The Unbeatable Collaboration: How Overwatch 2's Diablo 4 Crossover Revolutionizes Gaming

Highlights

Blizzard has delivered exciting content for Overwatch 2 Season 7, including a new map, Sombra rework, and a Halloween battle pass. However, its crossover is a mixed bag.

The design of the Diablo 4 cosmetics is impressive, but it is disheartening to find Inarius and Lilith exclusively available in a pricey battle pass bundle. On a positive note, the inclusion of the Trials of Sanctuary mode in the Diablo 4 crossover proves to be a significant victory for Overwatch 2. It provides an enjoyable and repeatable PvE experience with valuable loot and ability enhancements.

Blizzard has once again impressed fans with a thrilling Season 7, following the highly successful Season 6 that introduced Overwatch 2's exciting Story Missions, Illari, and the Flashpoint game mode. Despite the inevitable comparison, Season 7 manages to deliver a satisfying amount of content. Fans have plenty to look forward to, including the new Samoa map, Sombra rework, Halloween battle pass, and an exciting crossover with Diablo 4. These additions enhance the already impressive Season 7 experience, but unfortunately, there is one significant flaw that tarnishes the game's reputation.

Overwatch 2 showcases its collaboration with Diablo 4 through an engaging crossover. Unlike the limited One-Punch Man partnership, which only offered charming cosmetics and an anime-inspired menu screen, the Diablo 4 collaboration introduces a special game mode. This mode receives nothing but praise, as do the accompanying cosmetics. However, there is one issue with the acquisition of the new outfits for Moira and Pharah, the final two heroes, which dampens the overall experience.

Overwatch 2’s Lilith and Inarius Skins Being Locked Behind a Premium Battle Pass is Concerning

The One-Punch Man crossover in Overwatch 2 was surprisingly more equitable than its second outing. This suggests that the wrong lessons were learned. In the previous crossover, players had the option to purchase each skin individually or buy them in a bundle. This gave players the freedom to choose the skins for the characters they actually play. However, in the current crossover, the most exciting skins, Lilith and Inarius, can only be obtained by purchasing the expensive Overwatch 2 Battle Pass. This is disappointing and feels like a step back. It is concerning for future collaborations, as there is a worry that the best content will continue to be locked behind expensive bundles.

Overwatch 2’s Trials of Sanctuary Mode is Still a Massive Win For The Game

Blizzard's decision to not allow individual purchases of the Inarius and Lilith skins has understandably angered players. However, despite this controversial monetization choice, the Diablo 4 crossover event is actually a significant win for the game. Overwatch 2's Trials of Sanctuary mode is widely regarded as the best limited-time content the hero shooter has seen thus far, and it is likely that many fans will want it to become a permanent addition.

Trials of Sanctuary pays proper homage to the Diablo series, featuring incredible references to the franchise. Along with surface-level homages such as sounds from Diablo 4 and heroes dressed as iconic figures from the series, Blizzard has successfully tailored the gameplay loop of Overwatch 2 to resemble that of its ARPG counterpart. Players face hordes of demons, with occasional stronger adversaries, and have the opportunity to loot chests along the way. The mode culminates in a boss fight against Lilith Moira, with the occasional appearance of a Loot Goblin that employs a speedier version of Junkrat for an exciting chase. What sets Trials of Sanctuary apart is the satisfying sense of meaningful looting it provides for players.

Blizzard has incorporated parts of Overwatch 2's canceled Hero Mode into its events, allowing players to still experience some of the content. An example of this is the Underworld Event Mission from Season 6, which served as a reskinned Hero Mission. Now, elements of Overwatch 2's cut talent trees have been integrated into a cooperative mode, providing players with major ability upgrades such as Reinhardt's hammer swings launching beams of light. These upgrades, resembling new weapons and functioning similarly to Diablo 4's aspects, not only reward thorough players but also add depth to the mode. This combination makes Trials of Sanctuary an enjoyable and replayable experience, regardless of players' preferences for Diablo or PvE gameplay. However, the pricing issue with the crossover skins detracts from the overall greatness of the new playable content. Overwatch 2 is currently available on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.