Overwatch's Closed Beta Returned With New Mode, Maps

"Would it be possible for you to write the Overwatch info, Alice?" Pip asks as she swings through Unravel, and I... as a good friend, shall refrain from embarking upon An Hilarious Misunderstanding with several hundreds words about XCOM 2 'overwatch' attacks. So. Closed beta testing has resumed for Overwatch [official site] (you can sign up over here), bringing with it new maps and modes and things.

This may be most immediately useful to folks in the beta but hey, it also tells the rest of us what to expect from Blizzard's FPS.

For example: Overwatch will have a mode a bit like Team Fortress 2's Control Point, named simply Control, with two new maps of its own. Blizzard explain:

"On Control maps, two teams fight over a series of objective areas in a best-of-three format. When a team is in control of the round's objective area, they will make progress toward capturing it, and whichever team gets to 100% first wins the round. Each round (up to 3 total) will feature a new objective area located in a different part of the map."

Its two new maps are Nepal, set around a robomonastery in the Himalayas, and Lijiang Tower in a Chinese futurecity.

Also: Overwatch will have the option to play against AI-controlled bots by yourself or with pals. That's now in the beta too.

And: if playing video games isn't fun enough for you, you'll be able to enjoy 'levelling up' your account to get new skins and poses and other cosmetic bits.

See? Haven't we all learned a lot?

I'm still a little surprised that Overwatch isn't going to be free-to-play. It looks a fair bit like 'Team Fortress 2 with MOBA characters' to my inexperienced eyes and, given that those are free-to-play... I've made an ass out of 'u' (you) and me. It'll cost £29.99/$39.99.

Pip will be popping back into the beta when she has a mo, and will tell us all what she thinks. It wouldn't be the first time she's told me to sit down and shut up and educate my foolish self.