First person shooter phenomenon Overwatch, is preparing the first addition to its roster since launch. Blizzard’s Public Test Realm was updated today with a new patch revealing Ana, a high range support champion with a broad array of tide turning weapons for gamers on both consoles and PCs.
As with every character in Overwatch, this one comes with an in-depth background worthy of her addition to the roster. Blizzard’s introduction to the Egyptian sniper Ana Amari describes her achievement as one of the founding members of Overwatch. However, the sixty-year-old battle-scarred veteran was left behind and assumed to be assassinated by Talon operative, Widowmaker, during a hostage rescue mission. The grave wound left her without a right eye and her heart shattered. She slipped into hiding with regret at the life she spent in combat. But with the growing conflicts rising throughout the world, she has rejoined the fight to protect her country, allies, and family safe.
Blizzard has always had a knack for creating story rich environments and backgrounds for their characters. In Overwatch, much of this fiction is represented through conversations between the heroes as they fight their way through their enemies. These dialogues build on top of an immersive competitive gameplay with quick and versatile battles, something that Ana in particularly specializes in. Her weapons are meant to be utilized at a distance, far different than teammates such as Roadhog and Reinhart who get into the thick of things.
Ana’s summary for the Public Test Realm explains her skills as:
Ana’s primary weapon is her Biotic Rifle, which fires long-range darts that can restore the health of her allies or deal ongoing damage to her enemies. Meanwhile, her Biotic Grenade is perfect for a close-quarters clash, simultaneously healing teammates and injuring foes caught in its small area of effect. (Affected allies will also receive a temporary increase to all incoming healing, while affected enemies can’t be healed for a few moments.) And if the battle starts to get out of hand, Ana’s sidearm can fire a Sleep Dart, knocking her adversaries unconscious.
Plus, Ana’s ultimate ability, Nano Boost, empowers one of her teammates, granting faster movement, increased damage, and resistance to enemy attacks.
For Ana’s full story and a peek into her new abilities, make sure to check out her hero page on the official site. Want to play Ana today? Try out Overwatch’s PTR along with a long list of changes updates planned for the rest of the game. While we don’t have a clear idea on when the patch might go public, it shouldn’t be too much longer before Ana joins the fight to serve and protect with Overwatch once again.
