Thoughts on "Overwatch: Classic"

I’ve been playing Overwatch 2 on my PS4, and today I discovered a mode called Overwatch: Classic. Naturally, I decided to give it a try.

When I launched Overwatch 2, I noticed the Classic mode was available, so I checked it out.

Figure1. Overwatch Screen

It felt nostalgic, and it made me look forward to the future of Overwatch 2. Back in 2016, I used to play the original Overwatch using a disc on my PS4. At that time, the gameplay allowed for some sneaky tactics, and the maps had noticeable advantages and disadvantages depending on the team. The graphics in Classic mode felt slightly different from those in Overwatch 2, likely because they reflect the original release. I think it’s impressive that the developers managed to recreate the graphics from that time so faithfully.

Characters I Thought Had Strong Ultimates Back Then:

•Cassidy
•Reaper
•D.Va
•Hanzo

Back in the day, I thought these characters' Ultimates were too powerful. However, after playing today, I didn’t get that same impression. I chose D.Va once during my session. While her Ultimate was undeniably strong, her other abilities felt less impactful (and there were fewer skills available compared to now).

I also used to think Hanzo’s Dragon Ultimate was particularly powerful, but today I don’t recall getting killed by him.

In the original Overwatch, I remember a system for sending “Likes” after a match. In Overwatch 2, this system has been replaced by Endorsements. Interestingly, Overwatch: Classic still uses the endorsement system from Overwatch 2.

I was surprised to see Symmetra categorized as a Support role.

In Classic mode, there seem to be four roles: Attack, Defense, Tank, and Support. In contrast, Overwatch 2 has streamlined these into three roles: Damage, Tank, and Support.

The original Overwatch felt more focused on the Attack role. Based on today’s gameplay, Attack characters were still the most frequently picked. Out of six players, there was typically one Tank, one or two Supports, and three or four Attack players.

His projectiles are slow and hard to land. When they do hit, they deal high damage (especially headshots). However, even when using "Transcendence", his movement speed remains slow.

Her offensive capabilities are weak (as they are now), and she has fewer skills than the current version. That said, her Ultimate was undeniably powerful.

I decided to try out Overwatch: Classic, a mode available in Overwatch 2. I used to own the original Overwatch on PS4 as a physical disc, but I eventually got bored and sold it. However, when Overwatch 2 launched in October 2022, I started playing again.

The graphics in Overwatch: Classic feel slightly different from those in Overwatch 2, likely because of the graphical improvements in the newer version. I’m impressed by the developers’ ability to roll back to the original systems while maintaining such high quality.