Overwatch Halloween Terror 2017 Is Way Better Than Last Year Thanks To These Skins

8.5
  • Playstation 4
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Shooter
2016-05-24
New Reaper and McCree skins for Overwatch's Halloween seasonal event.
New Reaper and McCree skins for Overwatch's Halloween seasonal event. (c) Blizzard

Overwatch’s Halloween Terror event is back for 2017 with eight new legendary skins that far eclipse even the incredible offerings last year. The event starts Oct. 10 and runs until Nov. 1, giving players plenty of time to grab the skins they want.

But there’s more to Halloween Terror 2017 than skins. Players can return to the game’s PvE mode, Junkenstein’s Revenge, as well as enjoy the new Junkenstein Endless brawl. There are also spooky haunted versions of Eichenwalde and Hollywood for players to battle in. Finally, all of last year’s cosmetic items, including the skins, are back up for grabs. Not only does this mean the pool of loot is bigger, it also means you don’t need to fret about missing any cool skins from last year.

The skins from this year are an extraordinary bunch. Here’s a look at them:

Fire Demon Symmetra

Valar morghulis?
Valar morghulis? (c) Blizzard

Is this a reference to something? If it is, I’ve missed it completely because I’m absolutely entranced by Symmetra’s demonic look, which looks like Ifrit and Shiva’s Final Fantasy XV forms finally consummated their love and had a little devil astral baby together. Legendary skin for Symmetra has long been overdue and this one really fits the ticket by being perfectly on-theme for Halloween.

Viking Torbjorn

Viking Torb strikes while the iron is hot!
Viking Torb strikes while the iron is hot! (c) Blizzard

Okay, every skin for Torbjorn kind of feels like Viking Torbjorn, but this skin looks like it could hang out side by side with Valkyrie Mercy, administering justice and molten hot steel as needed. The short axe over his shoulder is a nice, sinister touch. He might be short, but I wouldn’t mess with this squat, beefy fellow. A man with the confidence to braid his profusion of face hair is a man you’d best treat with some respect.

Zarya, “Let’s Get Physical”

LET'S GET PHYSICAL
LET'S GET PHYSICAL (c) Blizzard

Is this the gayest thing I have ever seen? Yes. Yes, this is the gayest thing I have ever seen. This skin is a gift for fans of Zarya who have longed to be crushed between her massive, Omnic-hating thighs. It’s also, importantly, an actually good skin for Zarya, who has been saddled with some of the worst, ugliest skins in the damn game. The Russian queen deserves better and has finally received it. Lesbians everywhere, rejoice. This one’s for you, girls.

Fancy Skull Man Reaper

Rise of the Fancy Skull Man. Is... is that a cravat?
Rise of the Fancy Skull Man. Is... is that a cravat? (c) Blizzard

Yet again, if there is a reference, I’m missing it. But Reaper’s shiny bald skull poking out from above an impeccably collared shirt and a magnificently spooky, Gothic-looking trenchcoat is perfect for a Very Victorian Halloween. With that frilly cravat, he looks like a vampire LARPer and honestly, I’m here for it.

Val Helsing McCree

McCree, ready for some very serious business.
McCree, ready for some very serious business. (c) Blizzard

I love the action shot of McCree trying to take down demonic fancy skull man Reaper that heads this article. He was your mentor, McCree! Think of the drama, the pathos! He taught you almost everything you know! Why must you hunt him down?! McCree’s gotten a lot of skin love this year (his summer event skin was hilarious) and this dark outfit means some Very Serious Business. I also enjoy the orange accents for a change.

Jiangshi Mei

Mei makes an ADORABLE vampire.
Mei makes an ADORABLE vampire. (c) Blizzard

I got tired of saying I didn’t understand the references, so I googled this one. Mei’s outfit apparently hearkens back to a mythical Chinese creature, the jiangshi, or “hopping vampire.” Honestly, the little fangs are cute overload. Mei might be a dead-eyed nightmare out of legend on an average day, but everything about this skin looks amazing, from the image emblazoned on the front of her dark blue outfit to the pretty swirls that accentuate its sinister, twilight appeal.

Cultist Zenyatta

GAZE INTO THE ABYSS
GAZE INTO THE ABYSS (c) Blizzard

Gaze… into the Abyss, and the Abyss gazes back. Cultist, Cthulhu, Lovecraftian, Prothean-statues-on-Ilos Zenyatta looks so cool, I’m absolutely beside myself. If this were the only special skin on offer, I’d consider it more than enough for the entire Overwatch Halloween Terror 2017 event to be better than last year’s. Everything, from his spooky robotic face tentacles, to the way his orbs have creepy eyes and the unnatural teal light that accentuates his costume, looks completely incredible. Does this mean it’s canon that Zenyatta is the Heidi Klum of Halloween?

Corsair Ana

Ana, stylin' and profilin'
Ana, stylin' and profilin' (c) Blizzard

Blizzard didn’t forget about Grandma! Ana has some of the game’s best skins and her Halloween skin truly shines. Since Ana wasn’t around last Halloween to get a costume, it makes sense that she gets one during this event. I love the parrot on her shoulder. Can we get a voice line for the parrot? “SQUAWK! Sleepy time! SQUAWK! Nappy nap!”

Of course, you don’t want to miss some of last year’s standout Halloween costumes, so if you’re a new player, play hard: Mercy’s witch costume, Pumpkinhead Reaper, Frankenstein’s Monster Roadhog and more are in the loot pool and waiting for you.

Group up, squad!
Group up, squad! (c) Blizzard

There’s also the usual voice lines, wall tags and more, though considering the high quality of this year’s skins, I’d hope for anything but seasonal cosmetics this year.

What do you think of Overwatch’s Halloween Terror event this year? How do you feel about this year’s skins versus last year? What references have I missed?! Feel free to talk about this year’s seasonal Overwatch Halloween event in the comments section below.

REVIEW SUMMARY
Overwatch
8.5
'Overwatch' May Not Be Perfect, But It's Damn Near Close
Overwatch doesn't care if you've ever tried an FPS before, it holds your hands and makes you feel okay while you shoot rocket launchers, icicles and sound waves.
  • Amazing Art Style
  • Balanced Mechanics
  • Characters Keep You Coming Back For More
  • No Single Player
  • Overwhelming At First
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