A new update has been launched for Overwatch to commemorate the new year, introducing a new map and some new voice lines for the heroes. Likely the last update before a fairly long drought of no new content, having an entirely new map to play on is probably the best way to start off the new year and is sure to tide most people over for quite some time.
Less prominent than the new map is the new voice lines in which heroes state their new years resolutions, which is cute and some of them are clever, but it seems a bit late given that the Winter Wonderland event has ended. It’s possible they were intended to have been added earlier, but an issue prevented them from being put in until now, though this is just speculation.
Also added was the option to “Reduce Buffering” in the video settings menu. Check this box and it’ll reduce input lag slightly, at the cost of having a slightly lower framerate. A minor addition, but a welcome one either way, as it allows you the option to prioritize gameplay over performance, something I’m sure many will take advantage of.
The Oasis, a new King of the Hill map. Image Source: NsP Playing
The meat of this update, the Oasis, promises to add more variety to the map rotation and boasts some very unique attributes not seen on any other map. Unlike Eichenwalde, the only other map added after the game’s release, Oasis is a king of the hill style map in which both teams are on offense and battle to keep control of the same point for long enough to rack up 100 points. In casual play, this map is a best of 3, and in competitive, it is a best of 5 (par for the course with every other king of the hill map).
A summer themed map, Oasis definitely feels like an oasis, with tropical themes and bright, warm colors all around. Its architecture feels very much like like an old fashioned palace, but has plenty of futuristic aspects, such as the floating cars that whiz by on the roads outside.
What is most unique about this map is its utilizable hazards, such as the wind tunnel players can jump into and be repeatedly flung into the air, allowing them to attack enemies from above for a brief moment. The earlier mentioned cars are also interactable, and instantly kill any player they manage to hit, leaving the potential for some clever tricks to get your enemies run over.
The map is very fun and balanced so far, and I’m excited to see how players come to unleash crushing strategies using the unique opportunities its layout presents. Oasis is up and running on all platforms that run Overwatch as of 1/3/2016, and there’s no reason you shouldn’t be giving it a shot right now.
