Top tips for Overwatch

Overwatch continues to go from strength to strength. With the competitive mode’s second season also underway, now is the perfect time to dust off your bow/laser pistols/chain gun/hammer, and leap into the fast-paced fray.

Unless you’ve been spending summer on some isolated mountain top chasing Snorlax, then you’ll probably at least have heard of Blizzard’s blockbusting new team-based FPS. There are two things that are essential for survival in any FPS: knowing your tactics, and making sure your system gives you super-smooth performance. Overwatch is no exception.

Overdrive

Any veteran FPS player will tell you that performance will always trump graphics, especially if you’re playing a ranked, competitive title like Overwatch. Even the slightest lag or freeze caused by an overworked GPU can cost you a valuable shot or second. Luckily, you no longer have to choose between one or the other. The performance of the latest ROG gaming laptops means you’ll be able to mow down opponents in an impressive 4K fidelity without any problems, making it an ideal choice. Truly the best of both worlds.

Overview

There’s a pretty varied cast of characters in Overwatch, each of which fits into one of four classes. Tanks are designed to take a beating and draw fire for the team, offense class characters are fast and hard-hitting, defense are designed to lock down choke points, while the support class offers healing and utility. If you’re just starting out, then here are some useful tips (and hey, a few reminders never hurt for you pros either):

Bastion (defense), Soldier 76 (offense), Lucio (support), and Reinhardt (tank) are all great choices for new players. Between them, you’ll be able to start picking up those all-important flanking positions and choke points on the maps. They’re also useful for discovering the strengths and weaknesses of the other characters, while being intuitive enough to play effectively.

Soldier 76 is a solid choice for advanced players too, making a great counter to both McCree’s stun grenade and revolver close range combo, and Junkrat’s trap spam, thanks to being a solid fighter at a distance. Also never underestimate the sheer lockdown potential of Bastion. He’s equally as dangerous to novice players and vets.

Overkill

It’s a good idea to get comfortable with a few other characters too, as well as the maps and game modes, before diving into ranked competitive play. That way, you’ll be an asset to your team.

Don’t be afraid to switch characters during a match either. It might be tempting to get as pro as possible with your favorite girl in a mech suit/cyborg ninja, but the rock/paper/scissors system of Overwatch means that every character can be an effective counter to certain others. Know your enemy, and adapt accordingly.

The game also gives you handy hints on the pre-match screen on what classes your team needs. Ignore them at your peril, and remember: give yourself an advantage (and some eye candy) from the outset and enjoy the world of Overwatch in super-slick 4k Ultra HD on the latest NVIDIA GTX 10-Series gaming laptops.

 

By Simon Marshall

> in super-slick 4k Ultra HD on a ROG G800VI.