Overwatch 2’s visual design and user interface are leaving fans of Blizzard’s latest game deeply dissatisfied. After multiple periods of Overwatch 2 server downtime and numerous bugs, including one that led to accidental store purchases, players who have actually been able to spend time with the multiplayer game seem to have one opinion: It’s fun to play, but its presentation it’s just…smooth.
Blizzard made a lot of changes to Overwatch 2 in its sequel, which has led to players being disappointed by its introduction. No more medals and player cards at the end of matches, no more ‘on fire’ mechanic that lit up player portraits when they were on a hot streak, no more levels and player borders to show your gaming experience. Blizzard spoke before launch about their decision to remove them, in many cases because they felt they caused increased toxicity for players, but at what cost did these changes come about?
Both Twitter and Overwatch 2 Reddit are inundated with posts lamenting the lack of features, calling the game’s UI a “stripped-down version of OW1,” or expressing various issues with its new UI design. One of the most common complaints is the end-of-round screen, which players note feels “low effort” with blue and red colors that don’t match the default palette and don’t align with their team’s color settings. the same way the first game did.
Others mention the new scoreboard, which many feel is confusing to read at a glance and awkward to look at mid-match due to its short opening animation. He also feels a bit against Blizzard’s decision to remove medals and player cards – if there’s a concern of players calling out teammates for ‘underperforming’, then a screen that highlights all of their key stats in a match seems like a completely wrong move. Players also say they miss backing the opposing team after a match, and I agree. Sometimes you really have to give it to them. One commentator notes: “It is a great moral boost to be recognized by enemies.”
The ‘on fire’ mechanic was a purely cosmetic bonus for performing well: your player’s portrait would go up in flames, and you would usually get a celebratory voice line from your character to match. Interestingly, the voice lines are still there, suggesting that the mechanics still exist behind the scenes. Fans say they are “hopeful”, this means the feature could return; one comments, “I didn’t expect ‘on fire’ to be one of the things I miss most about OW1.” Even in matches where things don’t go your way, it can be nice to get feedback you’ve made, especially for classes like support, where it can often be less immediately obvious.
It’s far from just the UI that annoys gamers, as many are. expressing disappointment in his character redesigns, especially the new character portraits. The new design brings all the characters into a somewhat similar format and, in many cases, better represents their in-game models, but it lacks some personality and pizzazz. Junkrat in particular stands out: gone missing hair and charred visage in favor of a glamorous steampunk runway model with perfectly coiffed hair. Also notably missing from the game is Ana’s parrot, which appears to have flown from the nest.
As for the in-game models, concept artist and animator Tommy Millar took to twitter to discuss the new look of the returning cast, commenting that “the universal direction here seems to have been ‘busier, more minutiae, more sci-fi'”. storytelling” by removing visual information from their outfits and comments that “For me, it just takes away from the basics.”
Some of the new Legendary skins are also coming under fire: the lead post on the subreddit at time of writing asks why many of the fancier (and more expensive) skins for Overwatch 2’s new heroes often seem less exciting than their values. defaults. Highlights include Junker Queen’s Legendary Wastelander and Circuit Breaker skins, which give the Aussie tank a fairly plain black outfit and hair color. By comparison, her default look features spikes on her gauntlet, a fun graphic design on a ripped crop top, and her full-length faded blue mohawk. This has left players playing a “which skin is legendary” guessing game, with many saying that by comparison they would have assumed the default skin was the paid one.
Similar comments are made about newcomer Kiriko’s Legendary Athleisure skin, which gives her a new coat instead of her usual robe, but barely alters the look of her leggings, with no visual changes whatsoever to her shoes or any of her gear. equipment. There is a little more difference in her skin from Sukajan, currently available via Twitch, but it’s still just a minor change. Thankfully, Ella Hinotori’s skin has a more dramatic look similar to what fans have come to expect from legendary-tier cosmetics, but you’ll need the premium battle pass to get your hands on it.
It’s important to emphasize that it’s not all doom and gloom: several posts upvoted and many of the comments say they’re enjoying Overwatch 2 despite the issues. One thread says that the game “is immensely fun and most of its issues are fixable”, and that certainly seems fair. If there is demand for these removed features, maybe they could make a comeback. Other users have even started sharing their own fun ideas for what the systems might look like, like a new endgame screen. However, players are wary of the future: one wryly comments: “They’re fixable, sure, but that doesn’t mean Blizzard will fix them.
If you’re itching to try things out for yourself, our Overwatch 2 tier list and Overwatch 2 metagame guide at launch will help you find your footing. We’ve also got an explanation of Overwatch 2 competitive ranks and a complete Overwatch 2 setup guide. , hopefully it will bring new looks that spark more joy.