Overwatch’s latest hero has lastly punched his method onto the PTR.
At the beginning of the yr I wrote concerning the gradual tempo of supply for brand spanking new Overwatch heroes. Six months on, I’ve not only detailed the arrival of Orisa, however now discover myself excited to play Doomfist.
Having been teased for months and with gamers witnessing the influence of his gauntlet in opposition to the OR15 robots in Mumbani, it was solely a matter of time till Blizzard lastly launched the lengthy awaited hero. Is he worth the wait, and can he shake up the present roster?
Whenever I play a brand new Overwatch hero I strategy it with two questions in thoughts:
- Are they mechanically difficult?
- Do they carry one thing distinctive?
As the eighth “offensive” hero, Doomfist has a shocking package. I anticipated that he’d be totally melee, but it surely transpires he utilises a mixture of ranged assaults (Hand Cannon) alongside quite a lot of close-quarter talents. This hybrid playstyle not solely permits him to have an excessive amount of flexibility, but in addition ensures his viability throughout quite a lot of maps. Where Pharah excels in massive expansive areas, or McCree in comparatively shut quarter skirmishes, Doomfist straddles each of those situations.
Doomfist talents
I make no suggestion that his Hand Cannon presents the form of ranged poke that may compete with such range-focused heroes, but it surely does afford him the chance to assault with out having to all the time rush into melee. What I significantly like about this design is the actual fact it emphasises the necessity for positioning and shopping for your time for the suitable second. Dive too deep with a totally charged Rocket Punch and you may be melted in seconds, however when you select an opportune second to utilize its elevated surroundings harm – earlier than utilising Rising Uppercut and Seismic Slam to flee – it’s a degree of velocity and burst few can survive.
What’s comparatively evident from the Public Test Realm as gamers scramble to play Doomfist, is that many are dying rapidly on account of going gung-ho, on the idea that his passive capacity, The Best Defense, will in some way present sufficient shielding to maintain him. While there’s no doubting the shielding it presents is reasonable – definitely when you can land all three of your melee assaults – it’s a degree of mitigation that’s simply lower via below ranged stress. Only on efficiently touchdown his Meteor Strike (which sees his shielding greater than doubled when used in opposition to heroes) does he obtain eye-watering returns.
“Many players are dying quickly as a result of going gung-ho, on the assumption that Doomfist’s passive ability will somehow provide enough shielding to sustain him.”
I’ll freely admit that I’ve discovered Doomfist difficult to play and partially I believe that’s due to his hybrid model. He can wrestle to go toe-to-toe with heroes resembling Reaper, Tracer or McCree, as a result of he not solely wants pin-point accuracy on Rocket Punch, but in addition due to his incapability to manually reload his Hand Cannon. With solely 4 photographs he can’t afford to overlook, and regardless of a reasonably tight unfold on the pellets, it’s simple to see a few of them fail to hit except you’re instantly subsequent to them.
Doomfists reliance on Rising Uppercut to be able to incapacitate, earlier than following up with Rocket Punch, is extremely punishing when you don’t make preliminary contact. Not solely does it depart you instantly susceptible, however you’re then left with the selection of working away or making an attempt to make one thing of your botched initiation. I’ve died numerous instances to such failures, and it’s this degree of mechanical accuracy that may separate the nice Doomfists from the unhealthy.
I do have some issues with Doomfist (regardless of my love of his package) and regardless that they’re small niggles, I feel except they’re ironed out, he’ll wrestle to discover a foothold. His incapability to reload his Hand Cannon (as famous above), severely limits his alternatives to commerce in opposition to different heroes. If you end up with solely two rounds left in your fist, this will spell catastrophe if you encounter an opponent who’s absolutely stocked. Having to attend in your ammunition to recharge does guarantee he doesn’t descend right into a purely ranged hero, but it surely additionally feels contrived.
Blizzard don’t need him to simply sit again and poke repeatedly and sure need you to make use of your Handcannon extra as a shotgun after juggling opponents in melee, however that doesn’t make it any much less irritating. I’ve misplaced a number of duals as Doomfist that might have been simply gained, had been I to have management over once I reload (moderately than being compelled to attend).
My second problem together with his package is that Seismic Slam desperately wants tightening up. It’s designed for use whereas within the air, however having Doomfist hold for a short second after Rising Uppercut feels sluggish and leaves him susceptible. Not solely this, however if you do land your uppercut, following up with Seismic Slam is bloody onerous. In truth, I’m not totally satisfied it’s even a viable rotation; the knockup sends enemies into the air, whereas Seismic Slam throws Doomfist too far. It feels just like the trajectory on his leap wants adjusting in order that each abilities can be utilized at the side of each other. Even altering Seismic Slam’s telegraph in order that it’s round Doomfist, versus a trapezium in entrance of him, would assist an excellent deal. As it stands, utilizing Rising Uppercut adopted by Rocket Punch and several other rounds out of your Hand Cannon is your finest wager for dependable burst.
For a hero that’s designed to combo opponents, this lack of synergy appears an odd oversight on Blizzard’s half as I’ve but to search out an efficient and dependable use for Seismic Slam (except dropping from a constructing into a gaggle of unaware gamers). In its present kind the one redeeming characteristic for it, is that it grants Doomfist with entry to some superb mobility. All three of his talents when used collectively can see him rapidly escape or attain areas of a map different heroes can’t. This makes him significantly good at evading opponents and glorious at flanking, permitting him to rapidly unleash a shock assault on a few of the extra motionless heroes (he destroys Orisa).
At this stage it’s troublesome to understand how Doomfist will match into the aggressive scene as a result of he falls someplace between the present roster, however excels nowhere. His burst is more durable to land than different heroes, whereas his ranged capabilities are restricted. One on one he’s solely nice when he catches an opponent unaware, however in staff fights he can wrestle to discover a method in with out struggling early harm as he’s extremely susceptible to ranged assaults. In a coordinated staff nonetheless, in the suitable palms, I feel there’s each likelihood that he might excel, particularly when utilized by somebody who enjoys better hero depth than we’ve grown accustomed to.
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