🔗 Share this article

For a long time, I had little interest of multiplayer games. I engaged in numerous of them with my friends, but none kept my attention. I was bad at shooting, and felt like more of a hindrance than aid to my squad. Subsequently, the release of Overwatch in 2016 happened and introduced me to a character and an skill that's remained memorable ever since.

Initially, D.Va, an esports star turned pilot who pilots a mech, wasn’t the sort of character that should have appealed to me. Widowmaker was more my style, with her dark aesthetic and measured speech. But D.Va had the benefit of being the role I prefer: a defender. The character that absorbs all that incoming fire while shielding attackers and support classes. Better yet, D.Va has dual modes: her pilot form, in which she moves with a blaster, and her mech form, in which she’s strapped into her MEKA. This duality make her quite distinctive, but there’s something else that sets her apart among other defenders, and is the reason I inevitably fell in love: 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, opting to rise onto a elevated position or divert completely and head around obstacles like corners or the payload. This grants D.Va a agility and unrestricted motion that none of the other tanks can truly emulate — including Reinhardt with his charge ability. D.Va’s Boosters is brilliant for my playstyle: I prefer to absorb attacks and defend allies, while also being able to get out if the situation intensifies so I may reassemble – it makes me feel indestructible, even though that’s never really the case.

The Thrusters ability is not just for movility; it also inflicts damage to foes along the route.

There’s even a damage element to D.Va’s Boosters ability. When opponents obstruct the path as you’re using Boosters, 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’ll teach her to try and snipe you from afar.

D.Va may not be the top defender in Overwatch 2 currently, especially when you’ve got heroes like Orisa and Ramattra whose raw defensive abilities make them a better pick for present strategies. But she’s also one of the most unique characters I have experienced in a competitive title. I don’t think that any a D.Va equivalent, and trust me, following experiences like Marvel Rivals after falling off Overwatch 2, I’ve been looking for a replacement for D.Va, and my next Boosters, for a long time. In reality, after playing her for years, it seems there isn’t ever going to be as enjoyable and groundbreaking to play as she is. For all the faults Overwatch 2 might have, character design and abilities are certainly not among them.

• The MEKA Pilot shines at mobility and disruption.
• Her Thrusters provide unmatched aerial control.
• She can soak damage while opening chances for her team.
• Despite meta shifts, D.Va stays a beloved choice for distinctive approach.