Number 4: Overwatch

Copyright Blizzard Entertainment

Overwatch blew me away, right off the bat.  From the moment I booted it up, purchasing it on a whim to play over the summer as my school year was winding down on the recommendation of some students, I was smitten, and it’s been a game that I can put down, walk away from and pick back up and feel like everything has been better.  Overwatch is just a fantastic multiplayer shooter, and this is from a man who doesn’t really like playing multiplayer shooters.

It may not be the best shooter, or have the best mechanics, nor is it the most innovative game in the genre, but it does what Blizzard always manages to do: make the best version of that genre available.  It’s hard to top what they do in general, but here, they’ve out done themselves and created something fantastic.  Instantly lovable and iconic characters, gorgeous visuals, easily some of the best in the world right now, tight controls and a game that is always improving.  Even in places where it’s weak, Jeff Kaplan and his team at Blizzard have been working tirelessly since May to make sure it’s the best it can be.  In a world where everything else Blizzard has done has had something that stunk to ruin it, Overwatch stands out, being that it’s always trying to improve.  It may not always work out, but they’re doing a lot more for their game than the World of Warcraft team is doing for theirs, that’s for damn sure.

Still, intercompany pissing aside, Overwatch is just a good game.  Sure, it’s a little light on game modes, and some of the maps and characters need some balancing work, but aside from a handful of outliers, most of the issues are small and can be overcome with some skill from the player.  The shooting is tight, each character feels distinctive and feels as if they fill their role effectively without being constrained by what they’re “supposed” to be doing.  Sure, Symmetra may not work, but every other character manages to feel like they do what they’re supposed to, and do it in a unique way, while still managing to limit the number of abilities each character has so there’s no ability bloat.  It’s  a trim, fast game that feels good to play and looks great, and it’s really hard to argue with that.

What really works though, is that it’s easy to put down and pick back up.  A lot of “endless” games, which Blizzard seems to specialize in, tend to have a problem with burnout, and that’s definitely something that can be an issue with Overwatch.  However, because of how accessible the game is, without sacrificing any depth, it’s easy to come back to the game whenever a player wants to, without it feeling like it’s a burden or it’s “necessary.”

The only thing that keeps this from getting higher up on the list, though, is that there are a lot of crappy microtransactions, and getting a hold of cosmetic items are a pain in the ass.  The loot boxes are boring RNG, and I almost never get anything other than sprays or duplicates (often duplicate sprays.  Ugh…), and it’s led me to dropping $20 during Halloween in order to get the Witch Mercy costume (which I got), but I still haven’t gotten Commando 76, or enough gold to buy it in the shop.

On the whole, though, it’s a great game and it gets points for always striving to be better, and having an honest development team that isn’t going to pull any bullshit when something goes wrong.  That wins a lot of points in my book.