Overwatch 2 divides the opinion of users and critics on the website Metacritic. While players dissect the hero shooter, many experts praise the game in their reviews. What arguments lie behind the ratings of positive reviews and negative user opinions – What leads to such a divided opinion?
Overwatch 2 celebrated its release on October 4, 2022, and had a rough start. Server problems led to ridiculously long waiting times. According to Blizzard, DDoS attacks caused these issues.
A patch from October 7 was supposed to fix the problem.
Accordingly, the launch problems are reflected in the user ratings. On the page metacritic.com, Overwatch 2 (PC version) has a user score of 1.4 (out of 10), which is abysmal.
Of a total of 1330 votes:
- 1,175 negative
- 36 mixed
- 119 positive
In contrast, however, is the metascore of the critics. This stands at a score of 81, which is quite good. It corresponds to a grade of a flat 2:
- 20 reviews are positive
- 6 are mixed
- not a single review is negative
What leads to such divided opinions? What do users criticize and which aspects do critics praise? We at MeinMMO have taken a closer look at the whole situation and also asked our editorial team for an assessment of Overwatch 2.
Here you can see the animated short film about the new fox hero Kiriko:
What users criticize about Overwatch 2
What do users say? On the one hand, many players complain that Overwatch 2 is too similar to its predecessor to be called a “new game.”
On the other hand, many are upset about the new monetization model of the hero shooter and complain about the high prices and the large grinding effort for certain items.
Some also dislike the system where they have to provide their phone number to play the shooter. The previously mentioned server problems and the long waiting time during the launch also significantly contributed to the negative user score.
What critics praise about Overwatch 2
Some experts share the users’ opinion on the new monetization model and are disappointed by the high prices; some are even shocked, “It is also shocking to see that seasonal legendary skins (which players could unlock for free by playing Overwatch 1 until a few days ago) now cost 19 dollars in in-game currency” (via forbes.com).
However, it is emphasized that the shop is optional and that content can also be unlocked through the free Battle Pass (via forbes.com). Overall, the removal of the loot system is considered a positive change by critics.
Here you can see an overview of the Battle Pass and its contents in Overwatch 2.
Some websites also criticize, like the users, that not enough has changed in the successor compared to Overwatch 1. They see the shooter rather neutrally: “Overwatch 2 in its current state is not bad, but also not good. The improved user interface and the Battle Pass align it with competitors like Apex Legends and Valorant, while the addition of Kiriko gives the long-neglected support role some much-needed spice. Beyond that, however, not much has changed” (via pcgamesn.com).
Nevertheless, the positive opinion among critics prevails. Many experts see Overwatch 2 as an improved rework of the first game, bringing fresh air to the hero shooter. Especially the new 5v5 mode seems to appeal to critics:
IGN writes, for example: “Overwatch 2 breathes new life into what was once the sharpest multiplayer shooter in the world, before it became blunted by Blizzard’s waning attention. The switch to smaller 5v5 matches heralds a new brawler age for Overwatch, where individual duels take precedence over tactical team play […]”.
Similarly, Gameinformer: “The core gameplay feels both familiar and fresh […] Outside of tank play, this 5v5 format opens the door for faster blitz matches and ensures that every player has more significance in every match.”
What does our expert from MeinMMO say about Overwatch 2? We at MeinMMO asked our expert for an opinion on Overwatch 2. Our editor Benedict Grothaus has already published a detailed opinion about the game before its release. He states about the current state of the hero shooter:
“Overwatch should have taken the steps of Overwatch 2 much earlier. With one less tank, every round plays out more smoothly, almost every hero feels like it has an impact on the events. Everything is not blocked constantly anymore, and teams no longer stare at each other for minutes until the ultimates are ready. That was boring.
Overwatch 2 brings more action to the game. The balancing still bothers me in some areas. Heroes like Orisa are just ridiculously strong, and I hope for a quick adjustment. Otherwise, personally, I have little to complain about.”
What do you think about Overwatch 2? Feel free to share it with us in the comments.
Here you can find a detailed article about the opinion of the fans on Overwatch 2.
