Though it wasn’t the first hero shooter on the market, 2016’sOverwatchtook the genre to new heights, and its continued success over the years has kept it on the throne. While a few hero shooters have attempted tostealOverwatch’s crown, few have managed to outlive Blizzard’s genre-defining title. 2024 could finally be the yearOverwatchloses its throne, thoughConcordmight not be the usurper PlayStation wants it to be.
Announced back in May 2023,Concordreceived its first gameplay reveal earlier this year, and it was met with a lukewarm reception. While the game’sGuardians of the Galaxy-like tone appealed to some fans, it pushed away others, and the brief glimpses of gameplay didn’t do much to convince fans thatConcordcould be the nextOverwatch. With the release ofConcord’s two Betas in the last few months, that notion has been cemented somewhat, especially as several ofConcord’s Freegunner abilities bear some key similarities withOverwatch’s own Hero abilities.
Though many ofConcord’s abilities are similar toOverwatch’s, most have at least one or two twists that make them feel at least a little unique.
Every Concord Ability That Has an Overwatch Counterpart
Emari’s Shield Wall
A heavy Freegunner wielding a powerful minigun, Emari is one ofConcord’s tankier characters. Along with the ability to give players in an area some extra armor, Emari can bring up a shield wall in front of herself, just likeOverwatch’s Reinhardt and Brigitte. Players can hide behind Emari’s shield wall and fire at any enemies in front.
Haymar’s Flashbang
Equipped with a small crossbow that shoots powerful fiery bolts, Haymar requires precision and a steady hand to use effectively. One of Haymar’s abilities sees her send out a projectile that temporarily blinds enemies caught in its blast. This ability is fairly similar toCassidy’s Flashbang, though his ability is primarily focused on hindering the enemy’s movement as opposed to their sight.
Duchess' Wall
An older member ofConcord’s roster, Duchess is able to instantly construct a wall in the environment, functioning almost identically to Mei’s ice wall fromOverwatch, stopping both allies and enemies from progressing.
Star Child’s Charge and Slam
Another one ofConcord’s heavier heroes, Star Child has an ability very similar toOverwatch 2’s Mauga. Called “Rage Rush,” one of Star Child’s abilities sees him charge forward, knocking back any enemies in his path. This is similar toMauga’s Overrun abilitywhich also sees him charge forward and knock foes out of the way. Both characters are also able to end their charge with a slam ability that damages nearby enemies.
Lark’s Transplant Pod
An insect-like Freegunner, Lark is able to drop a Transplant Pod at their feet. Pressing the ability button again will allow Lark to instantly teleport back to their Transplant Pod. This ability feels very similar to Symmetra’s own teleportation ability, though that requires players to manually drop two separate teleporters in the environment.
Roka’s Jetpack
One of the more similar characters in its entirety,Concord’s Roka seems to borrow heavily fromOverwatch’s Pharah. Both playable characters are equipped with a rocket launcher and jetpack, with one of their abilities being a movement boost to transition them into flight.
Lennox’s Throwing Knife
ThoughConcord’s Lennox borrows Cassidy’s penchant forWild West-like revolvers, one of his abilities bears a closer resemblance to Junker Queen. Lennox can launch a throwing knife at an enemy that explodes upon impact. Junker Queen has a similar throwing knife ability, though hers doesn’t explode, but instead brings the enemy closer to her upon recall.
Jabali’s Orbs
As close to a support hero asConcordgets, Jabali’s abilities revolve around a healing and offensive orb, which might remindOverwatchfans ofZenyatta’s abilities, though there are some key differences between them. Both Jabali and Zenyatta’s healing orbs attach to an ally and heal them over time, but Jabali’s ability also heals any allies in its area of effect. Rather than attach directly to an enemy, Jabali’s offensive orb seeks them out manually, and rather than give the enemy a debuff that increases their incoming damage, Jabali’s offensive orb simply damages opponents.
Kyps' Stealth and Surveillance Trap
A stealthy Freegunner, Kyps feels very similar toOverwatch’s Sombra. Both playable heroes are equipped with a powerful SMG, and both can enter a state of invisibility. However, Kyps also has a Surveillance Trap that reveals enemies in the surrounding area, which is strikingly similar to Hanzo’s Sonic Arrow.
Vale’s Leap and Trip Mine
A Freegunner focused on taking out enemies at long range, Vale’s sniper loadout draws immediate comparisons withOverwatch’s own sniper, Widowmaker, and one of Vale’s abilities furthers this comparison. Much like Widowmaker, Vale is able to throw out a trip mine that damages unsuspecting enemies. But Vale also has a vertical leap ability that closely resemblesBaptiste’s Exo Boots passive.
1-Off’s Trash Bomb
WhileConcord’s 1-Off is probably the most unique character in the game, one of his abilities can be compared to one onOverwatch’s roster. 1-Off is able to launch a Trash Bomb that bounces across the battlefield before exploding, similar to Bastion’s Tactical Grenade.
Both of Daw’s abilities haveOverwatchcounterparts. Daw’s Healing Pad ability functions almost identically toSoldier 76’s Biotic Field, healing allies within a circular area of effect. Daw’s Safety Dome is also very similar to Winston’s dome-shaped Barrier Projector.
Bazz’s Melee Strike and Debuff
Much like Roka,Concord’s Bazz feels very similar to oneOverwatchcharacter in particular, this time being Genji. Both characters use precise throwing projectiles, and both have an ability that launches them forward with a melee strike. However, Bazz also has a Scourge Star projectile ability that functions similarly to Zenyatta’s Orb of Discord, increasing the damage that the struck enemy receives from all sources.
Concord
WHERE TO PLAY
Assemble your crew of Freegunner space outlaws and team up online with friends for thrilling 5v5 PVP modes across the galaxy in Concord.Concord is a new team-based first-person shooter for PS5® and PC*. Handpick your personal roster of Freegunners from the crew of the Northstar – a group of outlaws and adventurers working as guns-for-hire.ASSEMBLE YOUR CREWFrom powerful mystics to skilled gunslingers and helpful healers, each Freegunner brings their own unique skills, personality, and abilities that cater to a wide-range of playstyles.Create your own custom squads of Freegunners with Crew Builder to bring an arsenal of different role types to the match or focus on your favourite characters to master their gameplay and unlock unique modifiers, cosmetics, background lore, and more – you decide when to play your characters and how you impact the match.PLAY. PROGRESS. PERSONALIZE.Earn and unlock a wide range of character customization items and learn more about the characters, worlds, and factions in the Concord Galaxy with the Galactic Guide.You’ll also be able to progress toward and unlock Freegunner Variants—versions of each of the 16 Freegunners with added Combat Trait modifiers to their base abilities. As you learn and master the characters, Combat Traits empower you to tailor each character to your playstyle.
