Ever since the massive success of last year's Uprising event, Overwatch fans have anxiously awaited Blizzard's next attempt at bringing the primarily objective-based multiplayer game to the cooperative Player-versus-Enemy (PvE) department. The wait has been long, but the patience has been rewarded; the newest PvE iteration, Retribution, is an improvement on the Uprising event in almost every way — including how effectively the player is challenged.
If you or your team aren't careful, it can be easy to get killed in the blink of an eye in Retribution, especially on higher difficulties. Whether you're a fan looking to return to the game and play the mode for the first time, or a regular Overwatch player struggling with the challenge, these three tips will give you a strong edge in the battle.
Play around cover
In Retribution, you don't have a tank hero on the roster to block damage for the team (you have McCree, Reaper, Genji, and Moira) so it's critical that you try and take as little damage as possible. There are plenty of pieces of geometry you can use to avoid incoming fire in the map the mode takes place in, so don't hesitate to crouch down when things are getting a little too dicey.
It's also important to remember not to stick in the same place for too long, though. Otherwise, you'll get flanked and surrounded. Utilize the mobility abilities each hero has (such as Moira's Fade and McCree's Combat Roll) to quickly change positions and keep the enemy from trapping you in one area.
Assign Genji to sniper duty
If you aren't careful, the Sniper unit that gets introduced early on in the mission can and will kill every player on the team very quickly. Her rifle takes a few seconds to charge, but she instant kills whoever she hits, meaning that it's foolish to fight in her sightlines. Since Retribution released, the Sniper units have been the biggest obstacle for many players due to not knowing how to deal with her.
The answer is actually quite simple: have your Genji player face her one-versus-one. His Reflect ability can redirect the Sniper's own shot against her, killing her instantly and removing the threat. If that isn't possible, Genji can alternatively use his Swift Strike dash to close the distance immediately and take her down from close range where she's ineffective. McCree is also effective at engaging her from range.
Never face the Heavy Assault directly
By far, the most fearsome foe in Retribution is the Heavy Assault enemy. Armed with miniguns on their arms and capable of charging players like a Reinhardt, they are extremely dangerous. Their minigun damage can chew through health like a hot knife through butter, regardless of healing, so don't attack him out in the open. Instead, peek in and out from cover so that you can land shots onto him without ever fully exposing yourself. If he goes for a charge, avoid it and rotate to a new position before he opens fire.
This won't do much damage, but your patience will be rewarded when the Heavy Assault has to reload his weapons for several seconds and can't attack you. This is your opportunity to do some real damage, but make sure that you return to your cover-peeking strategy when he finishes his reload. Repeat this several times, and you'll topple the juggernaut eventually.
Your thoughts
What do you think of Retribution? If you've beaten it, what strategy did you use? Let me know in the comments.
Overwatch is available on the Xbox One for $59.99.
