Overwatch
With each raw hero , Overwatchstretches the limits - and the imaginations - ofwhat is potential in the squad - found shooter . Some go as far as introducing only raw mechanics that effect even those who do n’t diddle the hero . Ana ’s grenade , for example , had to add an index number on a players ' health prevention to show whether they had been positively or negatively effected by its blast .
Echo is no unlike ; from her versatile cause to high damage output - not to mention her ultimate - she is move to alter the way every hero inOverwatchis played . allow ’s come apart down her move and allow for some summit on how to use them .
link up : Exclusive Preview of Echo , Overwatch ’s Hero 32
Echo ’s primary fire is the " Tri - Shot . " It ’s a sort of a robotic version of Genji ’s " Shuriken " secondary fire , shooting out 3 projectile at once in a myopic spread . " Tri - Shot ’s " blast is more of a trigon pattern than the arc of " Shuriken , " meaning it work better at a further range . There are 15 shots per mag , meaning Echo also does n’t have to recharge as oftentimes as her cyborg ninja ally . " Tri - Shot " deals a important amount of damage , so it can run as both a poking tool and a means of cease off low - health paladin in the back line .
But what if a grinder plunk back behind cover?Echohas an resolution for that . Her alternating fire " Sticky Bombs " is perfect for getting an easy kill on a hero sandwich that peek a corner - even for just a second . With this move , Echo fires a salvo of bombs that detonate after a short delay . The player can adjust their design as they fire , increasing the spread of the bomb ’s location . Bombs can also be stuck to carapace and the environment , the sodding set - up for when an opposition is trying to shoot through a choke gunpoint . With a unforesightful 6 2d cooldown , it should become a crucial part of any Echo main ’s outfit .
One of the first thing players will notice about Echo is that she can pilot . But there ’s a Brobdingnagian difference to the way that she takes to the skies than Pharah or Mercy . With her " Flight " power , Echo soar apace forward in a horizontal electric discharge . The player can then control her position in the gentle wind freely for 3 seconds , navigating her to eminent ground , or taking her around blotto corner . The ability is on a 6 2d cooldown , making it slenderly more difficult than Pharah to appease in the air constantly , with the trade - off being a hatful more horizontal capability . Luckily her passive , " Glide " gives her some additional zephyr - meter : hold jump gives her some extra sidelong control condition and takes her to the ground slower .
Echo ’s outfit already finger like one to rival her fellow stateless person . She ’s passably much a dreaming flanker back , in the guise of Tracer , Genji , or Doomfist but with the mobility of Pharah . But her utility can gallop to the front - lines too . Her ability " Focusing Beam " is perfect for melting shell , ifyou can employ it right .
With " Focusing Beam , " Echo channelise a beam for a few seconds , not too unalike from Moira ’s ultimate in appearance . However , rather of healing and prejudicious , Echo ’s bluish beam of light works as the idealistic finish move . It does comparatively downhearted damage on enemy with full health , but when an enemy is below half health , the damage is greatly increased ( around 4 times its stem equipment casualty ) . This rationale also apply to enemy shields , meaning that once you see a roadblock begin to crack , the beam is simple second away from transgress it amply .
" focus Beam " live on around 2 seconds , and its high - damage trade - off is that it realize Echo comparatively immobile . Sure , she can shoot it from the zephyr - along with any of her attacks - but she move much slower once she activates the power . If she finds herself in a knavish billet using it , the blast can be cancelled by activating it again . This 8 - second cooldown power is great for pushing chokes with the team or give chase that Winston who jumped away when low on wellness . Like all beam in the game , it pop off through D.Va ’s " Defense Matrix , " and can not be reflected by Genji .
Echo ’s most alone and nuanced ability - the one that essentially is her namesake - is her ultimate : " replicate . " When activate , she is capable to select from any hero on the enemy squad and become them for 15 seconds , gaining use of all of the character ’s abilities .
The targeting works alike to Ana ’s Nanoboost ultimate ability , except in this instance , Echo selects from the opposition on the field of honor , not her ally . Once she confirms her choice , she quickly transforms into the Italian sandwich , bathed in a blue light . This move is distinct from the Spy inTeam Fortress 2,because Echo is not " fooling " the foe team into think she is on their side . She announces her duplication and the mimicked version of her paladin of selection is obvious .
Of of course , this ability comes with a lot of caveats and raises numerous questions . An Echo can not duplicate an foe team Echo ( though the question there becomes " Why would you ? " ) . An enemy can not commute heroes in the spawn room if Echo has duplicated them . If Echo is killed as the duplicate , instead of go , they simply go back to being Echo - at full wellness ( not whatever wellness they were before they activated the ultimate ) . If Echo is hacked by Sombra as a duplicate , she remains that graphic symbol but is unable to utilize their ability . But one head remains : why swap to another hero when Echo herself is so muscular ?
Well , there ’s one part of " Duplicate " we saved for last - and it ’s certainly the in force part . When Echo is a duplicate hero , her ultimate re-formation issignificantlyincreased ( in the food market of 10 time the even pace ) . This think of that Echo can get the ultimate of the hoagy she switched to within those 15 moment , easily . From Zarya ’s " Graviton Surge " to Reinhardt ’s " Earthshatter , " these are some team - competitiveness - changing ultimates that appear in a number of seconds . All it takes is a couple swings of Reinhardt ’s hammer and a well - timed " Fire Strike " and the tide of the battle can whole change .
Echo will be sure to change the way thatOverwatchis played , both at free-and-easy and in high spirits - stage looseness . It will become increasingly more important to be able to flex roles and with certain compositions , nosedive may even see a rejoinder to the meta . Only time will tell .
Next : Overwatch ’s Lead Writer Is entrust Blizzard After 20 geezerhood
Overwatchis available on Nintendo Switch , PC , PlayStation 4 and Xbox One .
