Overwatch Jetpack Cat: Cutesy gimmick or secure help?

There was loads of hype surrounding Overwatch following the discharge of Overwatch Season 1. In addition to rebranding again to Overwatch and dropping the two totally, the sport has undergone a restructuring and can focus extra on narrative and hero releases. 

This was emphasised by the discharge of 5 new heroes when Season 1 dropped. Though all of the heroes have brought about discourse amongst gamers, there’s one character particularly who has taken the Web by storm: Jetpack Cat. We’re going to dive deeper into Jetpack Cat’s talents and the fan response to her to see if she might grow to be a standout Overwatch help or if she is extra of a gimmick than a viable hero. 

Jetpack Cat is a stray who was discovered at Watchpoint: Gibraltar by Brigitte. Brigitte names her Fika, however she quickly begins to think about how Fika might grow to be a helpful ally in Overwatch. Brigitte creates a useful jetpack for Fika that not solely permits her to fly, but in addition lets her carry allies and enemies, and shoot projectiles that heal teammates and wound enemies. 

Earlier than we get into the response to Jetpack Cat and whether or not she is a worthy Assist, let’s take a look at her equipment extra carefully. 

Jetpack Cat turned an Web sensation for a couple of causes. Not solely was she a cute cat becoming a member of the Overwatch roster, making her the third animal hero within the sport (alongside Winston the gorilla and Hammond the hamster), however her capacity to seize teammates and enemies and ship them flying immediately made her a meme. From cute fan artwork to ridiculous clips, Jetpack Cat solidified herself as one of the crucial iconic elements of Overwatch’s rebrand. 

Jetpack Cat may be a fan favorite, however how is she considered from a gameplay perspective? Nicely, if her ban price is something to go by, then it will appear that this kitty is inflicting fairly a stir on the aggressive scene. Jetpack Cat’s ban price is – on the time of writing – sitting at greater than 50% throughout all areas, all tiers, all maps, and for each console and PC. Individuals hate taking part in in opposition to her, and it’s straightforward to see why. 

An excellent Jetpack Cat participant can bolster their allies to nice heights, actually. Heroes corresponding to D.Va, Cassidy, or Bastion can elevate their ultimates or their common talents to an excessive extent with Jetpack Cat’s assist. Flying characters could be irritating in case your teammates don’t lookup as a lot as they need to, so it’s no shock that Fika is going through main bans throughout platforms.

Seeing as we already had an area gorilla and a large hamster in a mech ball as a part of the Overwatch roster, a cat in a jetpack is customary fare for the sport. Blizzard has dealt with these odd characters nicely, making their animal heroes viable as characters in their very own proper relatively than simply gimmicks. Jetpack Cat is similar. Whereas she actually brings lots of consideration to the sport in a approach which may really feel gimmicky to some, she is a singular and well-designed help hero.

All in all, Jetpack Cat does have an unserious vibe, due to course she does. She’s a cat in a jetpack. That being mentioned, she has introduced a complete new degree of enjoyable to Overwatch since her launch. I’ve had such time taking part in round with the character in fast play. It’s probably the most enjoyable I’ve had in Overwatch in years. She’s efficient too, particularly in case you can keep a gentle stability between her motion talents, her injury output and her therapeutic. Some might even see her as a ploy to get gamers again into Overwatch, however she’s acquired useful worth as a help and loads of potential total.