The MEKA Pilot's Thrusters Make Her the Ultimate Aerial Defender

Over many years, I had little interest of multiplayer games. I played plenty of them with my friends, but few held my interest. My aim was poor, and seemed more a liability than help to my teammates. Subsequently, the release of Overwatch in 2016 arrived and presented me with a hero and an ability that's remained memorable ever since.

Initially, D.Va, a gamer girl turned child-soldier who pilots a mech, didn’t seem the type that would attract to me. The sniper Widowmaker was more my style, with her gothic look and measured speech. However D.Va possessed the advantage of being the role I prefer: a tank. The character that absorbs all that incoming fire while shielding attackers and healers. Better yet, 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.

Thrusters represent a skill that enables the MEKA pilot (in her MEKA form) propel skyward, providing a velocity increase and letting her advance through the air for 24 meters. But you can also alter course while airborne, opting to rise onto a higher level or veer entirely and navigate past barriers like turns or the payload. It gives D.Va a agility and unrestricted motion that none of the other tanks can truly emulate — not even Reinhardt with his forward assault. Her Thrusters is ideal for my approach: 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.

The Thrusters ability isn't solely for movility; it also inflicts harm to enemies in its path.

An offensive component exists to the Thrusters skill. If enemies get in the way as you’re using Boosters, they are knocked back for a set amount of harm. I assure you, few things are as gratifying than eliminating a troublesome Ashe by bopping her on the nose with your MEKA. That serves as a lesson to attempt long-range attacks.

D.Va may not be the top defender in Overwatch 2 currently, especially when you’ve got heroes like Orisa and Ramattra whose raw defensive abilities make them a better pick for present strategies. But she’s also among the most original heroes I have experienced in a multiplayer game. It seems unlikely that any a direct counterpart to D.Va, and believe me, after playing games like Marvel Rivals since leaving Overwatch 2, I’ve been looking for a replacement for D.Va, and my next Boosters, for years. In reality, after playing her for years, I feel like there isn’t ever going to be as fun and innovative to play as D.Va. For all the faults Overwatch 2 might have, hero creation and skills are certainly not among them.

• The MEKA Pilot shines at mobility and disruption.
• Her Boosters provide superior flight maneuverability.
• The hero can soak damage while opening chances for her team.
• Regardless of strategy changes, she remains a fan-favorite for her unique playstyle.