With Blizzard's creation of Overwatch, they wanted to create Heroes rather than nameless classes to give them distinction, personality, story and depth. Each of these Heroes would have their own weapons, abilities, and roles. I love the game and enjoy playing each and every hero so far, but I couldn't help but see stereotypes, references, or what seems to be direct influences from other videogames and pop culture.
Story
Humans create Omnics, or sentient robots, to work and improve our world. One day the Omnics turn on the humans and ignite a global war between humans and robots. Overwatch is formed as an organization to stop these attacks and prevent further crime in the world. The war between humans and Omnics cease, but crime continues to thrive in the world. The public response to these crimes was to blame Overwatch's existence. The leader of Overwatch seemed to have turned on the organization at one point. A fight breaks out between Morrison (Soldier 76) and Reyes (Reaper) and the headquarters of Overwatch explodes. Both seemingly survived, but Overwatch was quickly disbanded and the members went off in opposite ways. Some became mercenaries, some vigilantes, and others criminals. Finally, one former member of Overwatch reaches out to his former comrades and brings the crew back together as something big is seemingly going on behind the crime scenes.
The story immediately reminded me of Pixar's "The Incredibles". Humans born of super powers become super heroes to stop crime only to have the public ostracize the heroes in fear of their abilities. One of the members of the Super Hero scene wants to stop all the rising crime in the world and begins fighting on his own with later two other former Super Heroes joining him as he gets himself into trouble.
It also doesn't help that the first trailer that Blizzard put out was SUPER Pixar influenced. But you know what? I don't think many people cared, including myself. It was full of personality and emotion that it captured the viewers interest in just the few minutes of watching it.
Character Breakdown (Controls based on default PC)
Offense Class
Genji - Genji Shimada
Looks like: Some of the frames from Warframe
Players claim Genji reminds them of Raiden or Grey Fox from the Metal Gear Solid series
Plays like: Kind of like Warframe - Throws shurikens instead of shooting bullets, sword attacks, run and jump around like a Ninja.
Abilities:
Left-Click - 3 Shurikens in a row
Right-Click - 3 Shurikens in a spread
Left-Shift - Dash forward with a poison induced slash
E-Key - Reflect projectiles
Passive - Double-Jump and Climb Walls
Q-Key - Brings out katana with strong melee attacks
McCree - Jesse McCree
Looks Like: Clint Eastwood in his Western movies
Players claim McCree reminds them of John Marston from Red Dead Redemption or Graves from League of Legends.
Plays like: Call of Juarez - from the rolling, fan the hammer, and quick-draw, it's very reminiscent of playing Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood and Call of Juarez: Gunslinger.
Abilities:
Left-Click - Single shot from the six-shooter
Right-Click - Unloads entire chamber
Left-Shift - Roll and immediately reload all 6 bullets
E-Key - Flashbang that causes opponent(s) to be stunned for a short duration
Q-Key - Marks all opponents into view and quick-draw for a quick kill
Pharah - Fareeha Amari
Looks like: Samus Aran from the Metroid series in armor design at least
Pharah's helmet reminds me of Eagle Riders/G-Force
Plays like: Quake/Unreal Tournament with the rocket spamming
Abilities:
Left-Click - Single Rocket shot
Left-Shift - Jump jet high into the air
E-Key - Concussive Blast that knocks enemies back and damages shields/barriers
Passive - Can hover in mid-air with Right-click or jump
Q-Key - Sends out a Rocket Barrage
Reaper - Gabriel Reyes
Looks like: Death from Darksiders 2
Plays like: His playstyle doesn't really remind me of any particular character or gameplay. He dual-wields shotguns and can become ethereal-like to avoid getting hit.
Abilities:
Left-Click - Shoot with either shotguns
Left-Shift - Become ghost-like and phase through enemies and bullets
E-Key - A slow, short-distance teleportation
Passive - Collect souls from fallen enemies to regain health
Q-Key - Spin to Win, shoot all around you
Soldier: 76 - John "Jack" Morrison
Looks like: I can't say he really looks or reminds me of anyone
Plays like: A military shooter without ADS (aiming down sight)
Abilities:
Left-Click - Shoot with assault rifle
Right-Click - Shoot a set of spiraling rockets
Left-Shift - Sprint key, like in many military shooters
E-Key - Set a Biotic Field that heals for 35 HP per second
Q-Key - Aim-Bot, bullets lock onto enemies in view
Tracer - Lena Oxton
Looks like: No character I can really think of
Plays like: It reminds me a little of Dishonored where you can weave in and out of battle with the blink ability without the peashooters
Abilities:
Left-Click - Shoot with dual-wield pulse pistols (reminds me of Earthworm Jim)
Right-Click/Left-Shift - Blink forward for a short distance
E-Key - Recall back 3 seconds from before with the same amount of health, ammo, and position
Q-Key - Throw a sticky bomb that does a ton of damage
Defense Class
Bastion - SST Laboratories Siege Automaton E54
Looks like: Something out of Borderlands
Plays like: Any FPS that has a mounted turret scene
Abilities:
Left-Click - Shoot with a sub-machine gun in mobile mode and mini-gun in sentry mode
Left-Shift - Switch between mobile mode and sentry mode
E-Key - Self-repair by Healing 25% of HP per Second
Q-Key - Transform into a tank and suddenly you're playing Battletanx
Hanzo - Hanzo Shimada
Looks like: Heishiro Mitsurugi from Soul Calibur series
Plays like: Sniper with Huntsman (bow & arrow) equipped from Team Fortress 2
Abilities:
Left-Click - Draw and release arrow
Right-Click - Cancel draw on the bow
Left-Shift - Sonic arrow that reveals the positions of enemies behind walls and obstructions
E-Key - An arrow that scatters when colliding with anything
Passive - Climb walls
Q-Key - RYUU GA WAGA TEKI WO KURAU, shooting into walls and getting Play of the Game
Junkrat - Jamison Fawkes
Looks like: A Borderlands character
Plays like: Demoman from Team Fortress 2
Abilities:
Left-Click - Shoots frag grenades from the launcher
Right-Click - Detonates Concussion Mine
Left-Shift - Toss a Concussion Mine that damges enemies and propels them and yourself upwards
E-Key - Toss a giant Steel Trap that damges and immobilzes enemies that walk into it
Passive - Total Mayhem has Junkrat drop 8 live grenades on the floor when he's killed
Q-Key - RIP-Tire is a remote controlled wheel that can be detonated for massive damage
Mei - Mei-Ling Zhou
Looks like: Some people claim Ice Climbers, but I'm sure most people that live in extreme cold weather dress like this.
Plays like: An even more annoying version of Pyro from Team Fortress 2. Instead of burning you, you're frozen just long enough to see how you die.
Abilities:
Left-Click - Endothermic Blasters, it's like a flamethrower that freezes instead of burn
Right-Click - It's like getting shot with a giant nail made of ice
Left-Shift - Encase yourself in a block of ice for invulnerbility and heal 37.5 HP per second
E-Key - Create a giant Ice Wall used to impede enemies progress or from them running away
Q-Key - Toss out a tiny drone that freezes and damages enemies in a large radius
Torbjörn - Torbjörn Lindholm
Looks like: Every stereotypical, smith-loving Dwarf from fantasy fiction; including Blizzard's very own Warcraft universe
Plays like: Engineer from Team Fortress 2
Abilities:
Left-Click - Long ranged rivet / Hammers turret to repair it or upgrade it
Right-Click - Close range, shot-gun like burst of molten metal
Left-Shift - Build a turret that detects and fires at enemies
1 & 2 Keys - Rivet Gun & Forge Hammer respectively
E-Key - Toss out Armor Packs for allies to pick up
Passive - Can pick up metal scraps from fallen enemies to create Armor Packs
Q-Key - He becomes stronger alongside his turret automatically upgrading to Level 3
Widowmaker - Amélie Lacroix
Reminds me of: A Night Elf from the Warcraft Universe
Plays like: Sniper from Team Fortress 2 with the charge mechanic. 007 Agent Under Fire with the Grappling Hook, and Blacklight: Tango Down/Retribution with seeing enemies past walls
Abilities:
Left-Click - Assault Rifle when not aiming, Sniper Shot when aiming
Right-Click - Aiming with Sniper Scope; Aiming will charge the shot
Left-Shift - Grappling Hook to get to higher places or to get to a new location faster
E-Key - Launches a Venom Mine that explodes and poisons enemies that's near its proximity
Q-Key - Infra-Sight lets Widowmaker and her allies see enemies heat signatures through walls
Tank Class
D.Va - Hana Song
Reminds me of: Ahri from League of Legends
Plays like: Sort of like a Mech, but not as clunky. When she's out of her Mech, it reminds me of Zero Suit Samus where Samus uses a little pistol when she's out of her suit in Metroid Zero Mission.
Abilities:
Left-Click - Short-ranged Fusion Cannons in Mech, tiny pistol when out of Mech
Left-Shift - Boosts forward in any direction and knocks enemies back
E-Key - Brings up a Defense Matrix in front which block enemies projectiles
Passive - D.Va is ejected out of her Mech when it's destroyed
Q-Key - D.Va ejects her Mech to let it Self-Destruct and cause massive damage around it
Reinhardt - Reinhardt Wilhelm
Looks like: Mordekaiser from League of Legends
Plays like: I forget which other game had this one character that puts out a huge shield and swings a massive weapon, but I know I've played a game with a very similar mechanic.
Abilities:
Left-Click - Swings giant hammer
Right-Click - Wields a Barrier Field that can absorb 2000 Damage
Left-Shift - Charge forward and anyone caught that slams into the wall is probably dead
E-Key - Launches a ranged Fire Strike that damages enemies
Q-Key - Slams giant hammer in front of him damaging and knocking down all enemies in range
Roadhog - Mako Rutledge
Looks like: His face reminds me of something. Not sure if it's Borderlands related. But his large stature and play mechanics is totally The Butcher from the Diablo Universe. He also reminds me a bit of Rufus from Street Fighter IV.
Plays like: The Butcher from the Diablo Universe/Heroes of the Storm or Pudge from DotA 1&2. But instead of eating you, he just shoots you in the face at point-blank after hooking you in
Abilities:
Left-Click - Fires a short-ranged blast of shrapnel from his Scrap Gun
Right-Click - Fires a mid-ranged shrapnel ball that scatters on impact
Left-Shift - Tosses his chain hook and pulls in any enemy it collides with
E-Key - Inhales a special gas that restores 300 HP
Q-Key - Turns his Scrap Gun into a Gatling Shotgun
Winston
Reminds me of: The Hulk. He's a scientist, and when he's mad he goes berserk
Plays like: I can't remember which game I played that had an Electric gun similar to his and a spherical barrier like his. But his ult does remind me of The Hulk.
Abilities:
Left-Click - Tesla Cannon; Slap enemies around in Primal Rage
Left-Shift - Uses his Jump Pack to leap far and high distances
E-Key - Drops a Barrier Projector that absorbs projects and various damages
Q-Key - Become The Hulk with Primal Rage and knock enemies off cliffs
Zarya - Aleksandra Zaryanova
Reminds me of: Heavy from Team Fortress 2 only because of her large stature and Russian accent
Plays like: I don't think I can give a comparable example. I think there was a gun in Halo 3 that's kind of like her's, but it's been over 6 years since I've played Halo 3 (or any Halo for that matter).
Abilities:
Left-Click - Short-ranged energy beam
Right-Click - Short to Mid-ranged explosive charge with small splash damage
Left-Shift - Project a Particle Barrier on yourself
E-Key - Projects a Barrier on an ally
Passive - Damage blocked by any of the two barriers increases the damage of the Particle Cannon
Q-Key - Launch a Gravity bomb that sucks in all nearby enemies in one area
Support Class
Name
Looks like:
Plays like:
Abilities:
Left-Click - 3 Shurikens in a row
Right-Click - 3 Shurikens in a spread
Left-Shift - Dash forward with a poison induced slash
E-Key - Reflect projectiles
Passive - Double-Jump and Climb Walls
Q-Key - Brings out katana with strong melee attacks
Lúcio - Lúcio Correia dos Santos
Reminds me of: DJ Professor K from Jet Set Radio
Plays like: Jet Set Radio where you roller blade around and skate on walls. But instead of spray paint, you use a Sonic Amplifier (a very loud speaker). And JSR is very music influenced.
Abilities:
Left-Click - Fires off a set of sonic waves as projectiles
Right-Click - Blast a Super Sonic Wave to push back enemies and damage them
Left-Shift - Crossfade between exciting/relaxing music to give a speed/healing boost
E-Key - Amps up the volume, increasing the effects of his speed/healing boost
Passive - He can Wall Ride with his roller blades, just like in Jet Set Radio
Q-Key - He drops the beat with a Sound Barrier that shields all nearby allies with a temporary shield
Mercy - Angela Ziegler
Reminds me of: Medic from Team Fortress 2 from her playstyle mechanics to her German accent
Plays like: Medic from Team Fortress 2 with the ability to fly to opponents who keep running away from you and towards their deaths
Abilities:
Left-Click - Heals 50 HP per second with her Caduceus Staff; fires from her sidearm pistol
Right-Click - Increase the damage of an ally with her Caduceus Staff
Left-Shift - Fly towards a targeted ally
1 & 2 Keys - Switch between her Caduceus Staff & Caduceus Blaster respectively
Passive - Hold jump to glide down slowly
Q-Key - Resurrects nearby fallen allies with full health
Symmetra - Satya Vaswani
Looks like: I don't know, but her glasses are cool looking.
Plays like: I feel like I've played another game where a character puts down tiny sentry turrets, but I don't remember which game.
Abilities:
Left-Click - A short-ranged energy beam that homes in on nearby enemies
Right-Click - A charged energy shot with slow travel
Left-Shift - Set up to 6 Sentry Turrets that slows and damage enemies that come near it
E-Key - Creates a Photon Shield around allies that can regenerate as long as they're alive
Q-Key - Place a teleporter that connects back to spawn so that allies can get back to the front faster
Zenyatta - Tekhartha Zenyatta
Looks like: A robotic monk
Plays like: No one/No game I can think of. He's a very aggressive support who can kill easily
Abilities:
Left-Click - Chuck a metal ball
Right-Click - Charge and Chuck up to 5 metal balls in a row
Left-Shift - Throws the Orb of Harmony to an ally that Heals for 30 HP per second
E-Key - Throws the Orb of Discord which amplies the damage they take by 50%
Q-Key - Be all Zen-like and reach Transcendence which grants invulnerability and heals nearby allies
Despite this mish-mash of characters and influences from other games, it all blends together cohesively in a believable environment. I'm gonna go play some more right now!
