Overwatch 2’s Redemption Arc? Steam Reviews Finally Improve After Update

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Following around a year and six months of unfavorable Steam feedback, Blizzard has finally rolled out an extensive update for the first season of Overwatch 2. Remarkably, this upgrade seems to have enhanced the game’s overall ratings!

Overwatch 2’s Bad Start

As a dedicated fan since the original Overwatch debuted in 2016, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of anticipation when Blizzard Entertainment hinted at the upcoming release of Overwatch 2 in October 2023. With their assurance of fresh PvE and campaign missions, it was hard not to get swept up in the excitement. After all, the multiplayer hero shooter had swiftly amassed a devoted following who eagerly awaited every new announcement.

Indeed, there was quite a buzz among fans when Overwatch 2 hinted at fresh additions for the series – only to find themselves disheartened as merely a fraction of these features were incorporated into the game, with the remainder being scrapped. Consequently, Overwatch 2 received a torrent of unfavorable reviews on Steam.

Up to now, that is. Because Blizzard has now finally released a massive update!

Overwatch 2’s Recent Update

In a single sweep on February 18, the Season 15 update introduced a total of 168 enhancements to the game’s roster of 42 heroes, making them all more powerful simultaneously! Here’s a glimpse into their new capabilities:

  • Every hero has 4 unique perks overall, two minor and two major ones
  • During the match, players get to choose between two perks twice, so in every match, you can use 2 of a hero’s overall 4 perks
  • At level 2, players can choose between two minor perks
  • At level 3, players can choose between two major perks

Here’s a fresh take on your text: In contrast to its predecessor, Overwatch 2 now introduces a novel mechanic that some gamers felt was lacking in the original version, as they criticized that this follow-up didn’t bring any significant innovations to the table.

The update also introduced a fresh competitive mode for 6-player matches, but it’s the new perk system that’s really stealing the show.

Improved Reviews

Recently, the game has been receiving a mix of positive and negative reviews on Steam, shifting away from the consistently negative feedback it had received earlier. Specifically, the reviews written within the last 30 days no longer fall solely into the category of “mostly negative”.

Remember, as the “Recent Reviews” section covers feedback given within the past 30 days, which is since February 18, some of the comments may no longer reflect the current state of the update. Let’s observe whether the ratings might further enhance in the future.

As a start, here are some reviews that have been made since the arrival of the update:

For once, I most come to Overwatch’s defense and say they really have stepped up their game. Going back to what worked in Overwatch 1 while introducing new and fun mechanics to the game. A certain game made them LOCK IN and I couldn’t be happier. Now we just gotta wait for next season with an actual cooler battlepass – Neko on Steam

They just released Overwatch 2. The recent update is what the game should always have been before corporate greed got in the way. – AEPhoenix on Steam

Overwatch 1 was my favorite video game of all time, full stop. If it was the only game for the rest of time I guarantee you I would stay happy. 6v6 with Role Queue is the only way to make this game work and Blizzard will do anything, including adding CS:GO mode(WHAT HAPPENED TO QUEUE TIMES BEING A PROBLEM?), rather than restoring this game to it’s former glory of 6v6. 6v6 was how the game was originally designed but what the heck do the actual creators know? Who cares, I guess. They’re all gone anyway. – SirBarther on Steam

Some comments express satisfaction with the latest updates, particularly the new features, whereas other users, who had been anticipating the return of 6v6 gameplay, seem disappointed as it’s now only available in a queue system.

Regardless, this move represents an initial effort to enhance the game’s ratings. Time will tell if the feedback becomes increasingly favorable, but it’s been reported that Blizzard has plans to introduce new features in Season 16, including:

– New features for season 16

  • A Stadium mode: Stadium is Overwatch‘s third primary mode, separate from Quickplay and Competitive. This is a round-based mode that is played in third-person by default and it allows players to purchase upgrades and customize their builds between rounds.
  • A new hero called Freja
  • Loot boxes as weekly rewards and battle pass rewards
  • Hero bans in Competitive

Since Marvel Rivals poses a significant challenge to Overwatch, it could motivate Blizzard to introduce more innovative features and potentially take bolder steps to win back its audience. In other words, the release of Marvel Rivals might have ignited Overwatch 2’s comeback story; let’s wait and see how it unfolds.

What are your thoughts on the latest change? What additional functions would you prefer in the coming updates? Feel free to share your ideas below!

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2025-02-21 18:09