🔗 Share this article

For a long time, I had little interest of multiplayer games. I played plenty of them with my friends, but none kept my attention. My aim was poor, and seemed more a liability than help to my teammates. Subsequently, 2016’s Overwatch arrived and presented me with a character and an ability that's remained memorable ever since.

Initially, D.Va, a gamer girl turned child-soldier who commands a MEKA, didn’t seem the type that should have appealed to me. Widowmaker was closer to my preference, with her gothic look and monotone drawl. However D.Va possessed the advantage of being the role I prefer: a defender. The one who soaks up all that incoming fire while protecting damage-dealers and healers. Additionally, D.Va has two forms: her pilot form, in which she moves with a blaster, and her MEKA configuration, in which she’s strapped into her MEKA. These two forms make her pretty unique, but there’s something else that makes her stand out among other defenders, and is why I ultimately adored her: her close-quarters and mobility skill, Boosters.

Boosters is an ability that enables the MEKA pilot (in her MEKA form) propel skyward, providing a velocity increase and letting her advance through the air for a set distance. Additionally, players may alter course while airborne, choosing to ascend onto a elevated position or veer entirely and navigate past barriers like corners or the payload. This grants D.Va a dynamism and freedom of movement 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 like to soak up the damage and defend allies, while having the option to retreat if it gets gnarly so I may reassemble – it makes me feel indestructible, even though this isn't entirely true.

D.Va’s Boosters is not just for movility; it additionally deals harm to enemies along the route.

There’s even a damage element to D.Va’s Boosters ability. If enemies get in the way as activating Thrusters, you send them flying backwards for a set amount of harm. Let me tell you, few things are as gratifying than eliminating a troublesome Ashe by striking her directly with the mech. That serves as a lesson to try and snipe you from afar.

D.Va may not be the “best” tank in Overwatch 2 nowadays, especially when you’ve got heroes like certain other tanks whose raw defensive abilities make them a better pick for the current meta. Yet she remains among the most original heroes I’ve ever played in a multiplayer game. It seems unlikely there really is a direct counterpart to D.Va, and trust me, after playing games like Marvel Rivals after falling off Overwatch 2, I have sought a replacement for D.Va, and my next Boosters, for years. The truth is, after playing her for years, it seems no future tank character as enjoyable and groundbreaking to play as she is. For all the faults Overwatch 2 might have, character design and abilities are definitely not included.

• D.Va excels in movement and interference.
• Her Thrusters provide unmatched aerial control.
• The hero can absorb attacks while creating opportunities for her team.
• Despite meta shifts, she remains a fan-favorite for her unique playstyle.