
- Story Missions
Featuring three unique story missions that take place across extended and unique maps, story missions see you and your teammates fight against waves of enemies as you attempt to complete unique objectives.
Currently, Story Missions are only available after you purchase the Invasion Bundle from the Shop for $15 USD.
- Event Missions
Like the seasonal game modes, there are a number of PvE events which recur once a year. Including Uprising, Retribution and Storm Rising. These are free-to-play for the time they appear in their related events.
Progression
One of the largest differences between Overwatch and Overwatch 2, is the progression systems. With loot boxes gone, Overwatch 2 features a Battle Pass as the primary way to unlock hero items. Not only that, but multiple new progression systems have been added to allow you to flex your ability and experience with certain heroes, roles and more.
The Battle Pass
Battle passes are rife in today’s world of multiplayer games, and Overwatch’s battle pass is very similar to most others you will find. But if you haven’t had experience with battle passes, don’t fret. I’ll break it down for you.
Battle passes are a progression system which rewards you with unlocks based on its many different levels, which are unlocked by earning experience through standard gameplay and completing challenges (which we’ll discuss in a moment).
The pass is split into free and premium tiers. Meaning that all players will earn some rewards, but many of the rewards will require you to pay for the season’s battle pass to unlock. The premium tier will net you many of the best skins and cosmetics along with extras like mystic gems, to unlock even more skins.
Battle passes are split into seasons, which usually last around two months. This means you have that amount of time to accrue the necessary amount of experience to rise up the ranks to get the unlockable.
Fortunately, if you miss a battle pass, many of the items are purchasable from the shop at a later date… although this often comes at a premium!
Challenges
There are a variety of daily, weekly and seasonal challenges which you can complete in game for Battle Pass XP boosts. These challenges can range from playing and winning games, to playing with friends and completing certain actions in game.
Most will be completed with standard play, so you don’t need to worry too much about them. But they are useful for bolstering your battle pass XP, letting you unlock everything from the Battle Pass much faster.
Hero/Role Progression
Separate to the battle pass, Overwatch 2 has hero and role progression. These reward you for simply playing (and playing well), and will see you levelling up each hero as you play them.
As you level them up, you’ll unlock badges and sub-badges. These showcase your ability on the hero, and demonstrate things you have done a lot. For example, the number of enemies slept as Ana, the damage blocked as Reinhardt, or the number of headshots as Widowmaker.
Each hero has unique sub-badges, but the core badges are the same, acting as a way of showing off your many hours of experience on a hero.
Competitive Play
This Overwatch 2 guide also covers competitive play, which is perfect for players looking to climb the ranks and face tougher challenges. It pits you against players of a similar skill level as you compete to rise up the ranks.
Competitive play is split into tiers and divisions.
Competitive tiers are the most important, these include Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Master, Grandmaster, Champion and top 500.
Each tier, bar top 500, also has 5 divisions. These are numbered from 5-1, with 5 being the lowest.
When you start playing competitive, you will complete 10 placement matches for your chosen role. After that, you will be given a tier and division. From that point on, as you play competitive your rank will go up if you win and down if you lose. While there are complex explanations of rank modifiers which come up after each competitive game, it is generally as simple as that. Then when you meet certain thresholds, you will change tier and division.
Playing competitive is a great way to experience the greatest challenges Overwatch has to offer. To jump right into competitive matches with a strong account, explore our Overwatch 2 accounts.
Competitive also rewards you with competitive points, which you can use to unlock Jade skins for hero weapons, showing off your prowess to everyone else.
Why Overwatch 2 is Still Great
Despite its age, Overwatch 2 remains one of the best hero shooters on the market. And while its critical reception was marred by many of its deviations from the original formula, it’s still a joy to play for a number of key reasons.
- Hero Personality – Overwatch is one of the few games whose heroes are memorable and known outside of the game. From Tracer to Mercy, Winston to Doomfist, Overwatch has produced many heroes which are so well designed that they are loved by gamers and non-gamers alike.
- Team Play – Many online shooters come down to individual skill, but Overwatch is one that is deeply focused on team play and cooperation. Making its dynamic well suited for those who enjoy team games.
- Art Style – While Overwatch can be hard-as-nails in its gameplay, its art style lends it a more casual feeling. Attracting players from all over the gaming spectrum, creating a far more dynamic and varied community than many of its competitors.
- Updates – Since the release of Overwatch 2, the game has been receiving consistent updates. Releasing new heroes, maps and game modes in the process.
Ultimately, this Overwatch 2 guide highlights the many heroes, game modes, and progression systems that make the game a joy to play, whether you’re new or returning.