Overwatch Reign of Talon Season 1: Hands-On Preview with 5 New Heroes

by

A big shift is happening in the Overwatch conflict with Talon. A year-long story arc, “Reign of Talon,” begins with the release of five new heroes in Season 1. Under new leader Vendetta, Talon is gathering forces from other groups to attack Overwatch. However, Overwatch is also building its team with some new allies, and I’m especially excited to see one of them in action.

TopMob recently got an early look at five new heroes for Overwatch at an event hosted by Blizzard. We learned all about their abilities and then got to play against other players. Releasing five heroes at once is a big undertaking – it’s the largest simultaneous hero release since the game launched in 2016. After playing with them, it’s clear Blizzard put a lot of work into creating a diverse cast of characters, both in how they play and their backstories. I think players will be pleasantly surprised when they get to try these heroes out when the first season of Reign of Talon begins.

Mizuki Strikes a Solid Balance of Support with a Touch of Damage

Image via Blizzard

I got to play the new Support hero, Mizuki, during a preview event, and I was really hyped since I main Support characters. I was curious how Mizuki would feel different from Kiriko, another Support who uses yokai powers. Honestly, I was really impressed with how mobile Mizuki is! It let me play super aggressively, almost like a damage dealer who can also heal up the team.

Mizuki’s Kit in Overwatch Reign of Talon Season 1

  • Spirit Glaive (Primary Fire): Throw a spinning blade that can bounce off walls, impacts enemies, and deals damage.
  • Healing Kasa: Throw your hat to heal an ally, bouncing to nearby allies and healing you when it returns.
  • Katashiro Return: Leap forward, leaving behind a paper doll. Reactivate to return and gain increased movement speed while active.
  • Binding Chain: Launch a tethering chain that hinders the first enemy hit.
  • Ultimate — Kekkai Sanctuary: Create a sanctuary that heals allies and absorbs enemy projectiles from outside the area.
  • Passive – Remedy Aura: Heals nearby allies. Healing scales with resource generated by dealing damage and healing.

Mizuki’s main ability is his Healing Kasa, and the developers at Overwatch built the character around it. While throwing his hat to heal teammates is key, Mizuki also has a Remedy Aura that constantly heals allies – the more damage he deals to enemies, the stronger the healing becomes. I especially appreciated the audio design; a subtle Japanese tune would grow louder as the healing gauge filled up, creating a really immersive experience.

I mainly focused on two things while playing Mizuki: keeping my allies close to her healing aura and disabling the enemy team’s Supports with her Binding Chain. My strategy involved quickly moving behind the enemy lines with Katashiro Return, using Binding Chain to immobilize a Support, eliminating them with Spirit Glaive, and then returning to my original location using Katashiro Return. I enjoyed playing Mizuki overall, but I did wish she had the ability to climb walls, like Genji, Hanzo, and Kiriko.

Jetpack Cat is an Instant Favorite

Image via Blizzard

Okay, so I got to try out Jetpack Cat, and let me tell you, she’s as delightfully strange to play as she appears! She’s seriously unlike any other hero in Overwatch, and honestly, the time I had at the event wasn’t quite enough to fully figure her out. But her Lifeline ability? It feels like she’s going to enable some seriously creative and fun team plays once people really get the hang of her.

Jetpack Cat’s Kit in Overwatch Reign of Talon Season 1

  • Biotic Pawjectiles (Primary Fire): Mid‑range projectile spread that heals allies and damages enemies.
  • Lifeline: Toggle into transport mode, allowing an ally to be towed. Increases movement speed and heals your ally.
  • Frenetic Flight: Accelerate in your movement direction. Fuel recovery is slower while carrying another player.
  • Purr: Pulsing area heal that increases in frequency over time. Knockback nearby enemies when activated.
  • Ultimate — Catnapper: Dive towards a ground location, knocking down enemies and tethering the nearest one to you.
  • Passive – Jetpack: Permanent flight.

The most unusual thing about playing Jetpack Cat was the constant flight from her special ability. While she’s not very fast normally, using ‘Frenetic Flight’ to speed up is great for getting out of trouble – it even uses fuel like a similar ability in another game. I often waited for my team to need help before quickly flying into the fight with ‘Frenetic Flight’, using ‘Purr’ to heal everyone nearby, and then quickly flying back to safety.

Okay, so Jetpack Cat’s Lifeline ability is seriously cool, but I didn’t even scratch the surface of what it can do. Basically, you can grab teammates and carry them – and they can still use all their abilities while you’re flying around with them! I’m already picturing some crazy plays, like boosting a Soldier: 76 or Cassidy mid-ult for a totally unexpected angle. And her ultimate? It’s like Lifeline, but for enemies! Imagine scooping someone up and dropping them off a cliff, or even pulling a B.O.B. or D.Va bomb away from your team – clutch plays galore!

Anran Heats Things Up for Damage Heroes

Image via Blizzard

One of my best moments at the event happened while playing Anran. I’ve really enjoyed playing her brother, Wuyang, in Overwatch lately, and I was eager to try her out. Anran turned out to be a great match for Wuyang’s support style, with a quick and assertive playstyle that really puts pressure on opponents.

Anran’s Kit in Overwatch Reign of Talon Season 1

  • Zhuque Fans (Primary Fire): Hand fans that shoot fiery projectiles.
  • Fan the Flames (Secondary Fire): Hot wind blast that amplifies burning damage.
  • Inferno Rush: Propel yourself forward and damage enemies you impact.
  • Dancing Blaze: Strike nearby enemies while dodging all damage.
  • Ultimate — Vermillion Ascent (Alive): Charge forward, exploding on impact and instantly igniting enemies.
  • Ultimate — Vermillion Revival (Dead): When dead, revive yourself in a fiery explosion.
  • Passive – Ignition: Hit enemies with fire attacks to burn them.

The new heroes in Overwatch‘s Reign of Talon Season 1 are making a big impact, and Anran is a standout. Her abilities center around building up fire damage with a passive effect called Ignition – once it’s full, enemies take continuous fire damage. To maximize her effectiveness, I found I needed to get up close to opponents, quickly increasing burn damage with her secondary fire, ‘Fan the Flames’. In team fights, my strategy was to use ‘Inferno Rush’ to quickly reach the enemy’s back lines, then use ‘Dancing Blaze’ to apply fire damage to several targets. Finally, I’d use ‘Fan the Flames’ to eliminate any remaining enemies.

What makes Anran really stand out is her Ultimate ability, which has two different forms: Vermillion Ascent when she’s alive, and Vermillion Revival when she’s defeated. This is the first time an Overwatch hero has been able to use their Ultimate even after dying, and it feels fitting for Anran. During my time playing, I had a great moment where I activated Vermillion Revival at the perfect time to respawn behind enemy lines. This let me immediately follow up with her Dancing Blaze and Fan the Flames abilities, resulting in a four-player elimination and the Play of the Game.

From now until February 10th, Overwatch players can experience Anran firsthand with her Hero Trial.

Emre Feels like the Most Versatile Hitscan Character

Image via Blizzard

I usually enjoy playing heroes that require precise aiming, like Widowmaker, Cassidy, and Ashe. When I first tried Emre, it felt like a perfect combination of those heroes, but with even more abilities added on. I think he’ll be really easy for new players to pick up, while still being a fun and engaging choice for experienced Damage players.

Emre’s Kit in Overwatch Reign of Talon Season 1

  • Synthetic Burst Rifle (Primary Fire): Three-round burst weapon.
  • Take Aim (Secondary Fire): Hold to zoom in, tightening accuracy and increasing fall off range.
  • Siphon Blaster: Temporarily wield a semi-automatic pistol with life-stealing explosive rounds. Move faster and jump higher while wielded.
  • Cyber Frag: Throw a grenade that detonates shortly after bouncing.
  • Ultimate — Override Protocol: An override initiates, transforming you into a living weapon. Fires rapid explosive blasts or charged mega‑shots capable of wiping teams.
  • Passive – Altered Vitals: Passive health regeneration activates sooner and instantly restores 30 health when activated.

Emre’s rifle is different from other similar weapons because it fires three shots at a time instead of just one. I found this surprisingly useful for eliminating enemies. I could keep my crosshair moving across their heads while firing, and the three-shot burst usually landed multiple hits as long as I tracked their movement. This is more forgiving than using a hero like Ashe, because even if your aim isn’t perfect, at least one of the shots is likely to connect.

I also noticed Emre has a lot of hidden potential when it comes to movement. Using his Siphon Blaster makes him both faster and jump higher. The developers showed us that you can even use his Cyber Frag to get an extra boost during a jump if you time it right. I experimented with combining these two abilities, and with precise timing, activating Siphon Blaster and then using a Cyber Frag jump allows Emre to reach some unexpected and advantageous locations.

Domina Was the Most Overpowered New Hero I Played

Image via Blizzard

I recently had the chance to play Domina, the newest Tank hero in Overwatch. My first impression was that she felt a lot like Sigma, particularly how strong he was when he first came out. I think it will take players a while to learn how to effectively counter Domina and deal with her resilience.

Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.

Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)

Your Order

Results

—

— —

More Games

Domina’s Kit in Overwatch Reign of Talon Season 1

  • Photon Magnum (Primary Fire): Medium-range beam that culminates in a high impact shot.
  • Barrier Array: A segmented hard‑light barrier deployed in front of Domina. Each segment must be individually destroyed, creating dynamic defensive angles.
  • Crystal Charge: Project an explosive crystal and reactivate to denotate it.
  • Sonic Repulsors: Push enemies back, stunning them if they hit a wall.
  • Ultimate — Panopticon: Fire a hard-light projectile that imprisons enemies and detonates on expiration.
  • Passive – Reconstruction: Dealing damage with abilities restores shields.

Domina excels at a safe, long-range playstyle, controlling areas with her surprisingly large Barrier Array. Unlike other shields in Overwatch, parts of Domina’s barrier can be destroyed, creating openings for enemies. She’s most effective at staying back and using her Photon Magnum to deal significant damage to distant targets, especially if players can maintain a steady aim.

Domina excels at staying alive, thanks to her ability to regain shields whenever she damages an opponent. I experienced this firsthand in a duel with another Domina – we both had low health, but neither of us could finish the other off because we were constantly healing as we attacked. I think heroes who can get up close and personal, like Genji and Anran, will be effective against her, as she struggles when enemies are right on top of her. A useful tactic I discovered is using Crystal Charge to place an explosive behind her Barrier Array; this lets you bypass her seemingly unbreakable shield without having to destroy each section individually.

Which New Overwatch Hero Did I Like the Best?

Image via Blizzard

I’m really excited about two heroes in particular for the upcoming Reign of Talon Season 1, launching on February 10th: Emre and Jetpack Cat. As someone who prefers characters with precise aiming, I think Emre will quickly become my main Damage hero, even more than Ashe or Soldier 76. I also want to experiment with Jetpack Cat’s Lifeline ability – imagine picking up and carrying a Bastion to create a mobile, high-powered turret! I’m eager to see what strategies other players discover with Jetpack Cat, and I believe this new group of heroes will be a great addition to the Overwatch community.

TopMob was provided with travel and lodging for the purpose of this preview.

5 Questions
Test Your Talon-Fighting Skills: New Overwatch Heroes Quiz
Your Top Score
—
Attempts
—
0
0
Report Error

Found an error? Send it info@gamerant.com so it can be corrected.

Read More

2026-02-05 14:07