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For a long time, I had little interest of multiplayer games. I engaged in numerous of them with my friends, but none kept my attention. My aim was poor, and seemed more a liability than help to my teammates. Then, the release of Overwatch in 2016 arrived and presented me with a hero and an skill that's remained memorable ever since.

Initially, D.Va, a gamer girl turned child-soldier 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 character that absorbs all that damage while shielding attackers and support classes. Better yet, D.Va has two forms: her pilot form, in which she runs around with a gun, and her MEKA configuration, in which she’s strapped into her MEKA. These two forms make her quite distinctive, but there’s something else that makes her stand out among her fellow tanks, and is why I ultimately adored her: her close-quarters and mobility skill, Thrusters.

Thrusters represent a skill that lets D.Va (in her MEKA form) propel skyward, providing a velocity increase and letting her advance through the air for a set distance. But you can also alter course while airborne, opting to rise onto a elevated position or veer entirely and head around obstacles like corners or the objective. This grants D.Va a dynamism and freedom of movement that none of the other tanks can really replicate — not even Reinhardt with his forward assault. Her Thrusters is ideal for my approach: I like to soak up the damage and protect my team, while having the option to retreat if the situation intensifies so I may reassemble – it creates a sense of invincibility, even though that’s never really the case.

D.Va’s Boosters is not just for movility; it also inflicts damage to enemies in its path.

There’s even a damage element to D.Va’s Boosters ability. If enemies get in the way as activating Thrusters, they are knocked back for 25 damage. Let me tell you, few things are as gratifying than eliminating a troublesome Ashe by bopping her on the nose with the mech. That’ll teach her to try and snipe you from afar.

D.Va may not be the top defender in Overwatch 2 nowadays, particularly with characters like Orisa and Ramattra whose raw defensive abilities make them a better pick for the current meta. Yet she remains among the most original heroes I have experienced in a competitive title. It seems unlikely that any a D.Va equivalent, and believe me, after playing games like Marvel Rivals after falling off Overwatch 2, I have sought a replacement for D.Va, and a similar mobility skill, for a long time. The truth is, with extensive time as her, I feel like no future tank character as enjoyable and groundbreaking to play as D.Va. Despite any issues Overwatch 2 might have, character design and abilities are certainly not among them.

• The MEKA Pilot excels in movement and interference.
• Her Boosters provide superior flight maneuverability.
• The hero can soak damage while opening chances for her team.
• Despite meta shifts, D.Va stays a fan-favorite for distinctive approach.