Is Overwatch 2 Better Than Overwatch 1? Not Quite Yet

As an Overwatch 1 veteran with over 1000 hours played, I‘ve been eagerly awaiting Overwatch 2. And while the sequel makes some great strides, my verdict is that Overwatch 2 has not yet fully surpassed its predecessor in all the areas that count. But the core foundations are strong, and with more post-launch updates, it may get there soon.

Enhanced Visuals But Aging Foundations

Overwatch 2 boasts upgraded visuals courtesy of the shift to a new engine. Lighting effects are more atmospheric, textures and models are higher resolution, and there is support for fancy graphics options like ray tracing. During my playtime, I often stopped to admire the dystopian hologram billboards adorning Circuit Royal or the vivid neon-bathed nightlife streets of Midtown.

However, while the presentation has improved, core animations and older map geoemtry can still feel dated. Watching Cassidy run around with his bowlegged gait serves as an awkward reminder that Overwatch first launched in 2016. As Eurogamer‘s Chris Tapsell noted, many legacy maps like Numbani which received day/night reskins actually "look worse due to issues with lighting" rather than better.

So in summary, while the sequel sets a new visual bar in terms of technical graphics quality, older content can fail to keep pace and the core engine itself is over half a decade old now.

Gameplay: Speedier and Deadlier, But Less Strategy?

The most divisive change in Overwatch 2 lies with its fundamental gameplay shift from 6v6 to 5v5. Playing over 100 hours across both betas and since launch, I can confirm matches feel snappier and deadlier now. But has the magic been lost?

On the plus side, the action never lets up in Overwatch 2. Removing a tank means there is one less damage sponge on each team, and replacing shields with individual hero abilities keeps fights fast-paced. Kotaku‘s Ethan Gach accurately summed up the experience as "somehow even more chaotic than before." Support legend ML7 agrees, saying he enjoys Overwatch 2‘s "faster tempo." Whether I won or lost, I rarely felt a match ever dragged – a testament to the quicker flow under 5v5.

However, there is sentiment that this speed comes at the cost of strategic depth. Eliminating tank synergies erases a layer of team comp complexity that fans enjoyed optimizing previously. Even Atlanta Reign coach Brad Rajani noted that "losing a tank is unfortunate." Plus, maps designed for 6v6 can now feel spacious without enough bodies to contest space. My average game time has shrunk from ~8 minutes to just ~7 minutes – suggesting less time jockeying for positioning before commits.

Make no mistake, the core action remains top-notch and is further bolstered by the new Push mode requiring constant skirmishing over a moving objective. But players craving cerebral, calculated gameplans may find Overwatch 2 leaves them in the dust.

Grindy Progression Undermines Ownership

As Overwatch transitions from a premium box product to a free live service game, how players progress and what they unlock has also drastically changed. Instead of straightforward level-tied lootboxes, cosmetic content is now scattered across an interconnected web of seasonal battle passes, in-game challenges, virtual currency grinds, and microtransactions.

In some ways, this progression revamp mirrors successful industry peers like Fortnite. Chasing new customization gives motivation to keep playing daily and seasonally. Top streamer Samito even admits "I actually want to play and get the next cool skin." However, with Overwatch 1, dedicated players could proudly amass rare skins over time as a mark of status. Now even legendary character outfits are sold in the shop, dampening that exclusivity.

Monetization-fueled progression sinks its teeth deepest with the new hero unlock requirements. Brand new support Kiriko is only instantly granted to Overwatch 1 owners – all other players must grind nearly 60 matches over multiple weeks to recruit her for competitive. With heroes like Junker Queen extremely popular picks, locking them behind battle pass participation feels restrictive.

No one expects endless content for free – development needs funding. But whereas cosmetics used to feel like gifts for the loyal, Overwatch 2 dishes out less in pursuit of pushing players towards their wallets.

Mixed Bag Hero Balance And Unstable Meta

New and reworked heroes like Kiriko, Doomfist, and Orisa do breathe life into Overwatch 2‘s roster. Even cranky personalities like YourOverwatch‘s Freedo admit characters feel "fun and fresh". Throughout my playtime, I laughed maniacally zipping around as agile tank Doomfist and found renewed purpose protecting teammates with Kiriko‘s revive ultimate.

But while new toys shine, the reduced team size also skews balance drastically. Loss of a tank leaves certain damage heroes like Genji and Sombra feeling uber-powered in uncoordinated casual play. One infuriating pattern involves Ball and Zarya becoming nearly unkillable without sufficient focus fire. Over 60% of my matches involve facing down a master ranked Hammond ruthlessly plowing through our backline. This overcentralization around a couple meta picks mirrors the dark days of the notorious GOATS era.

Peppered balance changes show the developers are listening. Still, the community waits with bated breath for more impactful hero tweaks and adjustments to push incentives towards roster diversity again. Until balance stabilizes further, be prepared to grind your teeth against the flavor of the week rather than enjoying a balanced Overwatch scrimmage.

The Verdict: Overwatch 2 Shows Promise But Stumbles In Areas

Across over 100 hours played between its beta and full release, I believe Overwatch 2 brings forward some strong ideas but has not yet elevated itself as an outright improvement over the original in all regards. Visual and audio polish cannot fully distract from outdated foundations. Gameplay maintains excellence but loses some cerebral appeal. Business model shifts empower rewarding long-term goals yet simultaneously restrict player agency. All while divisive balance change growing pains persist.

And yet, there remains so much unrealized potential as Blizzard smooths out the rough edges. Commitment to additional heroes and maps could alleviate lingering content draught critiques. Proper incentives to uphold competitive integrity despite the free-to-play approach may rehabilitate community trust. Most importantly, incisive balance changes and meta shakeups could restore lineup diversity and counterplay depth characteristic of peak Overwatch play.

So is Overwatch 2 an incrementally better sequel so far? Yes, albeit less overwhelmingly than many hoped for given the extended development period. But might Overwatch 2 eventually deliver on its promises to outclass one of the best multiplayer shooters ever conceived? My fingers remain crossed for that bright, teamwork-filled future.

Overwatch 2 remains great fun with friends but has not yet completely solved my grievances with its uneven predecessor. I await the day this franchise realizes its full potential.