One aspect of the Overwatch 2 PVP beta that players are most excited about is the chance to play as the franchise’s first new hero in two years, Sojourn. I’m glad to say that she’s a wonderful addition to the roster.
I had a great time whenever I was able to pick Sojourn during the Overwatch 2 alpha. Her Railgun packs a punch and she’s capable of swiftly taking out most enemies. Landing shots with her primary fire (rapid-fire projectiles) builds up energy that can be released with a right click.
There’s no cooldown for the alt fire, but you’ll need at least some stored energy to use it. Both the primary and secondary fire are capable of headshots. In other words, the potential is there for Sojourn to he a highly effective damage dealer.
Her E ability is the Disruptor Shot, which is an area-of-effect projectile that both damages and slows enemies caught in its grasp. This felt a bit overpowered to me during the early stages of the alpha. I wasn’t able to play much during the later stages of the alpha, so hopefully Disruptor Shot has been tuned down a bit.
I have no such complaints about Sojourn’s movement ability, the Power Slide. It’s fantastic. It gives Sojourn so much mobility, especially if you cancel it into a high jump to help her find some unexpected angles.
As for Sojourn’s Ultimate, Overclock, that should be absolutely devastating for those who can find the right positioning. Not only does the Railgun’s energy charge automatically and quickly, it pierces enemies. So if you can line a few up, you might be able to take them out with a single click.
Sojourn’s kit is incredibly fun. Her toolset should make her a viable option in most situations. I can’t wait to see how players combine her abilities with those of other heroes. In the right hands, she’ll be absolutely lethal. Believe me, I have first-hand experience of what some Overwatch League players can do with her.
Most importantly, she’s the first playable Black woman in the six-year history of Overwatch. Sojourn has been a long time coming and there are some understandable reasons as to why players have had to wait — I absolutely recommend reading Ash Parrish’s piece about the history of Sojourn at The Verge.
Sojourn’s finally here — at least for those of us who are in the beta. She makes the entire cast feel more diverse and inclusive. The fact that she’s a blast to play with is the icing on the cake.
