Overwatch seems to be currently in a
cycle of new hero, new map, new hero, new map and so on. Our first new map
since Sombra’s release back in November comes hot on the heels of Winter
Wonderland ending, in the form of Oasis.
Oasis is a control map (same as Nepal,
Ilios and Lijang Tower), easily my favourite gamemode in Overwatch. Set in a
scientific laboratory in the middle of a Middle Eastern desert, there’s a
definite inspiration by Symmetra’s character in the overall design, similar to
how you can find Zenyatta’s influence on Nepal or Winston’s on Watchpoint: Gibraltar.
As with other control maps, there are
3 different areas to take that are cycled randomly every time you play. The
first, Gardens, is unique in that the control point is not in the centre of the
map, but rather off to the side in a secluded garden. There are several
different ways to enter said garden, be it from the main entrance, an above
platform or an underground tunnel, giving many options for surprise attacks.
The second, City Center, is a more standard central point, with one specific
difference: this one has a bounce pad. Yes, there’s an awesome trampoline
secluded just off the point itself, giving a great vantage point for long-range
characters. I’ve already seen some Bastion and Hanzo players taking advantage of
this, and I can expect the other sniper characters will find this useful as
well. The final map, University, is mostly indoors, and takes place in a
central room with a pit, similar to Ilios’s Well map, but instead of killing
you when you fall down, there’s a large health pack at the bottom of the pit here.
This is especially useful for Sombra, who can hack the medkit for exclusive use
of her team. It’s much easier to hold this point if the medkit cannot be used
by your opponents.
In terms of the design the layout of
the map is similar to Nepal, so if you’re a fan of that one you’ll enjoy Oasis.
A lot of crazy plays come out of the use of the jump pack and hidden rooms, so
it’s integral to play a few games to figure out the layout to really get the
most out of your game. Just like when Eichenwalde launched, a new Brawl has
launched in the arena that is only set to play on Oasis with Quick Play rules.
It’s a much easier way to try out and get to know the map without needing to
find it in the Quick Play shuffle. While I haven’t spent enough time playing it
yet to truly decide where it lies in terms of quality among the other 3 control
maps, Oasis has enough secrets and different ways of playing and capturing
points that it could really make people rethink their tried and true
strategies.
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