New Overwatch 2 map, Antarctic Peninsula, transports gamers to Mei’s house away from house, difficult them to finest turbulent snowstorms while popping heads and taking names. On condition that the FPS recreation‘s newest location is a management map, although, how is the Overwatch 2 staff going to make sure it doesn’t turn out to be the positioning of Paris and Temple of Anubis-style massacres?
As soon as the house of lovely however lethal ice queen Mei, the Overwatch 2 staff has been excited to discover the lore of her house away from house for a while, calling it a “step within the course of” of exploring the multiplayer recreation‘s overarching narrative.
That includes underground caves, a frozen ship, and interactable penguins that the staff are very excited for us to satisfy, I ask what the design philosophy behind the map was; is it one which champions teamwork, or one which with lengthy corridors that’s good for soiled Widowmaker mains like me?
“Typically we prefer to make a pleasant steadiness which makes you are feeling like you’ve gotten an opportunity to play a bunch of various heroes,” stage designer Trey Spisak tells PCGamesN. “For instance, on the Icebreaker level (the one with the large ship) it’s somewhat extra flat than others so heroes like Reinhardt, Solider 76, and characters which might be extra boots on the bottom with not as a lot mobility could be somewhat bit higher.
“However once you get right down to the sublevel underneath Level A the place they’re doing the ice drilling, for instance, there’s numerous verticality – particularly across the level. That’s good for somebody like a D.Va, or Winston, or Genji, or Pharah. We attempt to discover a good combine.”
I additionally requested how the staff has included neighborhood suggestions into Antarctic Peninsula, particularly given how vocal followers have been about previous assault maps like Paris and Temple of Anubis – each of which have been eliminated coming into Overwatch 2 following fixed backlash.
Whereas not strictly the identical – Antarctic Peninsula is a management map in any case – the modes are comparable sufficient that tight choke factors and websites with one entrance might nonetheless be problematic. Fortunately, Spisak has sated my issues.
“After we’re designing these new maps we’re cautious to not create these tremendous gnarly, unimaginable to get by means of chokes with no different choices,” Spisak states. “We’re making an attempt to make it in order that we don’t have to return and sort things like that, so we’re making an attempt to remain tremendous centered on making certain every little thing feels balanced. We use numerous the suggestions from our staff to search out out about numerous these points.”
As somebody who has some really horrible reminiscences of taking part in on Paris, this makes me very completely satisfied. Antarctic Peninsula seems attractive, is wealthy with lore, and is a model new search for the sport’s icier areas. Oh, and it additionally has literal penguins – what extra are you able to actually need?
Antarctic Peninsula launches on the Overwatch 2 season 3 launch date, which is coming in scorching. Forward of the brand new replace, be sure you take a look at our Overwatch 2 tier record to remain forward of the competitors, in addition to our rundown of the Overwatch 2 Ramattra talents – simply in case you haven’t fairly mastered him but.
