Overwatch is a team-based, class-based online multiplayer First-Person Shooter developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment, released in May 2016 for Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The game combines mechanics from a range of different multiplayer genres, such as a class system similar to those of popular MOBAs like League Of Legends and DOTA 2 and other similar Class-Based First Person Shooters like Team Fortress 2.

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Game Mechanics

The current character roster boasts 24 Characters as of March, 2017 with the release of ORISA. Overwatch divides its classes into four supergroups - Offense, Defense, Tank, and Support. Each superclass features a self-contained character with a direct role supplemented by their abilities and weapons. An example from each supergroup, with their abilities and weapons:

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• Offense: Tracer, assassin - dual sub-machineguns, short-range flash-step, local time-reverse, and wide-blast time-bomb.

• Defense: Widowmaker, sniper - marksman rifle, damage-over-time mine, grappling hook, timed x-ray vision.

• Tank: Reinhardt, point tank - melee-only hammer, wide-coverage shield, high-speed charge, ranged fireball, area-of-affect knockdown.

• Support: Mercy, healer - healing/damage-boost beam, pistol, glide, dash-to-point, mass-resurrection.

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Only, it's not that simple. Reaper also fulfills the role of offensive assassin, like Tracer, but differs in target and execution - his wide-spread shotguns allow him to tackle high-health, large scale targets, and his invulnerability state and teleport allow him to avoid obvious paths and other high-damage characters. Tracer, on the other hand, can quickly harass enemies and kill low-health targets, but she has little health on her own.

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The principle applies to other superclasses too. Reinhardt and Roadhog are both point tanks - high-health, medium-damage, and abilities that can save them from bad situations or protect and advancing team - but their execution is different. Reinhardt protects his allies directly via his shield, and can charge through opponents to draw attention or destroy emplacements; Roadhog's pull, short-range weapon and self-heal make him a scary enemy, but offers no protection to his teammates.

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These choices ultimately affect teams of characters. Some characters, such as Mercy and Tracer, work contextually due to their abilities - Mercy's beam maintains allies who have high amounts of health or are too hard to reliably hit, and she has little opportunity to defend herself, while Tracer can die quickly if mishandled, and she thrives in attacking from angles. However, Mercy works well with Reinhardt and Roadhog because they can protect Mercy via their massive frames and their damage. Since the two also move with the rest of the team, Mercy stays within the team and can keep everyone fighting, rather than helping one attacker.

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The same works when picking against opponents. To kill characters like Reinhardt or Roadhog, the best offensive choice is Reaper - his shotguns can deal high amounts of damage, appear from multiple angles, and escape if necessary. Tracer, however, avoids almost half of Reaper's weapons because of her smaller hitbox, and can outright kill him if he is ambushed.

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Level Design

The final factor is the level design and game type.

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Of particular note when looking at Overwatch's level design, is its carefully crafted approach to Asymmetric Level Design, specifically in it's escort, assault & hybrid game types. In these game types the designers manipulate the attacking and defending team advantages as the teams move throughout each point in the level by carefully arranging level design elements like available cover, advantageous positions and player spawn locations. By doing this, the designers add to the feeling of flow as the attacking teams usually start each map with a strong advantage, and by the end face a strong disadvantage, with the reverse being true for the defending team. This works toward making the players feel a more intense sense of progress and struggle throughout the course of the match.