Overwatch 2,Blizzard Entertainment’s recent update to itsmassively popularfirst-person hero shooter Overwatch, is live andfree to playwith new heroes, new maps and modes, and a plethora of existing hero reworks and balance changes. Overwatch has always been more than the sum of its parts in that it provides wickedly fun game modes under a beautiful coat of paint. Withunique charactersto play as, crisp visuals, smartly designed maps, Overwatch 2 is no exception.
RELATED:Overwatch 2: It Can Take Years To Unlock All Cosmetics For One Hero
Some changes made to the heroes in Overwatch 2are drastic, while some are barely noticeable. There are, however,clear standoutsyou should definitely try out the next time you fire up the game. Here are the best characters in Overwatch 2, ranked.
Gleefully stomping and snorting at number ten, Roadhog rarely needs an introduction, especially when he is on the enemy team. This700-health-pointmonstrosity of a Tank canone-shotmost of the squishy healers with hisChain Hookand can instantlyheal himself for 350 health every 8 seconds.
RELATED:Overwatch 2: Tips And Tricks For Tank Class
In addition to Roadhog’s massive health reverses and support dominating hook of justice that will grab you from across the map, his ultimate ability,Whole Hog, causes indefinite knock-back while he fires. The knock-back effect of Whole Hog can keep an entire team off of the point, allowing Roadhog’s team to push forward.
Chances are you have encounteredSombraif you’ve played Overwatch recently, and chances are they probably were anuisancefor your team.SombrainOverwatch 2is arguably even more powerful with her kit including going completely invisible to the enemy, instantly warping to a predetermined location and candisable abilities and counter ultimates.
Sombra’s passive allows her todeal increased damageto enemies who are hacked, so sneak behind an unaware enemy team and pop your EMP ultimate, and watch as the health bars start dwindling. Sombra is the DPS you want on your team tosoften up the exposedenemy backline.
The Egyptian sniper, Ana returns in Overwatch 2 largely unchanged aside from a few minor tweaks. While Ana was powerful in the original Overwatch, removing one member from each team allows Ana to have fewer targets on the screen to have to contend with. Ana can support her team and do significant damage to the enemy and bo nowhere near them thanks to her Biotic Rifle Sniper Rifle, Sleep Dart Sidearm and Grenades.
RELATED:Overwatch 2: Tips & Tricks For Playing Ana
Ana’s ultimate ability, Nano Boost, provide one team member a50% damage increaseas well as a50% decrease in damage received. Make sure you use your Nano Boost on a friendly who is carrying their ultimate as well to gain the upper hand in a stalemate.
Zaryain Overwatch 2 makes you really appreciate howdifferently combat engagements feel nowthat shields and barriers have been eitherreworked or removed entirelyfrom the game. Zarya’sParticle Barrieris not only effective at shielding herself from take any damage, but she can also toss a barrier to her teammateonce every 10 seconds.
Project Barriers have amaximum health of 200points and the mitigated damagenever touchesthe teammate encased within. Zarya’s ultimate ability, Graviton Surge, viciously pulls in enemies trapped within a 6-meter radius to its core, literally making them sitting ducks for aMoira Coalescenceor aSoldier 76 Tactical Visor.
Next up, ColeCassidy, theformer Bounty Hunter and Farmhand, returns to Overwatch 2 sporting some new tricks up his sleeve. Cassidy has been given a Magnetic Grenade that he can stick to his enemies and does a whopping131 damage, and65 indirect damageto those around the blast.
RELATED:Overwatch 2: How To Play Cassidy
Coupled with his extremely powerfulDead Eyeultimate ability that doesup to 260 damageto anyone caught in his line of fire andCombat Rollwhich reloads your weapon and launches you 15 meters in the direction you are facing, Cassidy canobliterate a backlineroll to safetyand buy his team all the time they need to steamroll forward.
One of the new heroes in the Overwatch, Vivian Chase, AkaSojourn,slide-jumps her way to number 5 with a simple, yet impressive kit that may appeal to some newer Overwatch fans, or give the sweaty DPS Grandmasters another hero to hone. Sojourn features can launch a projectile that does area of affect damage over time.
The secondary fire shot from Sojourns Rail Cannon can be charged delivering a single shot that cantake out most healersin one hit.
Overwatch’s newest Support, Kiriko the Protector of Kanezaka, makes a strong first impression as a solid secondary support hero for your team. Kiriko features and impressive kit, featuringSwift Step, an ability that immediatelyteleport’s her to a nearby ally.
Kiriko sends heals from a distance viaHealing Ofudaand can clamber up walls and over ledges making her a versatile option if she decides to run down on an enemy with her Kunai. Slapping down 120 damage with each headshot hit of her Kunai also makes Kiriko very deadly should you mistakenly grab her attention.
Genji has ascended beyond that of video games, as is evident by the Halloween costumes for sale featuring the adventurer fromHanamura, Japan. In Overwatch 2, Genji isa powerful DPSin the right hands and cantake out Support heroes in seconds.
Genji sports hisShurikenfor long-range attacks, can deflect enemy projectiles and has aSwift Bladestrike that lunges Genji forward, dealing damage to those he passes through. If an enemy is killed with Swift Strike, it immediately becomes available for use again. The secret to Genji’s place at number 3 is his movement abilities. With his ability to instantly dash forward, double-jump, and climb walls Genji is of the more nimble characters in the game and nearly impossible to take out.
Theelegant and deadlygeneticist from Ireland, Moria ismaking the meta shakein Overwatch 2 as she excels in bothhealing and damage output. A Moira on your team is a blessing, a Moira on the opposing team is your worst nightmare. Moira comes in at a solid number two because she is the Yin and the Yang, she is Alpha and Omega, and she is practically un-killable. HerBiotic Graspcan heal up to15 meters awaydishing out70 hp of healing per second, more than enough to outlive ultimate that does damage over time. On the other hand, literally, Moirasaps 50hp of life juice from enemies up to 50 meters away. If that weren’t enough, she can also send two giant orbs,yellow for healing and purple for damage,through windows, inside corridors, or to the skies to heal herself and her team or to inflict damage on enemies.
Moira’s Coalescence ultimate ability fires and controls a laser beamconcoction of concentrated healing and damagejuice in an angry tunnel vortex in front of her. During this time she is punishing the enemy with70 damage per second, and healing her team for140hp per second.Last, and certainly not least Moira can completely vanish, becomes invulnerable and gets a boost to speed and movement with the use of herFade ability every 6 seconds.
Orisa, the immovable object in Overwatch 2, takes the number one spot on this list simply because her kit defines what it means to be an OverwatchTank, so long as you keep your support alive. Orisa is one of the heroes to receive a substantial rework and it’s mostly for the better. Orisa’s newAugmented Fusion Driver, essentially her hand-mounted Gatling gun, has been given an overheating mechanic instead of a reload, allowing more damage to be done over time if properly feathered.
Orisa has been given a “knock ‘em back"Energy Javelinthat she canspin rapidly to avoid enemy projectilesand bullets, or to toss forward andboop an overzealous ‘Hog off of the side of the map. Her ultimate ability,Terra Surge,grounds Orisa and pulls in nearby enemies while she charges up to 500%, slams down her Energy Javelin and deals up to a massive 570hp damage if uninterrupted to those unlucky enough to be at ground zero.
