Overwatch Lineup Side image

Introducing The Coolest (and Weirdest) Characters of Overwatch

Anyone who’s been paying close attention to Blizzard’s new first-person online shooter probably has an inkling that Overwatch is primed to be the next big thing this season. And with good reason: It sports the craziest and coolest cast of combatants around. With 21 playable heroes at launch – spanning four distinct gameplay roles – you have a ton of options to pick from right out of the gate. Here’s a look at some of the sweetest and strangest characters that Overwatch has to offer, and who are worth checking out if you just can’t decide on who to play first.

Tracer

Tracer’s speed and agility on the battlefield are a perfect pairing for zipping around and causing trouble. Her dual pistols needle foes with bullets ferociously, and she can blink forward in the direction she’s moving to get ahead to the front lines and do some awesome tactical flanking. Ultimately, however, it’s Tracer’s awesome ability to rewind time and scoot backward to retreat and regain health that makes her an intriguing, offense-oriented pick.

Roadhog

Clearly designed for maximum bullet sponginess, Roadhog is one mean-looking brute. Armed with a shrapnel-spewing scrap gun, this tank character is a heavy-hitter with a thirst for close-range brutality. While he might be a little lumbering, his sweet chain hook can grapple and drag foes into arm’s reach for some serious pummeling action. He’s a good choice for players who want to play a beefy tank character.

Overwatch Bastion Inline image

Bastion

Defense-minded players will no doubt get a kick out of Bastion – a punchy robot whose ability to transform into a huge Gatling gun and spray bullets makes him a dynamic addition to the battlefield. Bastion’s transformations come in a few tasty flavors, too, ranging from a more mobile form that deals lighter damage to a stationary sentry that is prone to rear attacks… but can mow down an oncoming horde without flinching.

Lucio

Sporting a slick pair of futuristic roller blades, Lucio is an intriguing support character that has fast moves and funky jams on his side. The fact that he can’t soak up much damage before going down is balanced by his overall speed and awesome area-of-effect buffs. Lucio’s powers are musical in nature, too, which is a clever twist for players who are looking to drop beat with an epic sonic boom.

D.Va

How many anime fashionistas do you know who tool around town inside a huge suit of pink robot power armor? D.Va’s style and spunk makes her a charming addition to the tank class, though she’s no pushover when it comes to dealing damage, either. Her coolest feature by far is the ability to ditch her mech to fight on foot, then trigger it to self-destruct to take out nearby foes.

Overwatch Junkrat inline image

Junkrat

Sneaky tricksters will find much to love about Junkrat’s underhanded and trashy fighting style. Armed with a cornucopia of garbage-themed traps, including a spiked motorized tire, steel traps, and concussion mines, this wasteland warrior is best suited for guerrilla tactics and defense over outright firefights. If you’re a fan of making things go boom, then Junkrat is definitely up your alley.

Torbjorn

Who doesn’t love a good dwarven cyborg? Torbjorn’s tinkering talents lie firmly on the defensive end of the spectrum: His main weapon is a deployable turret that earns scrap with each kill, which can be spent on upgrades to boost its damage-dealing potential. Hammering away at foes also lets him deliver useful armor buffs to nearby teammates.

Eager to suit up and get into the fight? We’ve only scratched the surface with this sampling of our fave Overwatch characters. It features plenty of quirky combatants for you to try out today on Xbox One and PC.