Not sure why but I felt like doing this and haven’t seen anything like this, which is odd as the basic look of heroes is a big deal to change, particularly in a game that goes on about how people connect with their heroes and their design. Anyway whats better, the base designs and default skins from OW1 or OW2?
And warning there is a lot here, this is a big wall of text hiding many small walls of text and its all my personal opinion.
Tanks
Dva: OW1
The knee and shoulder pads they added and new mech look too practical and combat focused. It was a good dynamic with mech looking powerful and serious while Dva didn’t really. Now they are more alike and we lose that contrast a bit. The gamer vibes with sponsors and logos are missed. New haircut is fine but why is it so clumped together?
Doom: OW2
the added details and complexity are great. So much more going on here without it feeling like adding stuff for the sake of it. That said I really do miss the body paint.
Orisa: OW2
This one is close, the classic horns are massively missed and unlike Doom they added a bit much detail. The floppy “dreads” though are fun, the insect vibe works well and the shading pays off.
Rein: OW1
Not even close The helmet was awesome, the bigger beard clips the armor, wtf are his new shoes and why have we gone with all this yellow? We went from steampunk knight to mech-construction worker. Possibly the biggest downgrade.
Hog:OW1
Tbh most of the changes are better, but there’s too many and makes the skin a bit busy. E.g. the hook, which is cool but there’s a lot there. I honestly think tune that down and ditch the jacket and it would have been great.
Sigma: OW1
Sigma bucks a bit of a trend as they took detail out but all the others they did that to were improved. Parts of the new one are better like the orbs and skull cap but overall he’s left a bit monotone. It really misses the bright cyan and some of the straps or nozzles that gave it texture.
Ball: OW2
The goggles and little space suit are really fun. I miss the guns looking like guns but the new ones are cool. Again I miss the old colors but the new one works and the shading is great. Were it not for Hammond himself it might be a downgrade but the hamster himself carrys this.
Winston: OW1
Really slight changes here, part of the problem as if they had been more dramatic it might stand out more. They gun is okay and the skin benefits from OW2 shading. The main issue though is the jump pack just doesn’t work for me. Like with Bastion they made it too curved. The old look screamed Apollo and classic NASA, the new one looks like he stole echo’s backpack.
Zarya: OW2
TBH this one was a free hit, her old design sucked. Her color pallet is way better. She has boots not shin pads. Her tattoo looks like a tattoo now. Not sure about the text on the gun and neither has great hair but she looks actually okay now.
DPS
Ash: OW2
The OW2 coat is awesome. Enough to basically carry this. The extra shading and replacing brown and yellow with grey and black is better. That said Bob is worse without his fur, those thigh high boots were iconic as was the tie. There are issues here but she gets away with them, unlike her old west compatriot.
Bastion: OW2
The hat and bigger head do it. Besides that its actually a bit worse. He looks too new and clean, nor is he the blocky guy we know and love, dudes gone and got curves!!! The downgrade is clearest when you look at artillery mode, which is actually better on the OW1 version despite that not being you know in OW1! Like I say this decision is purely because the hat is awesome.
Cass: OW1
They took away too much classic cowboy vibe and made him just bland. No chaps, no pattern on the poncho, no bullets, less traditional spokes, got rid of all the brown. Ashe got a fancy new coat, what does he get. Too much tech and armor is visible here and it all looks too new. We want an old time cowboy. I’d take a cyber cowboy of tomorrow skin but not as the default and it would need more than this.
Echo N/A
No changes made, she’s the same. That’s fine, but it does beg why other heroes that needed no update got a forced bad one e.g. rein
Genji: OW1
I really like his OW2 one, like really like it. It might be the best “skin” here. However the cyborg details are all gone/covered. Besides the headband it isn’t very ninja either, not great for the cyborg ninja. Those visible “muscles” were awesome, as was his stance which is played down. It’s a shame as the OW2 improvements to color and shading would have done a lot to the old one. To me what we got should have been part of like a streetwear skin pack, it should not be the default. .
Hanzo: OW2
He looks more futurey now and it works (I know I said the opposite about Cass, but character wise a modern/future look suits Hanzo more) The under suit has a Deus Ex vibe. The black looks more crime assassin and The grey hair streaks works way better
Junk: OW2
Same deal as Hog but falls on the right side of the coin. The color changes are a big upgrade, OW1 Junk is really washed out. That said too much detail on the tire now, I prefer the old bomb belt too and miss the extra on-fire element of his hair. The new goggles though are cool
Mei OW2
I really like the dark, shiny blues. While I liked the old ones cold weather vibes the new one merges them really well with a scientist look. I liked the old hair pin but in hindsight it doesn’t really fit the rest of her look much. The new one gets her character across way better.
Pharah OW2
The metallic blue and white is so clean, looks like something from Pacific Rim. Her new hair and really fits this look too and is an upgrade. Shes missing some of the old Egypt look but doubles down on sky police and I like it.
Reaper: OW2
Again they toned down the detail here unlike most OW2 changes and again it works. Moving from the carbon fiber and leather works for me. The mask looks more menacing and again benefits from the pallet changes. I do prefer the old guns more utilitarian look. The bigger, baggy silhouette suits him way better.
76 OW1
That OG jacket and mask was great, if your going to ditch it you need to do better. Now I do like this, again its more functional looking and from the waste down its an upgrade but it’s missing that sort of top-gun hot-shot vibe that old 76 had going and doesn’t replace it enough.
Sombra: OW1
This one is really close. I really like the move from full jacket to gloves and a vest. The extra blues break up the color. It’s also one of the few OW2 guns I prefer. That said going to purple hair instead of highlights was a mistake. She’s now gone from pinky purple to dark purple and loses some of the fun. It also doesn’t texture well, it’s a bit too shiny and misses the veins of wire running down her hands a lot
Sym OW2
Serious color upgrade with the deeper blue and bronze. The patterning works well too. The leggings with their added texture add a lot and the knee pads and extra white on the shoulder bring the arm into the design way better. Serious improvement here.
Torb OW1
I think they toned him down too much. The old design looked washed out but otherwise was good. The new one is missing the glowing magma element, tubes and springs that gave torb personality. The arm is less complex, The brown vest works but is more forgettable. He looks a bit young now too. Worst of all they ditched the welding mask! Why?
Tracer OW2
They took out a lot here. Some bits in hindsight were a tad goofy. Those forearm things were huge, her goggles are way better now and her old shoes looked like crocs. They took out a lot I liked too, I miss the aged look of the jacket and that it was done up by the belly. Same with the leg straps and legging seams but overall they did improve her.
Widow OW2
I have to say I don’t like what they did with her face, its way too busy now. Her hair though looks way better and more real. The textures are a big improvement being way less shiny and with little creases and strains in the fabric adding detail. The shorter sleeve/higher glove looks more natural. Unlike Sombra the darker tones are a welcome addition.
Supports
Ana OW2
Remember when I said they took the old Egypt out of Pharah? Well they gave it to Ana and it suits way better. That back design is awesome. The shawl is a great addition and I’m glad we lost that ballistic crotch plate thing. Now I wish they kept the coat brown and tattered but this blue one fits with the earlier mentioned back design so well its worth the loss.
Bap OW1
So Ana gets a scarf thing but where did Bap’s go? This white hoody is okay but takes away almost all the orange and leaves him looking a bit clinical, less medic more doctor. The under suit is nicer but his forearms are too busy now. From behind his legs are proportioned terribly. He actually suited the utilitarian look but they took it away.
Brig OW2
That side fastening tunic thing and belt is brilliant. For once they make everything look newer and clean when it makes sense. They also add to the knightly vibes, the knees and shoulder in particular. She looked over-armored before and they successfully toned that down but emphasized what hey kept and its a big upgrade.
Lucio OW2
That backpack is so good. I also think covering up the bulky tech legs works well here. While I miss the yellows the lime green is great and the bright, light up hair is awesome. The DJ look is very strong and clear now.
Mercy OW1
The old one captured doctor, angel and even a bit of combat really well and they seem to have lost the angel. I get the OW1 halo was a bit much but they toned it down too far so that its barely there. The silky dress elements have lost their silk and charm. It’s also a bit lost, the legs go dull, brown and practical but the wings go more magical. The old one was much cleaner and more in sync with itself. She does have a better haircut though.
Moira OW1
Why did she buy her clothes at a renaissance fair! Quilted legs and a double-breasted Frock-coat. I think they were going for steampunk meets bowie Thin white duke but it doesn’t quite land. The old one screamed evil scientist lady way better. I wish they’d kept with the corrupted right arm too, which also a big part of her character. Like Genji its not a bad idea for a skin but it shouldn’t be the default. Unlike Genji it doesn’t quite land.
Zen OW1
Maybe our most similar designs here. Once again his clothes look too shiny and new. I like the shawl and arm bands being gold, but why did the change the fur tassel and lose the saddles. They have kept the monk vibes but I do think its in a diminished form.
Final tally:
OW1: 14
OW2: 17
Overall thoughts.
Despite the tally I’m a little disappointed. There aren’t many big upgrades, only Sym and Zarya seem to have really shot up and they were likely the two weakest OW1 designs and easiest to improve. A few have been made substantially worse though, Rein and Cass being big drops that weren’t needed.
Before I get too negative the color and texture changes were great and are very welcome. I did not realize till I looked through these how washed out and pale so many OW! designs were. Plus there were a lot of little improvements to a lot of heroes.
However everything looks brand new and clean which loses a lot from some heroes designs. A lot has been made more detailed for details sake which doesn’t always work well. Plus if we’re doing more realistic, flowing hair like Widow and Tracer have then what happened to DVa and Sombra getting lego hair. I also think most of the guns are downgrades and look less gun-like. I can see why you might make that change but aesthetically I’m not a fan.
They also seem to have with some heroes gone for less of an update and more of a rethink and almost without exception these have detracted from the character design. Mercy has lost a lot of her angelic quality. Torb doesn’t have the same feel of a mythical dwarf brought to life. Rein is not the last of the industrial knights anymore. In these cases we get either bland or confused deigns. Even Genji, who has a great look, loses a lot of visual story and design. What’s worse is where they doubled down on character traits, like with Mei, Pharah or Lucio it really worked and made for substantial improvements.
Some really feel like redesigns for redesigns sake, a running issue with OW2 it seems.
edit: I FORGOT WINSTON!!!