Overwatch: Classic Puts One Notorious Hero Back in the Hot Seat

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Overwatch: Classic Puts One Notorious Hero Back in the Hot Seat

As a long-time Overwatch fanatic who has been around since its inception, I must say that the introduction of Overwatch Classic has brought back a wave of nostalgia and excitement that I haven’t felt in a while. The return of Scatter Arrow on Hanzo is a delightful throwback to 2016, but it’s also a double-edged sword.

I’ve been absolutely thrilled with all the fresh additions in Overwatch 2 lately! For instance, there’s this captivating Mythic skin for Widowmaker that’s caught my eye, not to mention the improvements made to maps like Dorado and Numbani. Plus, they’ve dropped some tantalizing hints about the upcoming tank hero. On top of that, the Overwatch Classic event, which started on November 12 and will run for three weeks, has really stirred up excitement with its 6v6 format and the sense of nostalgia it evokes. Jumping into the unranked mode, I find myself back in time with the original 21 characters from the first Overwatch, 12 classic maps, and the return of Assault or 2CP. It’s like stepping into a time machine!

In both Overwatch and its sequel Overwatch 2, there have been substantial transformations in the hero lineup and their skills over time, causing Patch 1.0 to seem like an ancient era. Key adjustments include Symmetra shifting roles to Support, Torbjorn distributing armor packs, and Mei acquiring the power to completely freeze teammates with her Endothermic Blaster. However, Hanzo is drawing much attention due to his Scatter Arrow’s reliance on random number generation (RNG).

Overwatch Classic Brings Back the Fun of 2016, But There’s a Catch

Hanzo’s Infamous Scatter Arrow Returns in Overwatch Classic

The classic version of Overwatch will conclude on December 2, reintroducing the Scatter Arrow ability. To employ it, players just need to shoot an arrow as normal after triggering the skill, which splits into several arrows that ricochet off surfaces upon impact. This feature can be entertaining for securing eliminations or breaking through congested areas. However, since its effectiveness relies on a barrage of projectiles bouncing off surfaces, it may lack precision in terms of accuracy. This aspect has both advantages and disadvantages. Although hitting an enemy’s head might not always be successful, there’s also the potential for an unintended kill.

When Hanzo was reworked in May 2018 for patch 1.23, he was given Storm Arrow as a replacement for Scatter Arrow and a new movement ability, Lunge. These changes were likely aimed at addressing player dissatisfaction with the RNG-based nature of Scatter Arrow, while better aligning with Hanzo’s skilled marksman persona. The extra movement provided by Lunge and the ability to double jump is something veteran Hanzo players may greatly feel the absence of in Overwatch Classic. Additionally, Storm Arrow initially allowed Hanzo to rapidly fire up to six arrows with reduced damage, but by 2024, the total arrow count was reduced to five.

It’s worth noting that Scatter Arrow has made an appearance in Overwatch 2 before. It was initially brought back during the Love of Geometry Arcade mode which took place during the Valentine’s Day celebrations in Season 3. In this special mode, two teams of Hanzo players battled it out to reach 50 eliminations first. The Scatter Arrow contributed to the overall kill count in this gameplay.

“Hanzo was given Storm Arrow as a replacement for Scatter Arrow.”

In summary, bringing back Scatter Arrow in this temporary game mode doesn’t hold significant importance for competitive play, as it’s not a part of it. Yet, some gamers have been expressing their nostalgia on social media platforms such as X (previously Twitter), recounting why they found the unpredictable behavior of the projectiles’ bounces annoying. Numerous players have labeled Scatter Arrow as game-breaking and devoid of skill due to its high reliance on Random Number Generation (RNG).

In summary, it seems that the Scatter Arrow may not remain in the game mode for too long as Blizzard plans to introduce different variations of Hanzo’s abilities during future events. The Season 13 midseason update hinted at changes coming to the Overwatch Classic event from November 15 – December 2, with the Single Hero Limits being applied. Team 4 has also mentioned that the mode will feature heroes and balance from significant moments in Overwatch’s history, like the 2017 Moth Meta. If Scatter Arrow is still around by then, it will be available for at most three weeks, so players should enjoy its unique moments while they can.

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2024-11-13 19:53