Back in early December a game called Gigantic became part of the preview program on Xbox. It’s a team based shooter with a variety of heroes to become. I’ve been playing it nonstop until I started compare with another team based shooter, Overwatch. There are major differences between the games that set them apart from each other so today we’re gonna compare the two games and see which one is better. Keep in mind this is all in my OPINION. I don’t want anybody butthurt, we clear? Good….On with it! ![]()
![]()
Blizzard’s new baby vs The New Kid on the Block
First let’s talk about the art style. They are two completely different art styles that it’s like comparing apples and oranges. Overwatch is very streamlined (in my opinion) yet behind the streamlined Pixar-esque graphics, an incredible amount of detail put into each character. No one character is left without some sort of thing that defines them from Cyborg Ninja’s, Armored Monkeys, and Robot Gandhi to EdgeLord Reapers, Dwarves (Torbjorn), Cowboys, Angry Grandpa’s (Soldier 76), and much more. Overwatch definitely has colorful cast of characters with more still coming!
![]()
Overwatch and the cast of characters in the game (Without DLC Characters, I.E. Ana and Sombra)
As for the locations they have a variety of locations around the world and it looks beautiful. Though they don’t feel as interesting as the characters. Granted the game is more focused on the characters than the locations that are little playgrounds. Still they are nice to look at sometimes, and they are very pretty, they are just not as cool looking as the characters. However the streamlined look seems to work for Overwatch.
![Image result for overwatch locations]()
Sure does look pretty.
As for Gigantic (while yes the game isn’t complete.) It’s art style is very…..unique. It’s hard to actually describe, but the entire game is just screaming with life. Unique and interesting designs for the characters while not making the world look like it would in real life future. It’s a breathtaking new world with amazing new locations to visit and explore all while fighting. The characters also are very interesting to look at, as no one character is exactly…..normal. I mean you have Owl Dude with one arm, a frog ninja, a goat archer, an electric assassin, and a warrior bull? IDK but it seems cool! They also have normal human characters in the game as well like a rocketeer with double pistols, a steampunkish looking sniper, and an old man alchemist with more on the way! Besides the zany designs of the characters, the game looks like something I can sink my teeth into for a long time. But looks aren’t everything.
![]()
Gigantic and the cast of characters.
A big part of any game is of course the gameplay!! So how does gameplay stack up against each other? Well let’s start with Overwatch. It’s a first person shooter and get’s hectic really fast. Overwatch’s fast paced and frantic gameplay is very reminiscent of old arena multiplayer games such as Quake and Unreal Tournament with a modern twist. Adding 2 unique abilities specifically tailored to the character you're playing as. A few examples of these abilities are: Tracer’s Blink, Reinhardt’s Shield, Widowmakers Grapple Hook, and Lucio’s Speed Boost.
![Image result for overwatch abilities]()
Reinhardt's Ability List.
They all feel right for the characters and it makes the gameplay even more hectic especially when the team is organized. Sometimes you have to switch your heroes depending on the situation you are currently facing. Everybody who has played Overwatch has done it. Speaking of organization (Organization XIII? LEL, Kingdom Hearts jokes. Okay I’ll stop.), in order to do good in Overwatch you need to have great team coordination and communication otherwise….well let’s just say the results are not….enjoyable. And if you have 2 well organized teams are going up against each other. It’s gonna be one hell of a match let me tell you.
Everybody has to play their role correctly if they have any chance of winning. Which there are a few roles one could take. Reaper’s sneak behind enemy lines and catch them from behind. Reinhardt’s massive shield which will protect allies from any incoming gunfire. Ana’s healing and buffing abilities. Or Bastion’s sit down and camp while laying down the law with mass amount of bullets down range. These roles can determine a match, and how chaotic it gets. Finally each character has an Ultimate Attack which can either result in the enemy being killed or potentially aiding teammates. From Aimbot, to Heroes Never Die, these Ultimates are not to be messed with. So whenever you hear someone activating their ult. RUN….(Unless it’s Widowmaker’s ult. Then you’re fine.) These can either save or ruin a match depending on who’s using what.
![]()
“Oh shit, Robot Gandhi's ult is healing people fast than I can kill them!!”
Gigantic’s gameplay isn’t too different from Overwatch, but there are a few differences. One big difference is that Gigantic is in 3rd Person and allows you to look at the characters actions. There is also more of a balance between melee style characters and ranged style characters (Tripp being my personal favorite). You have your tanks, snipers, supports, attackers, just like Overwatch and each character’s abilities feels like they are specifically tailored to them. A few examples being: Tripp’s Electrical Powers, Uncle Sven’s Chemistry Skills, Wu’s Water Martial Arts, Xenobia’s Curse Magic, and Imani’s Sneaky Sniper Skills. Unlike Overwatch though, you can upgrade your abilities, through upgrade trees! You can have upgrades that can support you like an attack that drains enemy's health, give you additional invisibility time or have upgrades that let you deal additional damage. These upgrade trees are a great way to keep the battle going while also keeping the fight hectic.
![GIF-1.gif]()
Lightning Powers Activate!!
Also just like Overwatch, each character has an ultimate ability that can change the course of the battle or do nothing if poorly timed. So, if you hear or see it activating, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE! The upgrade trees can also affect a character’s ultimate so be careful who you take on. There are some characters that block your abilities. Team coordination is even more important here. Why? Well because unlike Overwatch the maps are more open, meaning a lot more room to explore. There are little points all over the map that you need to capture in order damage the other teams mythical creature, something I forgot to mention. However I will got more in depth on that later on.
![]()
Trying to capture a point.
So we’ve talked about the art style of the characters and environments. We’ve talked about the gameplay and the difference between them, but what about game modes? While Overwatch certainly does win in this department it doesn’t hurt to look.
![]()
Hmmmm, what to choose.
Overwatch has about 5 different game modes: Quick Play, Arcade, Competitive, Player v. AI, and Custom Matches. Quick Play allows you to find quick fun to play matches against random players, this even includes running into friends! While it can get competitive at times it’s really meant for the fun of playing the game.
The Competitive gamemode is exactly what it sounds like, a competitive game between two teams. This sometimes includes going up against actual Major League Gaming players, and they go hard. You really need to know what you’re doing here, otherwise your team will turn on you, even for the smallest of mistakes. There is in fact a ranking system in Competitive. You can derank if you place horribly in matches. So watch how well you do.
![]()
This is the Competitive Ranking System.
Player v. AI is essentially, practice matches against the computer. If you feel you need practice this is where you come to get it. You have 3 modes: Easy, Medium, and High. I would recommend starting on Medium, just because easy seems to be a little too easy. You will get better practice out of the higher difficulties.
![]()
Let’s Practice.
Custom Matches is essentially matches you can set up and personalize with friends. Think of it like Custom Games from Halo. You can have up to 12 people in Custom Matches, not including Spectators. This number is a bit low compared to other games like the aforementioned Halo Series, but considering the option is available to begin with is definitely a plus in my opinion.
![]()
Now I just need friends….
Finally there is Arcade mode which is a collection of a few game types: 3v3, 1v1, 1v1 Mystery Duel, 6v6 Mystery Heroes, and 6v6 No Limits. The 3v3 and 1v1 game modes are exactly what they sound like. A team of 3 facing another another team of 3 in an Elimination type game mode. If a player dies, they will not come back and it’s up to the remaining 2 or 1 player to finish the match. 1v1 is essentially you vs another player to see who dies first. 1v1 Mystery Duel is like 1v1 but with a twist, your hero is randomly chosen for you, so you never know what you are going to get and who you’re going to face. 6v6 Mystery Hero is exactly the same thing except with a team of 6 players on each side. Be very cautious, for you never know which character is around the corner from you, and these matches get interesting. 6v6 No Limit is funny because unlike most game modes where you get a character limit, this game is the exact opposite of that. Meaning your dream team of 6 Genji’s can become a reality! ![]()
My Life is Complete. My team of Genji’s will wreck you.
All these game modes add to the already extreme high replay value behind Overwatch. You will have fun, you will be scared, you will get frustrated and if you’re playing Competitive, you will sweat and rage a lot. However despite this, you will return and say “Just One More Game” and that will go on for hours. Unless you have that one bad game, you will be playing this game for hours, I guarantee it.
![]()
My personal favorite is Mystery Heroes.
Gigantic on the other hand currently has two game modes, due in part to the game being incomplete. This saddens me because this game has so much potential and needs other game modes to support it. Currently there is only one mode in Gigantic which is essentially Guardian Defense. Each team has a guardian, (A Dragon and a Sphinx Thing) and you must defeat the opposing teams Guardian while defending you own from attack. As I mentioned earlier, there are points you need to capture in order for your team’s Guardian to advance to attack the opposing team’s Guardian. Once you do capture a point, a little cuddly creature spawns and gives you AOE buffs and health while simultaneously attacking enemies.
When you have the required points your Guardian get’s up and holds down the other Guardian exposing a weak point in which you can attack. Each Guardian has 3 health bars, meaning these guys aren’t easy to take down. If you do however manage to take down all three bars you win! However the other team can easily do the same thing to you so be careful and protect those points. The map is pretty big meaning you’re gonna have to pick and choose which points to take.
![]()
Protect Dragon Senpai!
There is also a tutorial within the game (if you wanna call it a game mode) to help you get acquainted with the game and it’s mechanic’s. It has a little world to run around to explore and AI beasts while summoning your own in certain areas to spawn and help you out. Mind you this game is a work in progress so keep that in mind while playing.
![]()
Unfortunately I have no gameplay of the tutorial….sorry!
Of course there should be a reward system for playing the games otherwise what’s the point? In Overwatch we have loot boxes, drops you get after leveling up. These boxes can have literally anything in them. From hyper rare items to duplicates of cosmetic items you already have. These are: Character Skins, Sprays, Voice Lines, Emotes, Heroes Introduction Cinematics and more! You can also get coins by selling duplicates of items, which can help you buy these cosmetic items. Every character has them, so unless you play the game nonstop it’s gonna be tough to collect them, but it does give you more incentive to play the game. Especially the Purple and Yellow Colored skins.
![]()
I wonder what’ll I’ll get..?
Things are little different in Gigantic. In Gigantic, after every match you get crowns. Crowns are used to unlock new characters and character skins. You can also get rubies through real world money, and some items are obtainable only through Rubies. Think of Rubies like Halo 5’s requisition system (except not as bad).
![]()
100 Crowns? That’s all I get?!Now….because these types of games have hidden secrets, is there in fact a hidden story? The answer to that is indeed yes, at least for Overwatch. There apparently was a war between humans and robots called Omnics. During that war, Overwatch was created to help end the war and create peace within the world. Original members being: Soldier 76, Ana, Reinhardt, Torbjorn, Winston, Reaper, Mercy, and McCree. Over the years other members joined but the eventually the world banned Overwatch activities and they split. Now that the world is in disarray Overwatch has returned to bring peace to the world. There is indeed a much bigger story than just that, but I am not going to explain it for that’s spoilers. If you wish to get a better grasp on the story of Overwatch, watch each character’s story cinematic and listen to what they say to each other before a match begins. You may be surprised by what you find. There also was an ARG for Sombra if you wish to look at it. ![]()
The Overwatch Group logo.
Sadly for Gigantic there is currently no overarching story that involves all characters in the game. But there are short little character bios for each of them. This game is ripe for an overarching story that involves everybody. We’re just gonna have to wait for when the game is officially complete however to see if that will come to fruition.
![Human car.png]()
Tripp is best character…...to me.
Overall while the games are indeed both team based action games, the differences more than set them apart. Like I said in the beginning of all this, it’s like comparing apples and oranges. They are separate beasts, one continuing to grow while the other is still developing. But what do you think? Do you like Overwatch and think there is not enough meat to support Gigantic? Or do you think Overwatch is just another first person shooter trying to be Team Fortress 2 and your support lies with Gigantic, the new kid on the block? Leave your comments down below!
Overwatch is currently available everywhere now for Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC for $40 for the normal edition, $60 for the Origins Edition, and the Collectors Edition ranges between the store you go to. Gigantic is currently available on Xbox One, the Windows 10 Store, and on PC through Arc for free! So go and try both games and tell me which one you like!
![]()
![]()
Thanks for Reading!
With such reputation and market traction, NetEase Games is becoming increasingly influential in the international gaming market. Therefore, its not hard to deduce the next step for NetEase Games is to fully enter the global gaming market.
Twilight Pioneers: A first-person ARPG in VR by Netease Games and one of the first batch of games featured on Google's Daydream VR.The game quickly climbed the Google VR games download rank and won the Experts' Choice Award at the Unity-Vision VR/AR Summit Asia 2016.
