COSMETIC ITEMS
Overwatch Halloween Terror: 2016 vs. 2017
The great thing about Overwatch’s seasonal events, besides all the new skins and special brawl of course, is they have the potential to get incrementally better with each passing year. Arguably one of the most well-received events was Halloween Terror, which ran from Oct. 11- Nov. 1 in 2016 and is back again from Oct. 10 – Nov. 1 for Overwatch players in 2017. But if we compare the two together, which one is truly better?
Compared to last year, the Halloween Terror event has only gotten better in terms of simply adding more content. Much like the return of the Summer Games event, all the past cosmetic items have returned at a discounted price, so if you missed any from last year you can pick them up. On top of that, and arguably more importantly, there are new items just for 2017 including eight legendary skins. The new skins this year are being very well-received, with Symmetra’s Dragon skin becoming an instant hit among fans. Especially since her gun has its own moving eye, as if getting locked on by Symmetra’s beam wasn’t frightening enough. Other great inclusions are Zarya dressed up as an ’80s workout trainer, and Ana dressed up as a pirate that was teased in an Overwatch comic a few months ago.
Although bringing back past skins makes them feel less exclusive for long-term Overwatch players, having them available again ends up being beneficial for old and new players alike. Say you really wanted Witch Mercy from last year but didn’t have the credits or the luck to get it in a loot box. Now you can not only have a chance to get it again, but purchase it for 1000 credits compared to the 3000 price tag in 2016.
Event Brawl
Overwatch Halloween Terror: 2016 vs. 2017
The event brawl, Junkenstein’s Revenge, is also back this year, and has been improved upon even further from 2016. In Junkenstein’s Revenge, you fight waves of Zomnic enemies and face off in mini boss battles throughout, including the Reaper, Junkenstien’s Monster (Roadhog), the Witch (Mercy), Dr. Junkenstein himself (Junkrat), and now the Summoner (Symmetra) has joined the army as well. If you didn’t get the chance to play it last year, then it will be an entirely new experience. For those returning, adding Symmetra is also a nice inclusion to add some variety to the boss battles.
On top of that, four others characters are now playable in the new endless mode, in which after you’ve defeated the original waves you can keep battling Dr. Junkenstein and his army for as long as you can before they eventually destroy the doors of Eichenwalde’s castle. Last year you could only play as Solider: 76, Hanzo, Ana, and McCree, and now Widowmaker, Torbjorn, Zenyatta, and Genji are added to the mix as well. Choosing between these eight characters can make for some fun team strategizing, and making the mode endless proves for some fun and very hectic last moments when three Reapers, a Mercy, four Junkrat tires, three Roadhogs, and countless Zomnics all seem to be attacking you at once.
The Halloween Terror event in 2017 also adds the custom game setup in the arcade. Here, you can choose whatever characters you want to play in Junkenstein’s Revenge. So whether it’s Mei, D.Va, Doomfist, or whoever, you can try out multiple combinations to find the best possible team.
LOOT BOX DROP RATES
Overwatch Halloween Terror: 2016 vs. 2017
While Overwatch’s Halloween Terror event does seem to have gotten bigger and better in 2017 over last year, the one thing to look out for this year around is the loot-box drop rate for new and past Halloween skins alike. Last year, there were minimal complaints to how many skins players were getting in their loot boxes, but around the time of the Overwatch Anniversary event in May/ June 2017, there was quite a deal of criticism from players claiming the loot box drop rates for legendary and event skins had dropped dramatically.
The biggest issue was for players who spent real-money on loot-box bundles, and most were finding they often wouldn’t get a single special Anniversary skin (or other limited time items besides sprays or player icons) despite coughing up the dough to get more Anniversary event loot boxes. So much so that Overwatch Game Director Jeff Kaplan issued a response on Battle.net saying the Overwatch team was listening to these complaints.
THE VERDICT
Overwatch Halloween Terror: 2016 vs. 2017
If 2017 is still to win the contest against Halloween Terror 2016 it will just have to make sure the aforementioned improved drop rates continue up until the start of November. Assuming that is the case, it’s clear 2017 is building upon the success of last year by bringing back everything fans loved and then improving it by adding more game modes, skins, and options for players to enjoy. As such, Halloween Terror 2017 takes the cake for surpassing last year’s Halloween festivities.
What’s your opinion? Did you prefer the Halloween Terror Event from 2016, or was 2017 the new and improved event we’ve been waiting for?
