Cortyn has extensively played the new Overwatch modes and reveals what makes them so damn fun.
In the last two days, I probably played more Overwatch than is good for me again. The reason for this is the new game modes that are now neatly summarized in the “Arcade” menu.
Although I’m not a big fan of “1on1” matches since the focus of Overwatch (for me) lies in coordinated team play, I have still gathered a lot of nice experiences there. Above all: I had not a single unfriendly opponent in all matches, but really pleasant conversations where we exchanged about particularly spectacular kills. Especially, one learns a lot about their own hero in the duel – where both players always play the same character – that they didn’t know before.
In a Roadhog duel, for example, the player who uses their hook second usually wins. How often I’ve had a “draw” in a D.Va duel because we both blasted out of the mech and then out of life exactly at the same time – I can’t count it anymore. This naturally creates a cheerful mood on both sides.
My experiences in the 3v3 matches were quite similar. Sure, playing with 2 friends in the team makes the mode a bit more fun, but even with supposed “randoms,” the rounds are great. Each turn lasts only about a minute, and if you yourself meet your end, you can watch the rest of the match as a spectator, which often leads to loud cheering and a lot of tension.
Generally, both modes can be described as “fast, short, brutal action” that you can get through in a few minutes. So, if you’re just looking to bridge a raid break in WoW and don’t want to be annoyed by teammates for long, the new modes are perfect.
This view on the new Arcade modes is also shared by many other fans. Some enjoy the 3v3 and 1v1 matches so much that they are already demanding that these modes be available in ranked play just a few days later. Blizzard has already responded to that and is considering it if the interest in ranked 3v3 and 1v1 matches remains.
The only criticism I have of the modes and the map “Ecopoint: Antarctica” is the lack of health packs. Especially the new character Sombra could benefit from that, and otherwise, you are (more or less) forced to take a character with self-healing: Roadhog, Soldier: 76, Bastion, or Mei. Sure, you can also play a healer, but that was relatively less fun in the 3v3 rounds.
If you haven’t had a reason to check out Overwatch yet, you should use the new game modes as an occasion. There’s no better time than now, because for this weekend, everyone can play Overwatch for free – both on PC and on PS4 and Xbox One.
