Blizzard finally unveiled Sombra as the newest character for Overwatch at BlizzCon 2016, as the hero "hacked" her way into the video shown during the event's opening ceremonies.
The reveal trailer for Sombra provided a glimpse of her skills in combat situations, with her skills then detailed as Blizzard released her page on the official Overwatch website.
Sombra Released On Overwatch PTR
Attendees of BlizzCon were the first ones to try out Sombra, as the hero was playable on the floor at the event. Windows PC players were said to be next in line, as Sombra will be added to the game upon the next update for the Public Test Region of Overwatch.
The PTR update, which comes with several changes to Overwatch, has now arrived, and Sombra is now available for all gamers to try.
How Does Sombra Play?
Sombra is described to be an Offense hero, though interestingly, none of her skills actually deal damage. While she has the same fast-firing handgun and speed as Tracer, it would be a mistake to play her in the same way.
The Hack ability of Sombra, is used on a health pack, disables it from being used by opponents. The effectiveness of the skill varies when used on opponents, but it can be very devastating against some heroes. For example, using the Hack skill on Bastion prevents him from transforming into a turret, while using the ability on Reinhardt shuts down his shield.
Getting close to the opponent is made possible through Thermoptic Camo, a skill that camouflages Sombra and keeps her invisible until she deals or receives damage. She also gets a speed boost while hidden, allowing her to reach enemy heroes quickly.
Sombra may then find herself in a dangerous situation after Thermoptic Camo wears off, but that is what her Translocator skill is for. Using the ability leaves behind beacon that lasts for 15 seconds that Sombra can teleport back to at any time. It is similar to the Recall ability of Tracer, but Overwatch game director Jeff Kaplan himself said that it should not be used in the same way.
A strategy employed by Mashable's Alena Alambeigi is to hack a health pack, leave a Translocator on it, dive into the fray for 15 seconds, and then teleport back and heal up. In between all the action, dropping Sombra's ultimate, the EMP, could also prove to be very deadly, as it is basically a stronger Hack with a wide range of effect.
Sombra's Skins
Sombra is seemingly designed as a powerful character, and so she should also look the part. Also added to the PTR are Sombra's skins, and a quick look at the available cosmetic upgrades for the hacker hero show a variety of options.
