Summary
The in-game seasons ofOverwatch 2are always the source of a lot of excitement, with the fresh content that these events bring often exploring new frontiers for the title and changing many aspects of its core gameplay. Having started on December 5, Season 8 of the title is now fully underway, with most of its content following the theme of its official tagline: “Call of the Hunt.”
The most impactful addition toOverwatch 2with Season 8 is arguably the introduction of a new tank hero named Mauga, but it is important to acknowledge the power behind some of the less headline-grabbing elements of the event. New game modes often come withOverwatch 2seasons, and Season 8 has introduced the Battle of the Beasts mode which possesses a bold PvPvE core with some excellent thematic changes to theOverwatch 2norm. Battle of the Beasts is arguably the most thorough foray into PvPvE gameplay forOverwatch 2, and goes to show that this avenue of combat is a perfect match for the title going forward.
Overwatch 2 Season 8: Battle of the Beasts Opens Up a World of Opportunities
The premise of Battle of the Beasts is closely tied to theCall of the Hunt focus ofOverwatch 2’s Season 8, with players adopting hunter roles and facing off against some challenging enemies. The limited-time game mode sees two teams of four battle against each other while competing to slay an AI-controlled Orisa that has been re-skinned as a “Grand Beast.”
Each team has to balance between protecting their own Orisa, managing the enemy team, and dealing damage to the opposing Orisa, necessitating nuanced gameplay that relies heavily on teamwork and communication. Crucially, the mode allows one player on each team toplay asOverwatch 2’s new tank hero Mauga for free, even if players haven’t unlocked him via the Season 8 battle pass. Aside from the Battle of the Beasts mode, Season 8 offers the following new content toOverwatch 2:
The unique PvPvE premise of Battle of the Beasts has predictably made it a very popular mode in these first weeks of Season 8, with the challenges and rewards that are directly tied to the mode only increasing its player count further. Fans have alwaysdemanded thatOverwatch 2be more ambitious with its game modes, with a distinctly unique identity still being needed to justify the transition from the originalOverwatchto its 2022 successor.
Battle of the Beasts Takes the Best From Core Overwatch 2 Modes
Battle of the Beasts breaks up its gameplay well, implementing things like periodic flashpoints that need to be captured by either team to maintain the competitive nature of the mode as a whole. Having to escort Grand Beast Orisa around the map also borrows gameplay elements fromOverwatch 2’s Escort game mode, so there is a solid competitive base to Battle of the Beasts as a whole.
This removes a lot of the gimmicky tropes that many pastOverwatch 2limited modes have fallen into, making Battle of the Beasts feel as tense and rewarding as any core mode for the title. While Battle for the Beasts may come to an end as Season 8 ofOverwatch 2draws to a close, it has finally proven thatPvPvEOverwatch 2experiencescan work even in the more competitive sides of the release.
