I’ve been caught up with Overwatch 2 for longer than I care to admit, but when I heard Phoenix was joining Marvel Rivals, I thought maybe — just maybe — it was time to give the old hero shooter another whirl. Look, I’m not Phoenix’s biggest fan or anything. I did a quick dive on Wikipedia and watched her character trailer – not exactly deep research. But here’s the clincher: she moves like an actual person! Or, well, mutant. You know what I mean. It’s a nice change of pace from the usual Rivals lineup.
Ever since Rivals dropped in Dec 2024, folks on Reddit have been grumbling about how sluggish everything is over there. Seriously, it’s like moving in slow-mo! Some people claim it’s a perspective trick or whatever, saying Overwatch is faster because of that first-person view. I dunno, maybe they have a point — or maybe not. All I know is, that slow pace ticked me off, so I started playing less and less. Weird how a small thing like that can get under your skin, right?
But now, Overwatch 2 brings that third-person Stadium mode, and with Phoenix seeming all zippy, I had to test my speed theory. Turns out I was sort of onto something. The practice arenas in both games have those nifty distance markers for checking stuff like damage drop-off, which, who knew, works great for speed tests too. My conclusion? Rivals characters are pokier. It’s all in the measurements, I guess. Five meters in Rivals is like 11.5 inches versus Overwatch 2’s 10-inch equivalent or something.
So why’s this a big deal? Well, it means Rivals isn’t all slow — it’s just how they move that’s off. Cloak and Dagger and Spider-Man sashay across the battlefield like they’re in a slow-motion Baywatch scene. Attacks? More like performance art pieces. Winter Soldier’s pistol should pack a punch but sounds like a toy gun. Scarlet Witch? Her spells are practically whispering at you. Artistic, maybe. Dramatic, sure. But not exactly electrifying stuff.
Enter Phoenix. She’s a breath of fresh, fiery air. There’s this whoosh when she attacks, a satisfying pop when she lands three hits, and further fireworks with her other moves. She zips around with this flaming-bird form — and can chain that with another move that doesn’t lock you out with a massive cooldown. It’s smart, snappy, feels urgent. She’s not exactly faster than the rest, but boy, does she feel like it.
Bottom line: NetEase finally nailed it with Phoenix. Not just fast for fast’s sake but a blend of slick style and real function. Makes battles exhilarating instead of a slow ballet. Even if, technically, she’s not that different from the rest — fighting feels a whole lot more exciting. And for me, that’s plenty.
