Blizzard's team-based shooter, Overwatch (2016), is a masterpiece in interaction design and intuitive gameplay. The game uses unique visual clues that simplify complex mechanics and makes it easy to pick-up and play.
Who am I playing and what can they do?
Overwatch is known for having easily-identifiable character designs so that players can distinguish enemies from afar, as being able to recognize what you're up against is vital to success. The best way for players to learn what each hero does is to play as them and experiment with different strategies and playstyles.
As the player begins to learn a new hero, they are constantly given little clues that help them recognize the traits of the character. Obviously, the first thing the player notices is their hero's weapons and attacks. Beyond that, the hero portrait establishes the connection from how the player experiences playing as the hero, and how the player experiences playing against the hero. This seemingly purely aesthetic choice in the HUD actually plays a major role in learning how to tackle different enemies. If the player only saw the hero from a first-person perspective, they would have a harder time learning to identify enemy heroes in the heat of battle.
How can I interact with my teammates?
In Overwatch, you are most successful when you're playing as a team. This sentiment is reinforced by each hero's interactions with teammates.
For example, when playing Zenyatta, a support hero who can heal teammates with orbs, a prompt appears when the player is looking at a teammate in range of his healing orb. The key binding is also displayed, allowing the player to make a split-second connection to what they should be doing and how they should be doing it.
Additionally, when playing as a support hero, the player can see if a teammate is low on health when their silhouette turns yellow or red. Thus, the player can effortlessly make decisions about where they need to be and how they should be playing without any outside information.
How can I interact with the world?
There are all kinds of different visual indicators on the map that give the player information during a match.
Important objectives are always marked with bright blue or red outlines so there is no confusion where the objective is and who controls it. Payload paths are drawn on the map so players can easily navigate to the objective and predict its path. Spawns are clearly marked so that the player knows going into their own spawn allows them to regenerate health and traversal into an enemy spawn is impossible. Some heroes have abilities that change the landscape or properties of the terrain, and they are clearly marked and tagged for each team.
In conclusion
Overwatch is designed so that someone who is not knowledgeable of the game's mechanics can easily understand and participate competitively. This even translates to its success as an E-Sport with Blizzard's Overwatch League. I loved learning how to play Overwatch and I get excited whenever a new hero or map is launched because I know it will be an absolute delight to learn.
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