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Over many years, I had little interest of online competitive titles. I engaged in numerous of them with my friends, but few held my interest. My aim was poor, and seemed more a liability than aid to my squad. Then, 2016’s Overwatch arrived and presented me with a hero and an skill that's remained memorable ever since.

At first glance, D.Va, a gamer girl turned child-soldier who pilots a mech, wasn’t the sort of character that would attract to me. The sniper Widowmaker was closer to my preference, with her dark aesthetic and monotone drawl. But D.Va possessed the advantage of being the role I prefer: a tank. The one who soaks up 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. These two forms make her quite distinctive, but another feature that makes her stand out among her fellow tanks, and is the reason I inevitably fell in love: her melee and movement ability, Thrusters.

Boosters is an ability that enables the MEKA pilot (in her MEKA form) launch into the air, providing a velocity increase and allowing her to fly forward for a set distance. But you can also alter course while airborne, opting to rise onto a higher level or divert completely and head around obstacles like turns or the payload. 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. Her Thrusters is brilliant for my playstyle: I like to soak up the damage and protect my team, while also being able to get out if it gets gnarly so I can regroup – it creates a sense of invincibility, even though that’s never really the case.

D.Va’s Boosters is not just for travel; it also inflicts damage to foes along the route.

There’s even a damage element to the Thrusters skill. When opponents obstruct the path as you’re using Boosters, they are knocked back for a set amount of harm. I assure you, few things are as gratifying than finishing off a pesky Ashe by striking her directly with the mech. That serves as a lesson to attempt long-range attacks.

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 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 believe me, after playing games like Marvel Rivals after falling off Overwatch 2, I’ve been looking for my next D.Va, and my next Boosters, for years. The truth is, after playing her for years, I feel like there isn’t ever going to be as enjoyable and groundbreaking to play as D.Va. Despite any issues Overwatch 2 might have, hero creation and skills are certainly not among them.

• D.Va shines at movement and interference.
• Her Thrusters provide superior flight maneuverability.
• She can absorb attacks while opening chances for her team.
• Despite meta shifts, she remains a fan-favorite for distinctive approach.