Say what you will about Overwatch 2, the newest additions to the hero lineup are one thing it has consistently delivered on. From Kiriko becoming an immediate fan-favorite on launch to Venture breaking barriers in multiple ways when they first dropped just a few months back, Blizzard know how to release a character. We’re rapidly approaching the release of the latest Overwatch 2 hero with Juno, formerly known as Space Ranger, and thanks to the limited trial release available in-game now, we’ve finally tried her out. So was she worth the wait?
First things first – I don’t play Overwatch 2 for intense competitive play, I just like to have fun and to try and win, so my thoughts won’t really be taking into consideration any broader meta judgements for Juno, but just how she fits into the game and if she’s a worthy addition to the iconic cast. Visually, Juno is already a highlight, with the bold colored hair and sleek spacesuit and helmet giving immediate distinction to her silhouette, with small details like her eyeliner completing the look. Character designs are a key part of what makes Overwatch heroes so distinguishable in the gaming landscape, and Juno is no exception there. There are no skins, emotes or highlight intros available in this trial period, but there’s a promising amount to work with on her concept.
On my first game, I quite enjoyed Juno’s playstyle and weapon types. Her primary fire (Mediblaster) releases burst fire ammunition that heals allies and damages enemies, akin to Ana’s primary fire. The difference here is that Juno’s burst gives a much more responsive feeling to her gameplay, and both your heals and damage feel immediately noticeable and satisfying. This same feeling carries over to her secondary fire (Pulsar Torpedoes), which locks on to all other players on screen and either damages or heals them depending on whether they’re friend or foe.
Her secondary fire already feels good on its own with its ability to catch a lot of players, but pair it with her movement abilities and it feels even better. I was using Juno’s passive (Martian Overboots) to double jump into the air, then used her first ability (Glide Boost) to speed up and hover in the air over the enemy team, then rain damage on them and healing on my allies with her Pulsar Torpedoes. It was incredibly fun, and makes Juno feel like a very fast paced character when she’s up in the air, although honestly it feels like the fun movement doesn’t last too long.
When she lands back down after gliding, be sure to land close to your allies, as being a support hero Juno cannot survive long against more than one enemy. Her Mediblaster is effective and satisfying as I said earlier, but it’s an aim-reliant weapon that also doesn’t deal a huge amount of damage solo. It can be quite hard to survive with her, and whilst she is a lot of fun to move around and use her kit, sometimes it felt like she wouldn’t last very long before being taken out, even when using her kit to the best of my ability. Or maybe that’s just me!
Juno’s place right now feels like it belongs around with other team members, with her weapon being much better at healing close range, and her second ability (Speed Boost) releasing a ring that allows allies passing through to move much quicker. This ability was my main way of surviving with Juno, as her Glide abilities, as fun as they are, fail to offer much in the way of survivability thanks to how restricted they are. Double jumping and gliding is fun, but the height it offers isn’t particularly exciting, especially given the options afforded to heroes like Echo and Pharah.
Perhaps my least favourite part of an overall enjoyable character though is her ultimate, Orbital Ray. This can be summoned down to the ground and travels forwards in a line, healing allies and increasing damage. This feels a bit lackluster for a move literally called Orbital Ray, which sounds incredibly destructive and exciting. Instead, what we get is a glowing ring that just gradually moves in a line and disappears. It’s certainly useful when your team is bunched together, but it feels like a bit of a missed opportunity for what the concept presents.
Overall, I think Juno is a fun character, and this trial release is a good start. However, I think she’d be much better if Blizzard made a few changes to her kit before her full Overwatch 2 debut. I’m not expert, but it might be a good idea to make her movement and gliding abilities a little bit more exciting and powerful. A double jump is fun, but in-game it doesn’t feel as impactful or agile as it should. Her ultimate also could do with being a bit more impactful, as those moves are a highlight of the game and this one feels a little flat, at least to me!
What do you think of Juno in Overwatch 2? Have you tried the character out, and do you agree with us or have a different opinion? Juno is available to try for all players between now and July 21. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, and stay tuned to GameLuster for more gaming news and coverage.
