One of the neatest aspects to the hit shooterOverwatchis its rotating selection of gameplay modes and rewards. While there’s no shortage of enjoyable multiplayer modes, Blizzard has recently begun a phased release of 3 PvE scenarios to take part in, as part of its annual “Archives” event, with this year’s event running until April 2nd.
These allow players to join together in defeating waves of enemy bots in a slew of scenarios. Along with Uprising and the more recent Storm Rising, there’s the Blackwatch-focused mission called Retribution, which featuresMoira, McCree, Genji, and Reaper/Reyes clashing with Talon forces.
This can be a particularly tough romp,especiallywhen trying one’s hand at the insane Legendary mode that’s been added.
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With this list, we’ll give some pro tips and strategies to give you a better shot at completing this grueling mission successfully. These will be general rules that apply mainly to the higher difficulties. It will only take into account the 4 heroes allotted in Story Missions, and will not factor in added challenges/tweaks that alter the conditions.
10Use Reyes/Reaper As Your Pseudo Tank
Retribution is unique in that you’re only granted 3DPSheroes and a single healer in Moira. That’s right - there are a grand total of zero tanks to protect your team. Thus, you’ll want to somewhat slot in Reaper as the de-factotank, as he can absorb the most damage, and is generally the close-range brawler anyway.
Though you’ll, of course, be focusing on pumping out loads of damage with this hero, he should also be used to take the brunt of the damage for more powerful foes like Enforcers and Heavy Assault units. If youdofind yourself hurting quickly, you’re able to always Wraith safely back to Moira for healing.
9Target Larger, More Powerful Foes First
It’s easy to get overwhelmed in Retribution, especially on Expert and Legendary mode. This is often spurred by the piling up of tougher baddies, which can be a nuisance and crank out a ton of damage. Because of this, you’ll usually want to focus fire on the more dangerous troops first. Pounce on those pesky Snipers early, pummel Heavy Assault with Ults if you’ve got them, etc.
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Then, once you’ve alleviated this pressure by neutralizing them, you can go ahead and clean up the gaggles of Troopers, as they’re easier to take out.
8Utilize McCree And Genji For Mid And Long-Range Assaults
If you take on the role of either of these 2 DPS, it’s typically going to be your job to lay down some hurt on enemies positioned farther away. This means diving onto a Sniper perched atop a balcony, or a troublesome Enforcer in the distance, etc.
Remember, Moira is a healer designed for close-range support, and Reaper is similarly a close/mid-range brawler. McCree, on the other hand, has nice precision hit-scan shooting from mid and long-range. Genji, meanwhile, is highly mobile and can swiftly dive towards and away from a fight, in addition to deflecting shots for a short time. Thus, you’ll want to take advantage of these guys' ability to clear out foes from a distance.
7Cover Often And Avoid Being Out In The Open
This point is especially relevant to the latter 2 difficulties and the latter portion of the game - where enemies are relentless and strong in their attacks.
Basically, try and scramble to cover points when possible, while popping out for short bursts of return fire. Try to avoid being out in the open too long, skirt the perimeter, go for flanks when possible, and basically just make yourself tough to locate and to hit.
6Moira And Reaper Are Ideal For Resurrecting
Though each player should attempt to pull a fallen teammate back up if the situation calls for it, you generally want to have Moira and Reaper focus on this.
Moira can use her Fade and healing orb to extend her protection as she revives. Meanwhile, Reaper can actually revive while in Wraith form, making him a safer bet not to join his fallen companion while attempting to Resurrect. Additionally, they can more effectively draw away aggro with these moves and regroup to try again once the enemies have been pulled away.
5Communicate And Coordinate On Ult Usage
Seeing as there are but4of you, your offensive firepower is going to be limited compared to the onslaught of Talon troops clashing with you. Thus, resourceful, impactful Ultimate usage is key in Retribution.
You should try and coordinate with your teammates. Give status reports and let them know if you plan on popping an Ult. Also, try to trigger them out in spaced-out phases, rather than popping 3 or 4 all at once, only to find your offense is diminished for an extended period of time.
Use them at pressing, tougher moments. This includes scenes where many foes approach from a vehicle or drop from the ceiling. It also means - Assassin or Assault encounters, or that absolute onslaught during the final scene.
4If A Teammate Is Down, Stay Calm, But Act Accordingly
Teammates are almost inevitably going to drop, at least when playing on Expert or Legendary. When it happens, try not to panic, and don’t immediately scramble to revive them without being aware of your surroundings and acting according to the situation.
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If there are a number of foes around your fallen soldier, approaching them right away can quickly lead to disaster. You should often try and either divert their attention to aggro them a safe distance, sneak around a blindspot, or use an Ult (or have a teammate do so) to provide a safety net of sorts.
3Utilize The High Ground At The End Scene
You’ve made it to the final scene of Retribution! Unfortunately, this just means the hardest, most chaotic skirmish in this mode awaits you. But don’t panic!
Just be sure that you and your teammates generally hang around the rooftop of the middle building. Of course, the barrage of baddies and the general insanity will inevitably have people splitting off at times. Yet,overall, you’ll want to try and use this area as a sort of “home base” to scramble back to escape for healing, and as a place to isolate enemies, which will allow you to take them down easier.
2Keep Your Distance From Enforcer And Heavy Assaults
These guys are the main muscle in Retribution. They not only take a lot of damage to defeat, but they also can melt all 4 of you squishy targets pretty fast if you’re in a bad position.
Basically, then, try to keep your distance when it comes to Enforcers, unless all 4 of you are together, and/or someone is pummeling them with an Ult.
Heavy Assaultsreallyshouldn’t be messed with. These guys are basically like Roadhogs with machine guns. You’ll absolutely want to seek cover when confronted by them. Trying to clash head-on with these beasts will usually result in a swift, untimely death. Stay at a distance from cover, use Moira’s Ult from afar, Deflect with Genji, and have McCree pop them in the head.
1Headshots And More Headshots
It may go without saying, but in the heat of battle, it’s easy to forget this credo, especially in the constantly moving chaos of Retribution. You’ll want to really try and focus on the noggin, as it’ll allow you to take out foes far more quickly. This should be emphasized by McCree, given his accuracy, but Reaper should also aim upward when blasting his shotties from close and mid-range.
Be sure to have the DPS of the team focus fire on the heads of beefier foes like Enforcers and Heavy Assault, in particular. And as a useful side note - pummel thebacksof these Heavies too, as the tanks on their backs also function as weak points.
