A genuinely astounding week of Overwatch. It's hard to know where to begin; multiple five-map thrillers, reverse sweeps, significant upsets, clutch plays, and crazy overtime pushes all made for a spectacular week. Short of Sideshow eating another corndog, this week had everything. The idea of this series was to help streamline viewing for those who could not dedicate the weekly 24 hours required to see all the games, though an exception should be made this time around. Every day had must-watch games but below are the crème de la crème of the incredible selection presented.
Game of the Week: Seoul Dynasty v New York Excelsior
The first battle between two all-Korean teams was fascinating, the clash of styles mesmerising to watch as this series twisted back and forth. Both teams wrestled to maintain dominance as players from both sides took turns clutching fights for their team.
The individual matchups were a spectacle in and of themselves; ryujehong v JJoNak, Fleta v Saebyeolbe, zunba v Mek0. The title of ‘best game in Overwatch history’ has perhaps been thrown around too readily, but this is a genuine contender. Matchups like this, hosted in the beautiful Burbank arena, are what made the Overwatch League worth the wait. If you can only watch one game this week, make it this one.
Other notable games:
Los Angeles Gladiators v Los Angeles Valiant
In any other week, this would have been the Game of the Week. The first incarnation of the LA derby did not disappoint. Fans turned out in force for both sides, and the rivalry was fierce. In the game itself, the maps were competitive throughout, and the climax of this series will not be forgotten quickly.
Questions of LA Gladiators' depth and quality were prevalent going into the season, but a strong start has diluted that dialogue and another strong performance here further cements it. The seven-man squad rotate in and out seamlessly while bringing their unique approach to various maps. Surefour gave the sort of performance that reminded everyone why he was so highly regarded back in the early days, Pre-Overwatch League. Special mention should also be given to iReMiix and Bischu who coped well with the LA Valiant's aggression throughout—the former with a particularly impressive Reinhardt cameo too.
So0n is not to be forgotten either, he continued his stellar string of performances and is making a good case for the best Tracer of Stage 1. A linchpin of their aggressive dive compositions while still pressuring the objective constantly, So0n is helping give LA Valiant their killing edge this season.
Philadelphia Fusion v New York Excelsior
Another amazing clash; a rare occurrence where every map in a best of five was close and entertaining in and of itself. The defence-focused playstyle of the New York Excelsior was put to the test against the aggressive Philadelphia Fusion, and it was fascinating to watch it unfold.
Both teams are known for leaning on their star talent more than others, and all players delivered here. The star that shone brightest was ShaDowBurn—as probably the best Genji in the world, he demonstrated it throughout this series. There were a lot of good games this week, which means this series may get sidelined in the grand scheme of things, but it does not take away from the extravaganza that was this match-up.
Boston Uprising v London Spitfire
There was no end to the madness this week as Boston Uprising stormed back from a disappointing Week 2 to do battle with the elite level Koreans. Another belter of a series with every map going down to the wire.
The London Spitfire DPS underperformed compared to previous weeks with Hooreg playing a series to forget. Bdosin and NUS struggled as well, but this is primarily due to the incredible tank performances from Boston. Gamsu is highly regarded by his colleagues and peers and you saw why in this game on Day 2, he was everywhere he needed to be and more.
The whole Boston Uprising team played well, but the stand out performance came from an unlikely source, NotE. The Canadian had only played two maps in the main season previously and failed to win both of them, looking a solid second choice behind Kalios—this week may have changed that. A subtle but valuable performance helped stifle Spitfire and enable his own DPS duo to play their own game. Consistency is still a big question mark for the Boston Uprising squad, but this match proved their potential.
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