Overwatch Is Getting Five New Characters, Here's A First Look At What They Do

Several big changes are coming to Overwatch in what is easily the game's most substantial update so far. On top of a name change, an unexpected pivot to a narrative-driven format, a seriously adorable collaboration, major UI updates, and more, five new characters are coming to Overwatch to help kick off The Reign of Talon, Season 1 on February 10. That's right: Five.

Fortunately, this new lineup includes a tank, two support characters, and two damage characters, meaning every player will get the chance to test out a new hero (or nefarious Talon agent) if they so choose. That said, even game director Aaron Keller told GameSpot this large influx of characters will inevitably lead to balance issues--and that's without considering how overwhelming it can be to to play a new character you're unfamiliar with. With that in mind, here's a quick rundown of Overwatch's new characters--Emre, Domina, Mizuki, Anran, and Jetpack Cat--to help you familiarize yourself with them ahead of their debut.

Emre - Damage​

Let's kick things off with the most beginner-friendly hero of the group, Emre. Those of you who are tuned into Overwatch have probably been expecting Emre, as this Overwatch-turned-Talon agent has been teased and alluded to for literal years. After playing a match as him last week, I'm happy to report that he was well-worth the wait.

• Emre is a smooth, run-and-gun damage character who boasts Altered Vitals, a passive that helps him regenerate health quickly and makes him a really well-rounded and viable option for new players.
• His primary fire is a Synthetic Burst Rifle that pops off three rounds in quick succession, and he also has the ability to Take Aim and use a scope without any reduction in movement speed.
• His Siphon Blaster sees him swap out his rifle for a semi-automatic pistol with explosive, life-stealing rounds, and he also has a Cyber Frag grenade that--on top of dishing out damage to enemies--can be thrown at his feet to give him a jump boost.
• His ultimate, Override Protocol, turns Emre into a living weapon, capable of shooting rapid explosive blasts or charging up higher-power mega shots.

Domina - Tank​

Quite a few characters in Overwatch have ties to Vishkar Industries, and now, we're finally meeting the company's devious vice president: Domina. If I had to compare Domina to any existing Overwatch character, it'd definitely be Sigma, albeit with less exposed feet and far more curves. But similar to Sigma, Domina is a poke tank, meaning she's most effective at a distance.

• Her primary fire is her Photon Magnum, a medium-range beam that charges up to deliver a high impact shot, and she can also deploy a large, segmented barrier--Barrier Array--that will require enemies to chip away at many, individual panels in order to fully break.
• Domina can also project an explosive Crystal Charge and push back opponents using her Sonic Repulsors, the latter of which stuns enemies if it pushes them against a wall.
• Her ultimate, Panopticon, fires a hard-light projectile that imprisons enemies. While imprisoned, your enemies cannot receive healing, which is a big problem considering the prison literally explodes once its time runs up.
• Lastly, she also has the passive ability Reconstruction, in which dealing damage restores her shields.

Mizuki - Support​

Overwatch's Reign of Talon continues with the addition of Mizuki, a support character with ties to both Talon and the Hashimoto clan. For a quick lore refresher, Overwatch's Hashimoto clan is a criminal organization operating in Japan that is responsible for the murder of Genji and Hanzo's father, Sojiro Shimada, and is allied with Talon. But jumping back to Mizuki himself, this healer is definitely one I'd recommend for experienced players, as he can be a bit tricky to control, works best at close range, and requires quick, strategic thinking.

• His primary fire is Spirit Glaive, a spinning blade that can be bounced off walls to hit enemies at seemingly inaccessible angles.
• His secondary ability, Healing Kasa, allows him to throw his hat--a traditional Japanese kasa--at nearby allies, causing it to boomerang and spread healing between them.
• The bulk of Mizuki's healing is delivered through his passive ability, Remedy Aura, which heals nearby allies and scales with the amount of healing and damage you are doing--this is precisely what makes Mizuki most effective on the front lines, even if it does come at greater risk.
• Katashiro Return sees Mizuki shoot forward with increased movement speed, leaving behind a paper doll he can return to once his quick attack is finished, and he can also launch a Binding Chain that pins enemies in place.
• Lastly, Mizuki's ultimate, Kekkai Sanctuary, creates a massive sanctuary that heals allies and absorbs projectiles.

Anran - Damage​

If you love Wuyang and have been eager to learn even more about his past and Wuxing College, I have great news for you. In addition to a whole bunch of bad guys, Overwatch's next season sees Wuyang's older sister, Anran, join the fray as the newest human member of Overwatch.

• Unlike her brother, Anran possesses the ability to manipulate fire, making her a powerful damage hero--and her high-mobility and passive ability that causes her to inflict burn, Ignition, only up her power.
• Anran's primary fire, Zhuque Fans, sees her utilize a pair of hand fans to shoot fiery projectiles, while her secondary fire, Fan the Flames blasts hot wind that amplifies burn damage.
• Her ability Inferno Rush propels her forward and dishes out some nice damage, while Dancing Blaze allows her to strike nearby enemies while dodging all damage.
• Another feature that makes Anran such a strong hero? She has two ultimates. The first of these is Vermillion Ascent, which sees Anran charge forward and explode on first impact, instantly igniting any enemies in her way.
• However, Anran can also use her ultimate after dying thanks to Vermillion Revival, which allows her to respawn in a fiery, Phoenix-like fashion, and causes damage to nearby enemies.

Jetpack Cat - Support​

Now for the moment you've all been waiting for, let's talk Jetpack Cat. After close to a decade in development, our furry friend is finally here. Not much is known about Jetpack Cat's past, but Blizzard did confirm that Brigitte is the kind-hearted soul who took her in.

• On top of being a great healer thanks to her Biotic Pawjectiles, which can both heal allies and hurt enemies, Jetpack Cat provides transportation.
• Her ability Lifeline allows her to tow willing allies, all while granting them additional healing and giving Jetpack Cat a nice speed boost.
• Frenetic Flight accelerates her movement in any direction, while Purr activates a pulsing area heal that knockbacks enemies and increases in frequency over time.
• Jetpack Cat's ultimate, Catnapper, allows her to dive towards the ground, knocking back enemies while also tethering the nearest one to her. As you can imagine, this can be used for some fantastic trolling and groan-inducing deaths.
• And though this might seem obvious, Jetpack Cat boasts a passive as well: Jetpack. Thanks to this handy little device, our feline friend has permanent flight.

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