Overwatch 2: Big Changes In Season 12

Highlights

Overwatch 2‘s Season 12 introduces space Martian Juno, new maps, and Battlepass with epic skins and emotes to unlock.
Clash game mode offers faster-paced gameplay, while Throne of Anubis and Hanaoka bring nostalgic reworks of fan-favorite maps.
Balance changes across characters and Lifeweaver updates aim to shake up the meta, with returning arcade game modes adding fun twists.

As a seasoned Overwatch 2 player with countless hours under my belt, I must say that the upcoming changes to the game are truly exciting! The balance adjustments across all characters will undoubtedly shake things up and introduce new meta team comps – just what the doctor ordered for Season 12.

In the upcoming Season 12 of Overwatch 2, dubbed New Frontiers, players are set for a celestial journey. The game introduces its latest stellar support character, Juno, a space Martian, and offers a battle pass brimming with ancient Egyptian sophistication and cosmic allure. This season promises a galaxy of excitement as you explore. Additionally, the Mythic Anubis Reaper Hero Skin and the Mythic Midnight Sun Ana Weapon Skin are new, exclusive rewards to strive for as you advance through battlepass levels.

Beyond that, Season 12 introduces an exhilarating game mode called Clash, along with two fresh maps inspired by beloved locations from the original Overwatch. With all this activity and visual treats, let’s explore the top updates in Season 12.

1 New Character: Juno

The New Space Martian Support

As a fresh addition to Overwatch 2 from the red planet, I, Juno, the Martian Support hero, am making a grand entrance! Packed with extraordinary new abilities, I’m all set to redefine the game’s meta for the better. My main attack is a powerful burst that serves both as a punishing blow to my enemies and rapid-fire healing for my allies. But wait, there’s more! My secondary fire homes in on my teammates for healing, while it also targets and takes out any foes who dare cross my path with missiles.

A double-jump and glide make her feel slightly akin to Kiriko and Mercy with fluid, agile movement. She also with the added bonus of a temporary Lucio-esque speed boost through her Hyper Ring, which allies can make use of too. It’s all neatly topped off by an ultimate destined for destruction, hailing from the skies with a gigantic healing and damage boosting ray for a devastating push forwards.

2 Battlepass

Epic New Skins & Emotes To Unlock

As a fresh season arrives, so does an extraordinary Battlepass, themed around the mystique of hidden treasures and the splendor of cosmic wonders. Spanning across 80 levels, gamers have the opportunity to acquire five exceptional and distinct legendary skins, each offering a unique twist in their design.

As a long-time fan of video games, I must say that this year’s battlepass is truly remarkable! The variety and creativity in the character skins are simply outstanding. From the Wizard of Oz-inspired Dorothy Ashe to the gold-ladened Bast Doomfist, each skin tells a unique story that resonates with different aspects of mythology and pop culture.

3 Reaper Mythic Skin

Devastate With The Dark New Skin

In this fresh Battlepass and Season 12, the centerpiece is the Mythic Anubis Reaper skin, showcased in the Season 12 trailer with an array of color options and intricate design details. The choices include a menacing dark red and black, foreboding blue and gray, eerie blue and white, and a classic green and red. So far, these color combinations for Reaper are some of the most stylish we’ve seen!

Additional customizable options further accentuate the skin’s distinctiveness, as he switches between various masks such as an Anubis wolf mask with a long snout, a miniature half-face wolf mask, and an open-skull design, revealing his weathered skin beneath. His ultimate appearance also undergoes a change, engulfing enemies in a sandstorm-like blur that replaces the typical black mist.

4 Mythic Ana Weapon Skin

The Second Ever Mythic Weapon

In Season 11, Reinhardt gained the first-ever Mythic Weapon skin, featuring three distinct effects on his primary weapon. Moving into Season 12, Blizzard introduces another addition to the Mythic Weapon series, this time for Ana, the support hero. It appears that they are aiming to provide fans with a new and unique option between weapons or character skins every season.

Although no images have been revealed yet about the weapon’s design, the title “Mythic Midnight Sun” hints at its expected theme. It might follow the dark and golden hues reminiscent of the Anubis-inspired aesthetics featured in this season’s battlepass. This new weapon will complement Ana’s previously released Mythic Skin, making her the first character to possess a customizable character skin and weapon simultaneously.

5 New Game Mode: Clash

Get Into The Action With Fast-Paced Fun

In the upcoming version of Overwatch 2, the fresh game mode titled Clash is all set to revolutionize gameplay by offering an accelerated tempo that surpasses any previous speed. Teams will engage in intense battles to seize control points, which players accustomed to the Assault mode in Overwatch may recognize as being similar.

In this thrilling new gameplay mode of Overwatch 2, combat zones are strategically positioned near the action and the map layout is user-friendly, encouraging players to engage in battles rather than trekking back to objectives. This setup fosters innovative tactics, team compositions, and advanced gameplay, making Clash an exhilarating prospect for all players.

6 New Maps: Throne of Anubis and Hanaoka

Redesigns of Fan-Favorite Maps For Clash

In addition to the fresh Clash game mode, Overwatch 2 introduces two new locations for you to traverse. These maps offer a trip down memory lane as they are revamped versions of the classic Assault maps: Temple of Anubis and Hanamura.

As a gamer, stepping into The Throne of Anubis feels like exploring an entirely new facet of the classic Temple of Anubis. Delving deep into its central throne room reveals intriguing narrative tidbits that unveil the malevolent AI responsible for the Omnic Crisis and hidden within the throne. Additionally, in the picturesque landscape of Hanaoka, surrounded by the iconic pink cherry blossom trees of Hanamura, I’m on a mission to unearth the enigmatic secrets buried within Shimada Castle.

7 Balance Changes

Buffs and Nerfs Across the Board

Revamping Season 12 with various alterations for all characters, it’s fair to expect an abundance of fresh meta team combinations throughout the journey. As of now, mobile heroes are ruling the roost. Characters such as Soldier, known for his agility and swiftness, or Lucio, with his speed boost and inventive gameplay, have been a common sight.

Although the precise details about the upcoming updates and modifications are yet to be disclosed, it’s been made clear that the development team is planning a general review aimed at lowering the health of numerous damage and support characters. This adjustment is expected to decrease the chances of these characters maintaining such a dominant position.

8 Lifeweaver Changes

A New Way To Play Is Coming

Ever since the debut of Lifeweaver, I’ve been a devoted fan, watching as this support character has undergone numerous tweaks and transformations. His Life Grip is an invaluable tool, providing temporary invincibility and rescuing players from tricky spots. And let’s not forget his Petal Platform, which adds verticality to our team’s strategy and ensures a safe space for ultimate abilities. There’s no denying the potential he possesses, but it’s evident that a fresh approach is needed.

Lifeweaver’s Petal Platform is undergoing significant enhancements for better quality, along with exploring strategies for playing against and defending against it. Adjustments to his primary healing abilities, Healing Blossom, and Rejuvenating Dash are planned as well.

9 Returning Arcade Gamemodes

Mirrorwatch, April Fools, And More

The team behind Overwatch 2 is excited to engage gamers with fresh gaming experiences, as they plan to reintroduce popular game modes from the past couple of years. This means that fans will have another chance to relive the chaos of April Fool’s Day, complete with amusing voice lines, character modifications such as googly eyes and goofy adjustments, and humorous alterations like shrunken characters, powerful knockbacks, and swapped controls. Instead of only getting a brief taste of this fun for a few weeks, players can now savor it for a longer period.

Once again, we’re seeing the popular (and non-official) Mirrorwatch make its appearance. This version offers a mirror image of the Overwatch universe where Talon villains transform into heroes, and heroes become villains in their place. With a 5v5 role queue system, players can select from a variety of characters, such as Mercy wielding a powerful rocket launcher or Doomfist sporting a Reinhardt-style shield. These unique new abilities give the impression of complete character overhauls, providing a fresh and exciting twist to gameplay.

10 New Hero Mastery

Get Good at Pharah and Zarya

Although often underestimated, the PvE game mode Hero Mastery has unexpectedly brought a lot of enjoyment to Overwatch 2. This mode offers dedicated time trials where both new and returning players can master each hero independently. Many players strive to complete these levels with the highest scores and fastest times, turning it into a community-based speedrun challenge.

As a gamer, I’ve got two exciting new challenges: honing my flying and missile skills with Pharah, the aerial strategist, or perfecting Zarya’s bubble techniques. The allure of climbing star ranks in each level makes me eager to try again and again, striving for that perfect gameplay.

2024-08-16 19:04