[Review] Overwatch

Latency is a tricky field to find ourselves in since ping can vary from provider to provider and location to location, but from running a multitude of tests on Overwatch on PC and Switch – both in Wi-Fi and LAN – I noticed some massive discrepancies that may prove even more problematic to some. On my desktop, I decided to play a few matches of Total Mayhem due to the frenetic nature of it and reflexes needed to make sense of anything going on. I kept this same method throughout my tests, and also only played as D.VA for a few matches (even when the comp was terrible and didn’t call for it for the sake of the tests) before switching to Junkrat for a few more. Latency hovered between 40-70ms in roughly eight matches I played with a direct Ethernet connection, with the most egregious hitting 88ms briefly. Overwatch for Switch in Total Mayhem in docked mode with a LAN adapter and a Pro Controller, bless my heart, averaged out between 90-120ms, going as low as 77ms and even as high as 200+ms. This is horrendous and suboptimal, resulting in higher inconsistencies in cause and effect from and to servers, leaving for shots that simply don’t connect despite the visual representation, as well as players occasionally teleporting from location to location.

Switching to Wi-Fi in docked mode and on my desktop, latency was more or less the same on the desktop, but Wi-Fi on Switch had me average out at slightly worse between 100-130ms, though after multiple matches it never reached as low as 180+ like it did with the LAN adapter; it was marginally worse, but more stable. Things get interesting once we take it out of the dock, though. For this, I used my laptop to represent a portable gaming experience to equal the Switch, and for obvious reasons I kept this strictly Wi-Fi. Laptop latency on Wi-Fi was still consistent with the same results I had gotten on my desktop, but Switch was simply all over the place. I could have a match that gave me a solid 70ms for most of it before jumping into 140ms for a minute or two, and the next match could see a consistent 100ms going as high as 160ms and on occasion dropping back down to 110ms give or take. While physics, collisions, interpolation and the usual stuff was still mostly working as intended, it was jarring watching numbers vary from match to match and minute to minute. Again, though, despite the bad latency, most of the time the latency was stable rather than erratic, but reacting off of muscle memory doesn’t work here when you have to think with a delay in mind, especially in a competitive environment. The experience feels sluggish and frustrating because of it.

Overwatch is incredibly important to the medium and I would hope it inspires creativity with games that try to achieve this level of optimism, charm, and lasting impression when making a multiplayer-focused shooter. These characters will forever remain with me and hold a special place in my heart. Yet as much as I love the idea of Overwatch being on Switch and appreciate the effort, in its current state I’m conflicted. Here lies a game I’m beyond grateful exists and is a part of my life in an impactful, meaningful way, but three years later, a sub-optimal experience makes this a hard recommendation, especially since I’m surprised there’s still an audience that hasn’t played Overwatch at one point or another in a proper state. I don’t necessarily feel that Overwatch for Switch should be avoided, but it’s certainly one of those games you play and have on the system when you don’t have other options or immediate access to alternative platforms. It’s slightly upsetting that for the few that are playing it for the first time on Switch, they’re not getting the best representation of how the game really is and what it stands for in the first-person shooter genre as well as the medium as a whole.

Overwatch for Switch is a valiant effort that’s appreciated as someone who has played since day one in 2016, but it brings up the age-old saying of “just because you could, doesn’t mean you should”. It would have been best if, at the very least, the game targeted 60 frames per second and worried about visuals later similar to the likes of Rocket League. Without a way to give player choice between performance and visuals, you’re stuck with an inferior version that is ultimately a massive disservice to an otherwise beautifully crafted game. I’ve poured my heart and soul into Overwatch on PC since day one, and it’s given me countless memories, smiles, and a level of fun that has not waned three years later. However, with the way it carries itself (or at least attempts to) on Switch, I’ll only be playing it there when I’m away from home and without access to a gaming laptop. Overwatch is a brilliant game with an all-star cast that feel alive and are relatable in so many ways, so seeing it marred by poor optimization is upsetting in more ways than one.

Overwatch review copy provided by Blizzard for the purposes of this review.