A worthy Overwatch Rival?
Review Written at the end of the Closed beta (Aug 5 2024)
It can be hard to remember how exciting Overwatch’s early days were. Not only because it’s been nearly a decade (since OW1 was announced), but because the series has had a variety of issues, flaws and broken promises. In the days before Role Queue, 5v5, and the hilarious joke of PvE in Overwatch 2, the experience of playing such a visually and mechanically sound shooter was rare and satisfying. It’s difficult today to find such an eclectic cast of characters, set in such a vibrant world, especially compared to the yearly franchises. In the wake of Overwatch fans’ lost faith in Blizzard, we’re starting to see ‘Overwatch Clones’ like Star Wars: Hunters or Concord, and although they’re appearing in a larger volume, it’s not new to copy this formula. In 2018, the briefly popular Paladins felt nearly as copied and pasted as Overwatch 2 ended up being. The reason I’m giving this brief history lesson is due to Marvel/NetEase Games’ recent foray into the familiar territory that Blizzard popularised, and for the first time in years, I’m reminded just how much fun it can be.
Now, the game isn’t even out yet. I was fortunate enough to get into the Closed Beta, so it’s pre-early-days and has time to become just as tedious and infuriating as Overwatch ended up feeling. The difference here is that Rivals doesn’t seem to take itself too seriously. Most people going into the game will be doing so with the assumption that the game is just a clone, which is great when players discover the way that the Devs have capitalised on the Team fighting formula, and the much-needed focus on cooperative gameplay.
That’s the main difference I’ve noticed other than the 3rd person perspective is the clever way that Rivals encourages cooperation. In a game like Overwatch, you’ll get screamed at by your team for not picking a certain hero or class, and while I imagine that will still happen here, there are more legitimate reasons for choosing a hero, with not just roles like healer or tank to consider but also if choosing a character will trigger a ‘Team-Up’. Often themed around character pairings that make the most sense, like classic Marvel characters from X-Men or the Guardians joining up with their respective team members, these give stat buffs and sometimes unique effects. Play as any of the Spider-man characters while Venom is in your team, and you’ll gain an aptly-named Symbiote Bond ability to use for that match. Team-Ups focused around Rocket Raccoon allow for him and The Punisher to use their firearms without losing ammo, while another allows him to perch atop Groot’s shoulder, gaining some damage resistance. Some are more unique than others, but even those that just grant a passive boost are worth using and legitimise/embrace player-made strategies used in games like Overwatch such as a Mercy/Pharah combo
Speaking of the characters, the massive back catalogue of Marvel characters means the starting roster is incredibly varied. From known favourites like Spidey, Iron Man and Hulk, to lesser-known picks like Magik, Luna Snow and (greatest of all time) Jeff the Land Shark, NetEase has created unique play styles based on already established characters. Some may view the lack of original characters as a negative aspect. I know my favourite part of Overwatch is the diverse and increasing cast, but I’d argue that they’re just utilising the decades of iconic work by great comic book writers and artists, which has always been a collaborative effort. Plus the art direction for Rivals means that a lot of the Heroes have some pretty slick designs, Magneto and Groot stand out as examples.
One of the prominently advertised features (at least on the Steam store page) is the destructible environments found on each map. Creating new sightlines and opening up capture points can happen unintentionally while fighting, but by utilising the mechanic properly, I can see players gaining the upper hand in team skirmishes. Breaking through certain walls to flank a defending team could change the tide in a competitive match, but I imagine a lot of people won’t give the destruction much thought, at least on the currently available maps.
The game, as of writing this, is slated for a 2025 release, which I sincerely hope is moved forward because, in its Closed Beta state, it feels really polished. I can even see myself spending money on season passes if the game remains free-to-play. I’m finding myself just waiting now, which I haven’t felt after a beta in quite some time.
EDIT AS OF SEPTEMBER 2024 BELOW
Exclesior! The updated release date is now early December of this year, which is great because it felt ready to go during the Beta, and with the addition of Captain America n’ Winter Soldier, I’m excited to get back into the fight on release day!
