🔗 Share this article

For a long time, I was not a fan of multiplayer games. I played plenty of them with companions, but few held my interest. I was bad at shooting, and felt like more of a hindrance than aid to my squad. Subsequently, 2016’s Overwatch arrived and introduced me to a character and an skill that's been stuck in my mind ever since.

Initially, D.Va, an esports star turned pilot who commands a MEKA, wasn’t the sort of character that would attract to me. The sniper Widowmaker was more my style, with her gothic look and monotone drawl. However D.Va had the benefit of being my favorite class: a defender. The character that absorbs all that incoming fire while protecting damage-dealers and support classes. Additionally, D.Va has two forms: her out-of-mech state, in which she runs around with a gun, and her MEKA configuration, in which she’s seated within her MEKA. This duality make her quite distinctive, but another feature that makes her stand out among other defenders, and is why I ultimately adored her: her melee and movement ability, Boosters.

Thrusters represent a skill that enables the MEKA pilot (in her MEKA form) propel skyward, providing a velocity increase and letting her advance through the air for 24 meters. But you can also alter course while airborne, choosing to ascend onto a higher level or divert completely and head around obstacles like corners or the objective. It gives D.Va a agility and unrestricted motion that none of the other tanks can really replicate — including Reinhardt with his charge ability. D.Va’s Boosters is brilliant for my playstyle: I prefer to absorb attacks and defend allies, while having the option to retreat if the situation intensifies so I may reassemble – it creates a sense of invincibility, even though that’s never really the case.

The Thrusters ability isn't solely for travel; it additionally deals damage to foes along the route.

An offensive component exists to the Thrusters skill. When opponents obstruct the path as activating Thrusters, you send them flying backwards for a set amount of harm. I assure you, few things are as gratifying than finishing off a pesky Ashe by bopping her on the nose with your MEKA. That serves as a lesson to try and snipe you from afar.

D.Va may not be the “best” tank in Overwatch 2 currently, especially when you’ve got heroes like certain other tanks whose pure defensive skills make them a superior choice for the current meta. Yet she remains one of the most unique characters I have experienced in a multiplayer game. I don’t think that any a D.Va equivalent, and trust me, following experiences like Marvel Rivals since leaving Overwatch 2, I’ve been looking for a replacement for D.Va, and a similar mobility skill, for a long time. The truth is, after playing her for years, I feel like no future tank character as enjoyable and groundbreaking to play as D.Va. Despite any issues Overwatch 2 might have, hero creation and skills are certainly not among them.

• D.Va shines at movement and interference.
• Her Thrusters provide unmatched aerial control.
• She can soak damage while opening chances for allies.
• Despite meta shifts, she remains a fan-favorite for distinctive approach.