Overwatch Doomed Us All

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This is probably going to be an unpopular opinion, but: I really don’t like “hero shooters”, especially as live-service games. From Overwatch, to whatever that failed hero-shooter was at Amazon (I forget the name), to Concord, and Deadlock. There’s just, to me, absolutely nothing fun about having to fight with other people to choose the character you want to play (everything does in fact not have to be a MOBA!), and then also compete in linear game-styles against other players where you’re doing less shooting and racking up kills, and more … escorting payloads and camping on a point.

It’s obvious I should say that Team Fortress 2 was, of course, fun. But, I was also playing Team Fortress when it was a mod for Quake 2 in the nineties, long before Valve acquired it. And even despite TF2 being a fun game in the very least, I still never, never, ever, enjoyed the MOBA-like system of having to choose a hero to play (although TF2 is less restrictive with this feature) before some other player takes it from you.

And I’m not really saying, “Call of Duty is the only way.” I actually abhor Call of Duty, because it’s completely responsible for turning casual, fun, arena style shooters into a place for sweaty streamers to try and prove themselves to viewers and sponsors for fast cash.

As with all things, money ruins everything.

Let me say this, though. Overwatch was fun in the first year, and then, just like with Heroes of the Storm, Blizzard lost all of their steam, and they appear to just be supporting the game behind the curtain, and it’s become a game that takes a backseat to everything else. It doesn’t feel exciting, or fun to log into. And, despite the hero system being a little less restrictive, a little less, “Whoops, JohnnyEZ took that hero, you gotta play something else!”, it just feels … uninspired to jump into. Uninspired and burned out, like a lot of the stuff Blizzard puts out nowadays. I haven’t tried out War Within yet, but even World of Warcraft feels like it’s far beyond its expiration date.

So, imagine my surprise, when I’m hearing about this new game from Valve. A new game that for sure definitely isn’t a number three in a franchise that … I don’t even personally think was all that amazing (we’re talking Halfife), but some kind of brand, new IP?

Shoot, let me get an invite!

And an invite I got.

And a download I did.

And then I logged on.

Oh.

Another live-service, hero-shooter.

I don’t know where these game developers are getting their stats about these types of games, but in the social circles I inhabit online, absolutely nobody is talking about playing or enjoying games like this. It’s my assumption, and/or feeling, that people are tired of this type of game. Like, no, uh, I don’t want to play a forever game with three modes, restrictive hero-selection, and loot boxes.

I wanna play Silent Hill 2, Dwarf Fortress, Elden Ring (although, on Linux, I haven’t been able to play online for months due to not buying their latest DLC), and Death Stranding.

I want more games that are singular experiences, with optional online features. Like in super-popular GACHA style Zelda-like, Genshin Impact, I can roam the entire world and do whatever I want without spending a dime, and then I can interact with other players, if I feel like it. Or, if you also hate the concept of an always-online GACHA, how about No Man’s Sky!

I dunno, though. This is just one person’s opinion. The opinion of someone who felt Halfife was good enough, but definitely not a cultural phenomenon, and Team Fortress 2, while fun, was and still is definitely overrated. A Linux-gamer who can’t even play Call of Duty, even if I wanted to, and the closest things that I have to a fun arena-shooter are Quake Champions and Combat Master.

I’m just gonna go play some Warframe.