Unlocking the Untapped Potential: How Overwatch 2's Next Story Missions Can Correct a Major Overlooked Aspect from Invasion

Highlights

Lack of replayability in Overwatch 2's Invasion story missions is a main criticism, leaving gamers wanting more.

Including PlayStation Trophies and Xbox achievements in the missions would have enhanced their replayability and incentivized fans to continue playing. The lack of new achievements in the Invasion missions is a lost chance, thus the next set of missions should definitely incorporate them. Tasks revolving around in-game challenges would be an ideal starting point, along with Easter egg and speed run-related achievements.

Critics have pointed out that Overwatch 2's Invasion story missions lack replayability, with players wanting more due to the short duration and simplistic objectives. One solution to address this would be to incorporate PlayStation Trophies and Xbox Achievements, which could enhance the missions' replay value. Overwatch 2 has already introduced additional achievements and Trophies after the game's initial release, following the same pattern as the original game. With the addition of each new hero, players can pursue two additional hero-specific achievements. These challenges not only unlock in-game Pixel and Cute sprays upon completion but also consist of one easier task and one more demanding task. However, Blizzard has the opportunity to further expand the game's replayability by introducing numerous additional achievements that can be unlocked during the PvE missions. This would serve as a strong incentive for fans to continue playing.

Overwatch 2’s Future Story Missions Should Come With Trophies and Achievements

Unfortunately, Invasion does not offer any new achievements to unlock, which is a peculiar decision. It would have been simple to tie the hero progression system to some fresh Trophies, as well as the shooting gallery in the practice range and the upcoming hero mastery missions. Even the new Support hero, Illari, does not have her own Trophies yet, despite the existence of spray challenges in the game. This is hopefully something that will be addressed in the next major game update. In terms of post-launch achievements, the Invasion missions are a missed opportunity.

While DLC Trophies and achievements may be controversial as they disrupt players' hard-earned 100% completion stats, Overwatch 2 already has some of them. Therefore, it should be a priority for Blizzard to continue adding more. Hero-specific achievements are understandable and encourage fans to master new heroes. However, co-operative story content is also well-suited for achievements. It is even more peculiar that these Trophies do not exist since Blizzard has in-game challenges for each story mission, all of which provide in-game rewards such as sprays and charms.

Similar to the Pixel and Cute spray challenges that also serve as Xbox achievements and PlayStation Trophies, some of these mission challenges could contribute to increasing gamerscores and Trophy levels. While the main objective completion challenges do not necessarily need to be converted into Trophies, the more unique goals such as locating collectibles and successfully knocking enemies off the airship in Rio could be a good fit. Additionally, having a Trophy for completing all three missions in the Invasion set on Expert difficulty could offer a satisfying unlock.

Blizzard has the opportunity to be innovative with achievements based on Overwatch 2's PvE content as well. If more mission-specific elements like Torbjorn's turrets are introduced, Trophies related to effectively utilizing those features could be incorporated. Speed run achievements could accompany difficulty-based ones, rewarding players for discovering the most optimal hero lineup and memorizing Omnic spawns in order to complete maps as quickly as possible. Even special Easter egg Trophies connected to interactions with Winston in the main menu could provide some entertainment.

Blizzard could potentially update Overwatch 2 with additional Trophies focused on Invasion missions, such as Gothenburg, in the future. However, it appears unlikely at this stage. Nevertheless, Invasion can serve as a valuable blueprint for upcoming mission batches. When these co-op levels are released in 2024, Blizzard could introduce a new set of achievements to accompany them. While the in-game challenges might not be sufficient motivation for all players to complete everything in the missions, dedicated Trophy and achievement hunters would surely be enticed by an extra set of PvE objectives.

Overwatch 2 is currently available on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.