Revolutionary AI Allies Set to Enhance Overwatch 2's Game Missions Beyond the Toronto Level

Highlights

Overwatch 2's story missions each have a unique feel, with the second mission being the standout due to its unique objectives.

Reggie and Claire, the NPCs, enhance the narrative and gameplay of the Toronto mission by infusing it with their individuality and introducing captivating gameplay elements.

For future missions in Overwatch 2, Blizzard would greatly benefit from incorporating additional AI-controlled civilians and AI heroes to enrich the gameplay experience and introduce a greater sense of depth and diversity.

Each of Overwatch 2's three story missions offers a distinct experience. The initial Rio level serves as a tutorial, introducing players to PvE gameplay. The third mission, Gothenburg, shines thanks to Torbjorn's turrets and meaningful character development for Reinhardt. However, it is the second mission that has received considerable praise, largely due to its exceptional objectives.

Though Overwatch 2's PvE mode has faced rightful criticism for repetitive objectives, Toronto presents a refreshing change. While it begins with a segment where players must protect civilians boarding a ferry, the majority of the level centers around an escort mission. This dynamic works exceptionally well due to the inclusion of unique adversaries that specifically target the non-playable characters, as well as the distinctive personalities of those characters themselves.

How Reggie and Claire Elevate Their Section of Overwatch 2: Invasion

Reggie and Claire possess distinct personalities that are worth mentioning. Claire, an Omnic civilian with a do-gooding nature, is taken aback by the actions of Ramattra's subjucators just like the Overwatch team. It is intriguing to hear about the attack on Toronto from a regular person's perspective, as opposed to the superpowered individuals who have effortlessly survived the invasion. On the other hand, Reggie, a fast-talking and moderately famous lawyer, is solely concerned about self-preservation. His witty dialogues bring an extra touch of comedy to the gameplay experience.

Aside from enhancing the storytelling aspect of Overwatch 2, these non-player characters (NPCs) also contribute to the gameplay in Toronto. This is because players are tasked with protecting them from Subjucators, which are unique Omnics capable of paralyzing the NPCs if they come too close. Defending the characters from one Subjucator at a time may seem straightforward, but dealing with multiple Subjucators simultaneously can induce significant stress. These intense moments provide a refreshing change of pace from simply eliminating waves of enemies, requiring players to prioritize specific targets and coordinate their efforts to emerge victorious.

To recreate the success found in Overwatch 2's lore codex, Blizzard should consider exploring new possibilities in future missions. One potential option is to reintroduce memorable characters like Reggie and Claire, although this may be unlikely as they are native to Toronto. Alternatively, players could interact with other significant civilians, such as Tracer's girlfriend Emily, throughout their missions.

It's worth noting that NPC allies don't have to be powerless. In the upcoming set of Overwatch 2 missions, players already know they will be rescuing Zenyatta, who is likely to become a playable character. However, Blizzard could also offer players the opportunity to control four additional heroes and place Zenyatta in a support role, where he would provide assistance by healing and damaging enemies with his orbs while occasionally activating his ultimate. This concept could be further expanded upon in subsequent missions, where AI-controlled heroes will intermittently join the player's team.

It would be regrettable if more AI-controlled characters did not make an appearance in Overwatch 2. Blizzard would be disregarding the opportunity to enhance missions by adding additional heroes via AI, such as having a computer-controlled Winston battle omnics in one area, while Soldier: 76 assists the four-player squad in another. Furthermore, the enjoyable mechanic of safeguarding regular civilians from Subjucators should return and find its place in Overwatch 2's event missions.

You can currently play Overwatch 2 on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.