Overwatch 2 may still be far off, but when it does finally release, it will be bringing a PvE campaign along with it. With co-op content previously limited to the first Overwatch’s Archives missions, this is a welcome addition, as it allows fans to spend some time with the franchise’s colorful heroes. Thus far, Blizzard has confirmed that the mode will feature plenty of content, ensuring that players buying Overwatch 2 for its PvE offering get lots of bang for their buck.
However, while Overwatch 2 will have no shortage of missions to enjoy, ensuring that these missions are meaningful is going to be important. Alongside gameplay variety and proper boss battles, Blizzard has a real chance to fill in some gaps in the universe’s complex narrative. There are several interesting threads that can be followed, and alongside the bigger story beats, some smaller moments focused on character development will be a must. While Overwatch 2 has the chance to evolve the series’ already strong gameplay further, it has the equally important opportunity to progress its characters’ individual storylines.
Developing Some Of Overwatch’s Characters
While Overwatch features plenty of complex characters like Tracer, Winston, and Reinhardt, there are some others that could benefit heavily from a big focus in Overwatch 2. Calamity Ashe, for example, could benefit from being given a purpose. Regardless of whether she becomes more of a villain or turns a new leaf like McCree, getting a deeper look at her story that sees her becoming more than a gang leader would be great. Likewise, giving a hero like Junkrat time in the spotlight would be terrific, as players could finally get some insight into who he was prior to his insanity. Answers regarding his treasure could allow the character to move on, and the same could be said for his bodyguard Roadhog.
Seeing Hanzo finally join Overwatch to atone for his crimes is a long time coming, with a proper conversation between the archer and his brother Genji being perfect for a cutscene. A proper apology from Hanzo could be accompanied by forgiveness from his scarred brother, and the pair could become allies once again. On the flip side, seeing Pharah and Ana’s fractured relationship explored in a cutscene could be just as impactful. With her mother pretending to be dead for years, Pharah has every right to be furious, and this pent-up aggression could make for another journey to forgiveness. Seeing characters move on from the past could be a great theme for Blizzard to build the story around, as it would make for some memorable scenes.
When it comes to characters leaving their past behind, there is no greater example than Widowmaker. The woman that took Ana’s eye was brainwashed to kill an Overwatch agent that just so happened to be her own husband. From there, she has not looked back, carrying out assassinations for Talon ever since. However, the Overwatch comic books show that part of Amelie Lacroix may still remember her loss, as she is seen visiting the grave of her former spouse. Overwatch 2 could play off this, with Widow’s brainwashing fully breaking. In turn, she could stand against Talon, vowing to bring them down for what they took from her. While Overwatch may never welcome her, she could become a vigilante like Soldier: 76.
Filling Some Major Gaps In Overwatch’s Story
Through a mixture of flashbacks and modern levels, Overwatch 2 can close some chapters that gave been left open for far too long. Chief amongst these is the Fall of Overwatch itself, with the destruction of the organization’s Swiss HQ being the nail in the coffin for the original team. Thus far, all players know is that a battle between Jack Morrison and Gabriel Reyes led to the explosion, with both men believed to be dead. However, with the former becoming Soldier: 76 and the latter becoming Reaper, that did not happen. Seeing what truly happened when the two fought could be thrilling, and it would help to know what exactly was said that caused the fighting to take place. If shown alongside a present-day fight between the two, players could experience a standout scene.
Fans of the Overwatch universe’s deepest lore should be familiar with Sombra’s conspiracy, as it is essentially the entire motivation behind the character’s actions. While she may be a part of Talon, she is only using the terrorist group to further her own goals, with the hacker trying to hunt down a figure or faction that connects to every important person in the Overwatch universe. Thus far, players have no idea whether this power player is good or bad, as they have ties to the most heroic and evil figures in the story. While the main story is focused on Overwatch stopping another Omnic attack, and is likely plenty busy already, seeing some small teases for this plot thread would be great. Sombra’s conspiracy could become the main focus of Overwatch 3, so seeing her make progress on her hunt during Overwatch 2 would be welcome.
However, the most important thing to address in Overwatch 2 is the meeting between Doomfist and the unnamed Omnic leader. Seeing the pair interact at the end of the Storm Rising mission was exciting, as it left players with a cliffhanger that set up an interesting partnership. However, with this mission releasing two years ago and few new story developments happening since, Overwatch 2 must address this plot point. While it can be assumed that the shadowy robot is behind the new Omnic invasion, it is important that Blizzard remembers this scene. As such, a fight with this Omnic is a must, while some proper sequences with Doomfist and Talon are equally important.
Providing Overwatch Fans With Fresh Gameplay Experiences
As Overwatch 2 continues its development, one thing that Blizzard needs to make sure it gets right is the game’s mission variety. While the discussion of Hero Missions in the Behind The Scenes trailer makes it seem like this is a focus, Blizzard needs to double down on the diversity of objectives. There is no quicker way to make a co-op game overly repetitive than to have players completing the same batch of tasks, and Overwatch’s Archives missions have already seen a few concepts reused. In the sequel’s story campaign, variety will be key, and Blizzard should prioritize new tasks as opposed to re-using the ones seen in multiplayer maps. Payload pushing and zone capturing should be kept to a minimum, for example.
Next, Overwatch 2 needs to deliver on the boss front, as no Archives mission has had a proper confrontation thus far. Only mini bosses have been seen, with two usually dropped near the mission’s exit as a way to increase difficulty. However, Blizzard has shown that Overwatch 2’s PvE enemy lineup will include some proper bosses, with players able to take on some larger Omnics as they fight through colorful locations around the world. While this is good news, some non-Omnic boss fights should be mixed in as well. Considering that it could get boring to only fight robots, being able to battle against villains like Doomfist and Moira could make for some exciting boss encounters. Teaming them up could only make things more thrilling, with a proper 4v4 boss fight possible.
Finally, Blizzard should consider incorporating some proper endgame content outside of difficulty options. With Overwatch 2’s skill trees allowing players to upgrade their heroes in several different ways, being able to use a maxed-out hero in a brutally tough fight could be exciting. Something like a Strike or Raid for Destiny would be a huge draw, as it could push players to coordinate just as much as they do in Overwatch’s PvP content. Further, offering some exclusive skins for beating the endgame content would entice Overwatch 2 fans to really dive into the game’s PvE. If players only get the skin for the hero they are controlling, they will have a reason to beat the endgame mission with all the characters that they main, adding replayability. With Overwatch 2 giving players access to such a deep, RPG-like system for hero upgrades, giving them a way to make use of it is just as important.
Overwatch 2 is in development for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.
