🔗 Share this article

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

At first glance, D.Va, a gamer girl turned child-soldier who commands a MEKA, wasn’t the sort of character that should have appealed to me. Widowmaker was closer to my preference, with her dark aesthetic and measured speech. But D.Va had the benefit of being my favorite class: a defender. The character that absorbs all that incoming fire while protecting damage-dealers and healers. Better yet, D.Va has dual modes: her out-of-mech state, in which she moves with a blaster, and her mech form, in which she’s strapped into her MEKA. This duality make her quite distinctive, but there’s something else that sets her apart among other defenders, and is the reason I inevitably fell in love: her close-quarters and mobility skill, Thrusters.

Boosters is an ability that lets D.Va (in her MEKA form) propel skyward, providing a velocity increase and allowing her to fly forward for 24 meters. But you can also change directions mid-flight, opting to rise onto a higher level or veer entirely and head around obstacles like turns or the payload. This grants D.Va a dynamism and freedom of movement that none of the other tanks can really replicate — not even Reinhardt with his charge ability. D.Va’s Boosters is brilliant for my playstyle: I like to soak up the damage and protect my team, while having the option to retreat if the situation intensifies so I can regroup – it creates a sense of invincibility, even though this isn't entirely true.

D.Va’s Boosters isn't solely for movility; it also inflicts harm to enemies along the route.

An offensive component exists to D.Va’s Boosters ability. When opponents obstruct the path as activating Thrusters, you send them flying backwards for a set amount of harm. Let me tell you, few things are as gratifying than eliminating a troublesome Ashe by bopping her on the nose with your MEKA. That serves as a lesson to try and snipe you from afar.

The hero might not rank as the top defender in Overwatch 2 nowadays, particularly with characters like certain other tanks whose pure defensive skills make them a better pick for the current meta. Yet she remains among the most original heroes I’ve ever played in a multiplayer game. It seems unlikely that any a D.Va equivalent, and trust me, following experiences like Marvel Rivals after falling off Overwatch 2, I’ve been looking for my next D.Va, and a similar mobility skill, for years. In reality, with extensive time as her, it seems there isn’t ever going to be as fun and innovative to play as D.Va. Despite any issues Overwatch 2 might have, hero creation and skills are definitely not included.

• D.Va excels in movement and interference.
• Her Thrusters provide unmatched aerial control.
• She can absorb attacks while opening chances for allies.
• Despite meta shifts, she remains a beloved choice for her unique playstyle.