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Over many years, I had little interest of multiplayer games. I played plenty 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. Then, 2016’s Overwatch happened and presented me with a hero and an ability that's been stuck in my mind ever since.

At first glance, D.Va, an esports star turned pilot who pilots a mech, wasn’t the sort of character that should have appealed to me. The sniper Widowmaker was more my style, with her dark aesthetic and measured speech. But D.Va possessed the advantage of being my favorite class: a tank. The character that absorbs all that damage while shielding attackers and support classes. Additionally, D.Va has two forms: her out-of-mech state, in which she runs around with a gun, and her mech form, in which she’s strapped into her MEKA. This duality make her pretty unique, but there’s something else that makes her stand out among her fellow tanks, and is the reason I inevitably fell in love: her melee and movement ability, Thrusters.

Thrusters represent a skill 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 navigate past barriers like turns or the objective. It gives D.Va a dynamism and freedom of movement that no other defender can really replicate — including Reinhardt with his charge ability. Her Thrusters is brilliant for my playstyle: I like to soak up the damage and protect my team, while having the option to retreat if it gets gnarly so I can regroup – it makes me feel indestructible, even though that’s never really the case.

D.Va’s Boosters isn't solely for travel; it additionally deals damage to enemies in its path.

There’s even a damage element to D.Va’s Boosters ability. If enemies get in the way as activating Thrusters, you send them flying backwards for a set amount of harm. Let me tell you, there’s nothing more satisfying than finishing off a pesky Ashe by bopping her on the nose with the mech. That serves as a lesson to try and snipe you from afar.

The hero might not rank as the “best” tank in Overwatch 2 nowadays, particularly with characters like certain other tanks whose pure defensive skills make them a better pick for present strategies. But she’s also among the most original heroes I have experienced in a competitive title. It seems unlikely there really is a direct counterpart to D.Va, and trust me, after playing games like Marvel Rivals since leaving Overwatch 2, I’ve been looking for my next D.Va, and my next Boosters, for years. In reality, after playing her for years, it seems there isn’t ever going to be as enjoyable and groundbreaking to play as she is. For all the faults Overwatch 2 might have, hero creation and skills are certainly not among them.

• D.Va excels in mobility and disruption.
• Her Thrusters provide superior flight maneuverability.
• The hero can absorb attacks while creating opportunities for her team.
• Despite meta shifts, she remains a beloved choice for distinctive approach.