The closed Overwatch beta is set to begin in Europe and America today. The old school run of the First Person Shooter game will a Spectator mode and built-in voice chat, and the rest is for the beta players to discover.
It’s All About the Guns
Blizzard Entertainment‘s new game seems to be all about the artillery this time around, and it will probably be what sets them apart from competitor games. Though many of the characters seem to have bland ability kits, their weapons give every single one of them a particular personality and fighting style.
The characters, as reported by some players, get even more complex with team play with Ultimates and ability usage. This time around Overwatch seems to excel in teamplay, though individual play is still as fun as in any FPS. The beta comes with built-in voice chat, which is unusual for a Blizzard game, but it’s expected to increase the quality of individual play. Other features include being able to swap characters mid-match.
No Announcements on When It’ll Be Available for Asia
Jeffrey Kaplan, game designer for Overwatch, declared that each hero is defined by their Ultimate Ability, but weapons seem to be a huge part of the package as well.
The Asian region will have to do some more waiting to test the game, and there’s been no direct word from Blizzard, who was also the mind behind World of Warcraft, about this.
More Information on the Overwatch Beta
Now that the beta is live, Blizzard has started flagging accounts, but they did note that it may take some time. There is no fall damage in the beta, and Ultimates can be earned through Dealing Damage, Talking Damage, Healing Damage and Shielding Damage.
Respawning takes 10 seconds, and headshots cause twice as much damage as normal. No progression is lost after being killed unless you select a different hero to restart with.
Users can join the beta by signing up here, and further developments will be announced as the beta progresses. For now, it is known that beta testers will be separated into two groups, one with unlimited access to the game at all times and a second with invites to allow them to explore the beta further for a few days at a time.
