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Overwatchfeels a lot different when you're gunning down an army of mindless robots.
The latest event for Blizzard Entertainment's hit game -- called Uprising-- takes a break from the usual PvP action. Instead, it sends four players off on a mission to push back against an evil robot uprising.
SEE ALSO:Twitter's new default avatars get a slick 'Overwatch' remixIf you checked out the Halloween Terrorevent, Uprisingrepresents an evolution. In Terror, four pre-selected heroes squared off against multiple waves of robots -- plus occasional AI-controlled "boss" heroes -- while defending a fixed position.
Uprisingremakes the King's Row multiplayer map into a multi-phase mission that draws a little bit of inspiration from each of the competitive modes in Overwatch. There are points to capture and hold, a payload to escort, and a final stretch of intense combat as you storm your target.
The cooperative mode, which is available in four difficulties, pits players against a wider assortment of threats than we've seen before. There are basic infantry bots, shielded heavies, pint-sized laser guns that scurry around on tiny legs, and walking bombs. Evil versions of Bastion and Orisa also pop up at various points.
All of this requires a different approach than what you're used to in Overwatch. Here are some tips to help you survive each phase.
Before you start
Credit: blizzard entertainmentThe standard version of Uprisingrestricts you to four heroes, one per player: Reinhardt, Tracer, Mercy, and Torbjörn. That team comp is fine. It's just a little... boring.
Go for the "All Heroes" playlist instead. The added variety makes Uprisinga lot more fun and more of an elaborate combat puzzle. The trick is to figure out which heroes work best together against this new type of Overwatchchallenge.
Consider Bastion a necessity for any difficulty higher than "Normal," the lowest of the four. Bastion's DPS is practically essential as the enemy numbers (and health) increase.
A healer of some kind is also essential, as there aren't any health packs to collect in Uprising. I prefer Mercy because of her ability to rez, but you'll definitely need one of them. Unlike the PvP modes, downed teammates can be revived in Uprising-- but those revives are on a timer. Mercy's ult offers an all-powerful alternative.
If you've got a Bastion in your group, consider going with two tanks instead of a tank and an offense hero. Reinhardt's shield is very effective in Uprising, making him my personal first choice. D.Va's Defense Matrix isn't quite as useful, but she has the mobility and sheer firepower (especially with her ult) that Reinhardt lacks.
Orisa is a good second-choice tank if you decide to bring two along. Her seemingly bottomless ammo clip combined with her ability to toss out shields regularly make her a potent offense/tank mix. Skip Winston and Roadhog; the former's shield isn't available frequently enough and the latter just isn't a strong defensive choice.
If you do go for an offense hero, Soldier: 76 is a good choice thanks to his healing station. Sombra is also handy to have around; her hacking ability briefly stops any enemy robot in its tracks.
Phase one: Capture each point
Credit: blizzard entertainmentThe first section of Uprisingpresents you with a sequential series of capture locations, similar to those in OverwatchControl matches. You need to keep at least one hero inside the point to register progress.
Positioning is everything during this phase of the match. You'll typically have attackers coming at you in two or three directions, so it's best to position your DPS heroes in such a way that they can easily cover multiple angles.
The only enemies you'll face during this phase are the standard infantry robots and a larger variant that has more health and carries a shield -- tanks, essentially. Neither is particularly threatening on its own.
The big challenge in these first sections is to keep the enemy numbers down. As more robots start to crowd in, the damage they dish out piles up. As long as you can maintain a level of crowd control, the first phase of Uprisingis basically easy mode.
Phase two: Prime the payload
Credit: blizzard entertainmentThis next section plays out in the same location as the first capture point in King's Row PvP matches. The payload is smaller, but it also spawns in the same spot. If you're standing on top of it, enemies come at you from the left and right, which makes for easy call-outs.
During this section of Uprising, you've got to stay aware of the payload's health (visible in the top right corner of the screen). New enemies appear that focus specifically on attacking the payload, so focus those first.
Slicers -- the aforementioned laser guns with legs -- appear first. They'll scurry in close to the payload and stand motionless as they pour damaging energy into the payload; They're also, thankfully, very weak; you can clean them up quickly with little worry.
Detonators appear next. They look like World War II-era naval mines propped up on robot legs. These are a top priority whenever they appear; they move slowly and don't actually shoot at you, but they explode for big damage to the payload if they get too close.
The trick is to focus fire on the mine portion of a Detonator, which you'll notice is covered in metal plates. You can knock those plates off with enough sustained fire, exposing the crit spot underneath. Detonators have tons of health, but you can take them out quickly using this strategy.
You know this phase is close to being over when Bastions start appearing. They only assume their sentry form during this phase, so they're easy-to-hit stationary targets... but with lots of health. AI-controlled Bastion isn't quite as deadly as PvP Bastion, but you'll still want to bring them down as quickly as you can.
Phase three: Escort the payload
Credit: blizzard entertainmentOnce the payload is fully charged, you escort it to the nearby power plant, following the same path as the King's Row PvP payload. The rules work just like they do in PvP: stick close to the payload to keep it moving.
Enemies attack from the front and the rear -- as well as the alleyways running off each side of the street -- so keeping close to the payload is essential anyway. It's still vulnerable to attack during this phase, and its health remains at whatever level it was when the previous phase ended.
Slicers and Detonators are still the biggest threats to the payload itself, but this phase also introduces yet another enemy: tank Bastion. These perma-ulted Bastions roll around swiftly and fire highly damaging cannon blasts. They can wipe out your team in a heartbeat if you're not careful, so listen for Bastion's telltale robot "voice."
Once the payload reaches its destination, it parks in front of the closed door and charges up to explode. You'll have to weather several wave attacks from the full range of baddies you've encountered so far. It works the same as the rest of the phase, really, but the payload is no longer moving and the enemies spawn in even greater numbers.
Phase four: The final push
Credit: blizzard entertainmentOnce the door is blasted open, the Slicer and Detonator threat is over. There's no more payload to defend, so there's nothing for them to attack. That's not to say the final stretch is easy, however.
As soon as you charge through the door, AI-controlled Orisas start charging forward, along with the usual array of more rank-and-file enemies. Much like the AI Bastions, Orisa should be a focus as soon as it appears. They have tons of health, they throw barriers around willy-nilly, and their cannons can shred you quickly.
The most important thing to keep in mind during this section above all others: don't advance too quickly. It's easy to make that mistake since there's no payload to defend or point to hold, but you still need to be methodical in your assault.
There are a fixed number of enemy spawns, from both the front and the rear, but you'll get overwhelmed if you advance too far and bring them out too quickly. When tank Bastions start to spawn behind you, retreat a bit to take care of them.
The final encounter is a knockdown fight against sentry Bastions and souped up Orisas (signified by the star icons above their heads). Once you take the boss Orisas down, that's it. You've beaten Uprising.
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