The MEKA Pilot's Boosters Make Her the Supreme Aerial Defender

For a long time, I had little interest of multiplayer games. I played plenty of them with companions, but none kept my attention. My aim was poor, and seemed more a liability than help to my teammates. Subsequently, 2016’s Overwatch arrived and presented me with a hero and an skill that's been stuck in my mind ever since.

At first glance, D.Va, an esports star turned pilot who pilots a mech, didn’t seem the type that would attract to me. Widowmaker was closer to my preference, with her dark aesthetic and monotone drawl. However D.Va possessed the advantage of being the role I prefer: a tank. The one who soaks up all that damage while protecting damage-dealers and support classes. Better yet, D.Va has two forms: her out-of-mech state, in which she moves with a blaster, and her mech form, in which she’s seated within her MEKA. This duality make her pretty unique, but there’s something else that sets her apart among her fellow tanks, and is the reason I inevitably fell in love: her close-quarters and mobility skill, Boosters.

Thrusters represent a skill that enables the MEKA pilot (in her MEKA form) propel skyward, giving her a boost of speed and letting her advance through the air for 24 meters. But you can also alter course while airborne, opting to rise onto a elevated position or veer entirely and head around obstacles like corners or the payload. It gives D.Va a dynamism and freedom of movement that no other defender can truly emulate — not even Reinhardt with his forward assault. Her Thrusters is brilliant for my playstyle: I like to soak up the damage and defend allies, while having the option to retreat if it gets gnarly so I may reassemble – it creates a sense of invincibility, even though that’s never really the case.

The Thrusters ability is not just for travel; it additionally deals harm to enemies along the route.

There’s even a damage element to D.Va’s Boosters ability. When opponents obstruct the path as activating Thrusters, you send them flying backwards for 25 damage. I assure you, there’s nothing more satisfying than eliminating a troublesome Ashe by striking her directly with your MEKA. That serves as a lesson to attempt long-range attacks.

D.Va may not be the “best” tank in Overwatch 2 nowadays, especially when you’ve got heroes like Orisa and Ramattra whose pure defensive skills make them a superior choice for the current meta. Yet she remains one of the most unique characters I’ve ever played in a multiplayer game. I don’t think there really is a D.Va equivalent, and believe 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 there isn’t ever going to be as fun and innovative to play as D.Va. For all the faults Overwatch 2 might have, hero creation and skills are certainly not among them.

• D.Va shines at mobility and disruption.
• Her Thrusters provide unmatched aerial control.
• The hero can absorb attacks while opening chances for allies.
• Despite meta shifts, D.Va stays a beloved choice for distinctive approach.