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Over many years, I had little interest of online competitive titles. I played plenty of them with companions, but few held my interest. My aim was poor, and seemed more a liability than aid to my squad. Then, 2016’s Overwatch arrived and introduced me to a character and an skill that's remained memorable ever since.

Initially, D.Va, a gamer girl turned child-soldier who pilots a mech, wasn’t the sort of character that would attract to me. Widowmaker was more my style, with her dark aesthetic and measured speech. But D.Va had the benefit of being my favorite class: a tank. The character that absorbs all that incoming fire while shielding attackers and support classes. Better yet, D.Va has dual modes: her pilot form, in which she moves with a blaster, and her mech form, in which she’s seated within her MEKA. This duality make her quite distinctive, but another feature that makes her stand out among other defenders, and is why I ultimately adored her: her melee and movement ability, Thrusters.

Thrusters represent a skill that lets D.Va (in her MEKA form) launch into the air, providing a velocity increase and letting her advance through the air for a set distance. But you can also alter course while airborne, choosing to ascend onto a elevated position or divert completely and navigate past barriers like turns or the objective. It gives D.Va a dynamism and freedom of movement that no other defender can really replicate — not even Reinhardt with his forward assault. D.Va’s Boosters is brilliant for my playstyle: I like to soak up the damage and defend allies, while having the option to retreat if the situation intensifies so I can regroup – it creates a sense of invincibility, even though that’s never really the case.

The Thrusters ability isn't solely for travel; it also inflicts harm to enemies in its path.

There’s even a damage element to the Thrusters skill. When opponents obstruct the path as you’re using Boosters, they are knocked back for a set amount of harm. Let me tell you, few things are as gratifying than eliminating a troublesome Ashe by striking her directly with your MEKA. That serves as a lesson to try and snipe you from afar.

The hero might not rank as the “best” tank in Overwatch 2 nowadays, especially when you’ve got heroes like certain other tanks whose raw defensive abilities make them a superior choice for present strategies. Yet she remains among the most original heroes I have experienced in a multiplayer game. It seems unlikely there really is a D.Va equivalent, and trust me, after playing games like Marvel Rivals since leaving Overwatch 2, I’ve been looking for my next D.Va, and a similar mobility skill, for years. The truth is, with extensive time as her, I feel like no future tank character as enjoyable and groundbreaking to play as D.Va. Despite any issues Overwatch 2 might have, hero creation and skills are certainly not among them.

• The MEKA Pilot excels in movement and interference.
• Her Thrusters provide unmatched aerial control.
• She can absorb attacks while opening chances for her team.
• Despite meta shifts, D.Va stays a beloved choice for distinctive approach.