Overwatch is finally here, and especially for newcomers, Blizzard’s hero shooter is particularly well-suited. Therefore, we present you with 10 tips in our Overwatch beginner guide.
Blizzard’s hero shooter Overwatch is primarily aimed at newcomers to the shooter genre, as nowhere else is the entry made so easy. However, there are a few things to consider if you want to make the perfect start in the game.
Tip # 1 – Play a simple character
Overwatch offers you a selection of currently 21 heroes, but not all of them are suitable for beginners. The following seven heroes are particularly beginner-friendly:
| Soldier: 76 | Soldier: 76 is THE typical shooter character. Those familiar with other games from the FPS genre will feel right at home here, as he can shoot, sprint, and fire rockets. Additionally, he can heal himself and his buddies a bit and has a temporary aimbot as his ultimate skill. This allows even the biggest novice to score kills. |
| Bastion | The combat robot Bastion is the dream of all campers. For while he is a plain shooter hero in standard mode, he can transform at the press of a button into a stationary turret that can wipe out entire enemy teams with a Gatling gun. And as an ultimate, Bastion turns into a tank that can deal massive damage with an extra powerful weapon! |
| Reinhardt | The Swabian knight Reinhardt is one of the strongest tanks in the game, as he can absorb a lot of damage and create a huge shield in front of him that protects the entire team. In this cover, everyone can safely advance and even overrun heavily fortified positions. Reinhardt is therefore optimal for players who may not be good at shooting but enjoy protecting their team. |
| Mercy | The healer Mercy is very easy to play but also an extremely effective support. She hovers behind her team and can bring half-dead heroes back to full strength within seconds using her healing beam. And thanks to her ultimate, even completely dead teammates come back to life! |
| Pharah | Pharah is perfect for all players who love rocket jumps! The Egyptian soldier has a jetpack for short flights and a semi-automatic rocket launcher. She hovers above the battlefield and rains down death-dealing rockets. Her ultimate tops all this by unleashing a devastating barrage of explosives that can decimate entire areas! |
| Roadhog | Are you constantly getting shot? Then play Roadhog, as the hefty brute in pig-like appearance can absorb a lot of damage and plays very offensively despite being a tank. With his “scrap gun” (yes, that is its real name!), he sweeps away everything at close range and uses his hook to pull opponents into his optimal range. He can also heal himself and has plenty of hit points! |
| McCree | The cowboy McCree is a true gunslinger and can deal serious damage with his revolver. He also stuns his opponents with flashbangs and deftly rolls out of the line of fire. But the coolest part is his ultimate “High Noon”. After a brief preparation, he delivers fatal headshots to up to 6 nearby opponents! |
Relevant to the topic: Overwatch Guide: The 4 best heroes for beginners
Tip # 2 – Pay attention to team composition
In Overwatch, all team members can technically play the same hero if necessary. But whether an army of Widows is really a good idea is another story. Fortunately, Overwatch itself immediately complains if you select an unfavorable combination, for example by displaying “no tanks!” or “too little damage!” on the right side of the screen. So pay attention to ensure that nothing appears there, and you will have the perfect team!
Tip # 3 – Follow the signs
Are you getting lost in the sometimes quite winding maps? Then pay attention to the red and blue lines on the ground, as they lead along the main path to the mission objective. Additionally, your team is shown as blue icons in the field of view when they are not currently in sight. This way, you always know where your teammates are and avoid running into the crossfire alone.
Tip # 4 – Teamwork leads to victory!
Overwatch is not a Rambo run-and-gun shooter where you storm in like a lone wolf and take out everyone. Those who do this will quickly die and have to watch the killcam, feeling ashamed. Much more sensible in this game is good teamwork. Especially since many heroes complement each other perfectly and can produce real killer combos.
Tip # 5 – Eavesdropping
Your heroes are not silent and comment on every event on the field. So if someone shouts, “Watch out, sniper!”, it is likely that a nasty Hanzo or a Widowmaker is lurking somewhere. Also, Torbjörn’s turrets will be announced in time, so please do not run blindly ahead and get flattered! Moreover, ultimates are usually announced by some kind of call. In our guide to recognizing ultimates, you can see how to identify them.
Tip # 6 – Kills are not everything
Overwatch does not (yet) have a deathmatch mode. Instead, you need to capture points, defend, or escort payloads. This can theoretically be done without a single kill. Therefore, it’s pointless if everyone on the team runs around like crazy shooting everything, as long as they don’t do it at the objective. So always pay attention to the mission objective and use your destructive potential effectively!
Tip # 7 – Don’t hesitate to switch heroes
In Overwatch, you can switch heroes at any time, and multiple copies of the same character are allowed on the same side. Use this! Because if you’re not getting any opponents in front of your gun as a sniper like Widowmaker on a map, maybe you should switch to the brawler Roadhog and dive into the fray. Or if you find that your attacking team is brutally failing against the enemy’s defense? Then grab tank Reinhardt and storm the position with shield and team in tow! But be careful! You lose all progress on your ultimate when you switch heroes, so make sure to use it effectively before switching.
Tip # 8 – Healers must die
Support heroes are worth their weight in gold in Overwatch, as they can keep a team alive almost indefinitely. Especially in defensive positions, such teams can be very hard to crack. Therefore, when advancing, you should definitely take out the healers first, otherwise you’ll keep banging your head against the wall, and the enemy team won’t be weakened at all, while you may be completely wiped out and lose valuable time.
Tip # 9 – Don’t run around aimlessly
As already mentioned, teamwork is everything, and solo actions are rarely rewarded. And despite the high pace, Overwatch is surprisingly tactical. It comes down more to skillful use of positions and your own positioning rather than run-and-gun. So play carefully, rely on your team, and don’t run around like a startled chicken.
Tip # 10 – Know your enemy
Even if you have a handful of heroes that you really love, do not hesitate to try out every other hero as well. Because only then will you recognize their strengths and weaknesses. Especially if a certain character keeps wiping you out, you should play that character a few times yourself. Then you’ll quickly see what they can really do and where they have real problems. You should exploit these the next time you meet!
Interested in more tips? Overwatch Guides and Tips: The Complete Overview
These are our 10 beginner tips for Overwatch. Do you find them useful? Or do you have your own advice for newcomers? Let us know in the comments!
