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Over many years, I was not a fan of multiplayer games. I engaged in numerous of them with my friends, but none kept my attention. My aim was poor, and felt like more of a hindrance than help to my teammates. Subsequently, the release of Overwatch in 2016 arrived and presented me with a hero and an ability that's been stuck in my mind ever since.

At first glance, D.Va, a gamer girl turned child-soldier who pilots a mech, wasn’t the sort of character that should have appealed to me. Widowmaker was more my style, with her gothic look and monotone drawl. But D.Va possessed the advantage of being my favorite class: a tank. The character that absorbs all that incoming fire while shielding attackers and support classes. Better yet, D.Va has two forms: her out-of-mech state, in which she moves with a blaster, and her mech form, in which she’s strapped into her MEKA. This duality make her quite distinctive, but there’s something else that sets her apart among her fellow tanks, and is the reason I inevitably fell in love: her melee and movement ability, Boosters.

Boosters is an ability 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. Additionally, players may change directions mid-flight, choosing to ascend onto a higher level or veer entirely and head around obstacles like corners or the objective. This grants D.Va a agility and unrestricted motion that none of the other tanks can truly emulate — not even Reinhardt with his charge ability. D.Va’s Boosters is brilliant for my playstyle: I prefer to absorb attacks and defend allies, while also being able to get out if it gets gnarly so I may reassemble – it creates a sense of invincibility, even though this isn't entirely true.

D.Va’s Boosters is not just for movility; it additionally deals damage to enemies along the route.

There’s even a damage element to D.Va’s Boosters ability. If enemies get in the way as activating Thrusters, they are knocked back for a set amount of harm. Let me tell you, there’s nothing more satisfying than eliminating a troublesome Ashe by striking her directly with your MEKA. That’ll teach her to try and snipe you from afar.

The hero might not rank as the “best” tank in Overwatch 2 nowadays, especially when you’ve got heroes like certain other tanks whose pure defensive skills make them a superior choice for the current meta. Yet she remains among the most original heroes I’ve ever played in a competitive title. It seems unlikely that any a D.Va equivalent, 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. The truth is, with extensive time as her, it seems there isn’t ever going to be as fun and innovative to play as D.Va. For all the faults Overwatch 2 might have, character design and abilities are definitely not included.

• The MEKA Pilot excels in mobility and disruption.
• Her Thrusters provide superior flight maneuverability.
• She can absorb attacks while creating opportunities for allies.
• Despite meta shifts, she remains a fan-favorite for distinctive approach.