Orisa Is Overwatch’s New Hero

Team shooter Overwatch has a new hero called Orisa. She’s a robot character. And unlike Bastion — one of the game’s more popular robot heroes that fills a defensive role, she’s a tank class character that can absorb large amounts of damage and has her gameplay designed around protection.

Overwatch maker Blizzard’s reveal of Orisa makes her the sixth tank character in the game after D.Va, Reinhardt, Winston, Zarya, and Roadhog. She’s also the first tank hero added after the game’s release following the offensive-focussed Sombra.

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Orisa’s skills include a barrier which is useful to keep teammates unscathed when on the attack and her ultimate move, Supercharger allows them to do more damage. Her weapon is the Fusion Driver which can whittle down an opponents health with ease and lay down suppressing fire too.

While it might seem like she has a lot in common with other defensive heroes like Zarya and Reinhardt, Blizzard is quick to make distinctions known.

“And while her barrier isn't quite as durable as someone like Reinhardt’s, she's able to perform other duties while it’s deployed,” reads a post on Blizzard’s Overwatch website. There’s also a backstory for the character as well.

“Specially outfitted for maximum fortification, Orisa is a four-legged robot designed by a brilliant 11-year-old engineer named Efi Oladele to keep the peace in Numbani. Built from the scraps of the city's decommissioned OR15 defense bots, Orisa is still learning how to optimally perform her function. What she lacks in experience, she makes up for in her steadfast dedication to keeping her city—and her creator—safe from harm,” the description from Blizzard reads.

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Orisa is the first brand new hero in the Overwatch universe in the sense that, she’s untried and untested with no backstory or feats tying into the Omnic crisis unlike the other characters. It will be interesting to see how Blizzard develops her within Overwatch’s lore. There's no mention as to when Orisa would be available for all but has been said she will be playable as a part of its Public Test Realm (PTR)

The announcement of Orisa also hints at one distinct future possibility — the next Overwatch hero is most definitely a defence-based one. Sombra was the game’s new offence addition, Ana was unveiled as a support character, and Orisa as a tank, making it possible to play as a new defensive hero next. Would that be Doomfist? The character that’s been teased prior to the game’s release and recently in the news for Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s Terry Crews lobbying for his role? Hopefully Blizzard reveals all at this year’s BlizzCon.