I wanted to open up discussion about what maps people like and dislike the most, and why, depending on the map type. For the purposes of this post, I want to focus only on maps that are already out, and only maps you play in QP or comp, not arcade modes (even comp arcade modes). This is all opinionated, so feel free to chime in.
Assault Maps: While I do like the simplicity of these types of maps, I always feel like these favor the defenders too much at the end, regardless of the map.
Best - It was a real toss up here. I love Hanamura, but my favorite has to be Temple of Anubis. It feels more balanced and fair most of the time.
Worst - Horizon Lunar Colony. Remember what I said about defenders having favor at the end? Definitely not on this map. the attacking team has immediate and easy access to high ground on this point that they can take and keep from the defenders too easily. Plus, all the best and most interesting parts of the map aren’t areas you usually use anyway (like the low grav area)
Escort Maps: One you’re out the door, you gotta move that payload. These maps honestly feel the most fair to me in the game, because the starting and ending points are both right by spawns for each team.
Best - Dorado. I love this map because it feels very open. As an attacker I can always slip past and flank if I want, and if I’m a defender I have just as much ease to high ground wherever I need. My one critique would be the wall that allows climbers and flyers to get behind you a little too easily on the first choke, but still a great map in terms of balance.
Worst - Junkertown. I honestly groan every time this map comes up. On defense, I feel like if we don’t have a sheild/bastian at the start, they enemy WILL get to the choke really fast. The area is so open, and the health packs don’t feel placed right to me. It makes sombra a near must pick for attackers because there’s so few packs, you can lock the area down easily. The ending feels rough too, because attackers have easy access to the payload by using that little under-area, without having to go around. They can just get back to the payload much too easily.
Assault/Escort Maps: My favorite type of map right here. Gotta clear the area before you can move the payload. It’s pretty sweet.
Best - Another toss up for me between Kings Row and Eichenwalde, but I have to go with the latter. Kings Row feels too narrow near the end, you can see almost anyone coming and defend a little too easily. Eichenwalde is beautiful to start, and while I have similar concerns about the first choke being more difficult than it should be, it still feels more fair. There’s lots of areas to go up/around/under to get to where you need after the first assault, and awesome defense areas as well. Probably my favorite map in the game.
Worst - While I do love all of this type of map over all others, Hollywood is my least of the favorites. That first choke is incredibly difficult, and the fact that there’s a very high perfect with perfect sight line to the choke feels massivly unbalanced in the defense favor. If you get a good widow up there, or a turret on the elevator, and you’ve got a shield anywhere down front, you’re pretty set. Torbs ability to put his turret on the elevator and just Ult when it gets into danger is a bit much as well. For defense, at the spawn feels too far from the actual point. Maybe its the design, but both paths you take out of the spawn feel like the wrong choice, like it takes you forever to get back.
Control Maps: These are honestly… my least favorite type of map. I hate winning a round just to lose a game. I feel so much more pressure on these maps than I do others.
Best - Nepal. I like this the most because the maps feel large, and the control points are very different. One is on a ledge inside a temple with lots of high around, one is covered in the middle of a village, and one is on mid-ground, surrounded by both high and low ground. I feel like these maps give you the most opportunity to switch to a hero that best fits the map type. Sidenote… I love these maps for CTF.
Worst - Another toss up. I personally feel like Ilios favors Lucio players much too heavily since he can boop people to death on 2/3 of the maps. But I must give the worst here to Oasis. This map feels… clunky? Firstly, Pharah feels way too powerful on these maps, as they’re so open. She can fly around above the point forever and just shoot, because the points offer some of the least cover. The jump pad was hyped a bit too much, and in the end didn’t do much besides get you somewhere quickly (I wish they’d use jump pads on Hollywood instead of elevators). Overall, I just don’t find the map enjoyable, in the same way I don’t like Horizon Lunar Colony.
Still, I’m not here to argue about what is defiantly good or bad about each map. It’s all opinionated. What are your favorite and least favorite maps, and why?