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For a long time, I had little interest of online competitive titles. I played plenty of them with companions, but few held my interest. My aim was poor, and seemed more a liability than aid to my squad. Subsequently, the release of Overwatch in 2016 arrived and presented me with a character and an ability that's been stuck in my mind ever since.

Initially, D.Va, an esports star turned pilot who pilots a mech, wasn’t the sort of character that should have appealed to me. The sniper Widowmaker was more my style, with her dark aesthetic and measured speech. However D.Va had the benefit of being the role I prefer: a defender. The one who soaks up all that incoming fire while shielding attackers 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. This duality make her pretty unique, but another feature that sets her apart among her fellow tanks, and is the reason I inevitably fell in love: her close-quarters and mobility skill, Boosters.

Thrusters represent a skill that lets D.Va (in her MEKA form) launch into the air, providing a velocity increase and allowing her to fly forward for a set distance. Additionally, players may change directions mid-flight, choosing to ascend onto a higher level or divert completely and navigate past barriers like turns or the payload. This grants D.Va a dynamism and freedom of movement that none of the other tanks can really replicate — including Reinhardt with his forward assault. Her Thrusters is ideal for my approach: I prefer to absorb attacks and protect my team, while also being able to get out if it gets gnarly so I can regroup – it makes me feel indestructible, even though that’s never really the case.

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

An offensive component exists to the Thrusters skill. If enemies get in the way as you’re using Boosters, they are knocked back for a set amount of harm. Let me tell you, few things are as gratifying than finishing off a pesky Ashe by bopping her on the nose with the mech. That serves as a lesson to attempt long-range attacks.

D.Va may not be the “best” tank in Overwatch 2 nowadays, especially when you’ve got heroes like certain other tanks whose pure defensive skills make them a superior choice for present strategies. Yet she remains one of the most unique characters I have experienced in a competitive title. It seems unlikely there really is a direct counterpart to D.Va, and trust me, following experiences like Marvel Rivals after falling off Overwatch 2, I’ve been looking for my next D.Va, and my next Boosters, for years. In reality, 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, hero creation and skills are certainly not among them.

• D.Va shines at movement and interference.
• Her Boosters provide superior flight maneuverability.
• She can absorb attacks while opening chances for allies.
• Despite meta shifts, D.Va stays a fan-favorite for distinctive approach.