Update: Blizzard has posted patch notes for today’s update and the only change is the addition of the Oasis map.
Original Story: A 600MB – 700MB download, depending on your platform, the new Overwatch update (version 2.02) adding the Oasis map is now available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC.
Blizzard hasn’t posted patch notes on their forums yet, but they did reveal what you can expect from Oasis:
There’s trouble in paradise as conflict breaks out in Oasis, a brand-new Control map set in one of the world’s most advanced cities, a shining jewel rising from the Arabian Desert.
Researchers and academics from around the region came together to found a city dedicated to scientific progress without restraints – a monument to human ingenuity and invention. The city and its inhabitants are governed by the Ministries, a collection of brilliant minds who possess many secrets that have attracted the interest of powerful organizations from around the world.
On this map, teams will need to dodge vehicles and utilize jump pads to capture and defend three unique control points.
Blizzard is currently working on several new heroes, maps, and modes that could release in 2017.
[Source: Reddit (1), (2), Blizzard]
Best of 2016 Game Awards - Shooter
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Best of 2016 Game Awards - Shooter
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DOOM
Defying the odds, id Software has made DOOM not only a relevant series in 2016, but a great one. They’ve also managed to create three distinct modes that all have their own appeal and feel to them. It’s an amazing package, and one that has continued to bring gamers back to over the year.
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Battlefield 1
Taking bold steps in a new direction, Battlefield 1 sets its sights on World War I, targeting a period which boasts unique opportunities for all-out virtual warfare across land, air and sea."It's classic Battlefield gameplay in a World War I setting. A winning combination for shooter fans craving big maps and epic action -
Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare
A shooter is largely dependent on how you view it: from a single-player or multiplayer standpoint. Infinite Warfare has one of the best campaigns that we've seen in a shooter, with some incredible set pieces, a ton of varied gameplay, and some dark grounded moments, despite being in the vast reaches of space. It merits consideration for shooter of the year on this campaign alone.
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Titanfall 2
If you’re a hardcore first-person shooter fan, then play the campaign on Hard difficulty right away. While the story of the campaign might not blow you away, the gameplay variety and execution might. This isn’t your typical first-person single-player that shepherds you from one setpiece to the next. Not to say there aren’t any, but for the most part, the “wow” moments come in the form of gameplay design much more than pre-canned animations and quick-time events (QTE).
Titanfall 2 is the new king of the FPS hill. Controls are tight, action is fierce, maps are intricately designed, and Titans are badass. The cherry on top is a campaign that is genuinely enjoyable, and one that fans of the first game are likely to be satisfied with, which expands upon the universe of the series. Group all of this together with an ambitious free DLC plan, and the choice of which shooter to buy this holiday season becomes obvious. Titanfall 2 is second to none.
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Tom Clancy's The Division
The Division is something special that’s never really been done before in games, and while I don’t expect perfection from such a bold experiment, I’m impressed with what they have been able to pull off so far, especially as the game has been updated with DLC and improvements. It might be an odd pick, but it's innovation certainly earns it a place on the list of nominees.
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Overwatch
With accessibility to spare, a real commitment to diversity and an infectious sense of innocent fun, Overwatch feels like an important game — the sort that can bridge boundaries in the oft-segmented gaming community. I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that this may just be the project to revitalize lapsed or disheartened gamers’ interest in the medium, or the one to bring new players onboard the FPS wagon. So many big games unintentionally put up a wall, implying through their communities, marketing or even gameplay, that they are only for one kind of player or another. Overwatch, on the other hand, makes no mistake in identifying its audience: anyone and everyone that wants to take a shot. It’s ironic to imagine a title about a fragmented team fighting amongst itself serving as a big unifier, but that might just be what we need. At a time when the division between our hobby’s constituents seems more visible than ever, Overwatch reminds us that we’re more alike than different — if we let them, games can bring us together. I don’t know about you, but I think that’s something well worth fighting for.
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And the winner is...
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Winner - Titanfall 2
The team at Respawn Entertainment took everything they learned from the original Titanfall, and applied it perfectly to Titanfall 2. Considering this developer started with members from Infinity Ward of Call of Duty fame, their experience in crafting a masterful multiplayer experience shows throughout Titanfall 2. The campaign even kicks ass, to boot!
