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For a long time, I was not a fan of online competitive titles. I played plenty of them with my friends, but none kept my attention. I was bad at shooting, and seemed more a liability than help to my teammates. Subsequently, 2016’s Overwatch happened and presented me with a hero and an skill that's remained memorable ever since.

Initially, D.Va, an esports star turned pilot who commands a MEKA, didn’t seem the type that would attract to me. Widowmaker was more my style, with her gothic look and measured speech. However D.Va possessed the advantage of being the role I prefer: a tank. The one who soaks up all that damage while shielding attackers and healers. Additionally, D.Va has dual modes: her pilot form, in which she moves with a blaster, and her MEKA configuration, in which she’s strapped into her MEKA. This duality make her pretty unique, but another feature that makes her stand out 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 lets D.Va (in her MEKA form) propel skyward, providing a velocity increase and letting her advance through the air for a set distance. But you can also change directions mid-flight, choosing to ascend 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 really replicate — including Reinhardt with his charge ability. Her Thrusters 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 makes me feel indestructible, even though this isn't entirely true.

The Thrusters ability is not just for movility; it additionally deals damage to foes along the route.

There’s even a damage element to the Thrusters skill. If enemies get in the way as activating Thrusters, you send them flying backwards for 25 damage. Let me tell you, few things are as gratifying than finishing off a pesky Ashe by striking her directly with the mech. That’ll teach her to try and snipe you from afar.

The hero might not rank as the top defender in Overwatch 2 currently, especially when you’ve got heroes like certain other tanks whose pure defensive skills make them a superior choice for the current meta. But she’s also among the most original heroes I’ve ever played in a competitive title. I don’t think that any a direct counterpart to D.Va, and trust me, following experiences like Marvel Rivals since leaving Overwatch 2, I have sought my next D.Va, and a similar mobility skill, for a long time. In reality, 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.

• The MEKA Pilot shines at movement and interference.
• Her Boosters provide unmatched aerial control.
• She can soak damage while opening chances for allies.
• Despite meta shifts, D.Va stays a fan-favorite for her unique playstyle.