🔗 Share this article

For a long time, I was not a fan of online competitive titles. I engaged in numerous of them with companions, but none kept my attention. I was bad at shooting, and seemed more a liability than help to my teammates. Then, the release of Overwatch in 2016 arrived and presented me with a character and an skill that's remained memorable ever since.

At first glance, D.Va, a gamer girl turned child-soldier who commands a MEKA, wasn’t the sort of character that should have appealed to me. The sniper 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 protecting damage-dealers and healers. Additionally, D.Va has dual modes: her out-of-mech state, in which she runs around with a gun, and her mech form, in which she’s strapped into her MEKA. These two forms make her quite distinctive, but there’s something else that makes her stand out among her fellow tanks, and is why I ultimately adored her: her close-quarters and mobility skill, Boosters.

Thrusters represent a skill that lets D.Va (in her MEKA form) propel skyward, providing a velocity increase and allowing her to fly forward for 24 meters. Additionally, players may alter course while airborne, opting to rise onto a elevated position or divert completely and navigate past barriers like turns or the payload. This grants D.Va a agility and unrestricted motion that no other defender can really replicate — including Reinhardt with his charge ability. Her Thrusters is brilliant for my playstyle: I prefer to absorb attacks and protect my team, while also being able to get out if the situation intensifies so I may reassemble – it makes me feel indestructible, even though this isn't entirely true.

The Thrusters ability is not just for movility; it additionally deals harm to foes along the route.

There’s even a damage element to the Thrusters skill. 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.

The hero might not rank as the top defender in Overwatch 2 currently, particularly with characters like Orisa and Ramattra whose pure defensive skills make them a better pick for present strategies. But she’s also one of the most unique characters I have experienced in a multiplayer game. It seems unlikely there really is a direct counterpart to D.Va, and trust me, following experiences like Marvel Rivals after falling off Overwatch 2, I’ve been looking for a replacement for D.Va, and a similar mobility skill, for years. In reality, after playing her for years, it seems no future tank character as fun and innovative to play as D.Va. Despite any issues Overwatch 2 might have, hero creation and skills are definitely not included.

• The MEKA Pilot excels in mobility and disruption.
• Her Boosters provide superior flight maneuverability.
• The hero can soak damage while creating opportunities for her team.
• Regardless of strategy changes, she remains a fan-favorite for her unique playstyle.