Overwatch Introduces a New Hero That Channels Master Chief, Transforming Gameplay into a Halo Experience

One of the best ways to introduce someone to a hero shooter is by drawing parallels between a character they know well and one they’re unfamiliar with. I haven’t touched a Halo game in over a decade, so I didn’t immediately notice that Emre, one of the new heroes in Overwatch, shares a lot of similarities with Master Chief from those classic shooters. However, while playing with friends last night, they pointed it out, and this morning I discovered the internet buzzing with the same comparison.

It’s pretty cool to see a character reminiscent of Halo in Overwatch.

Emre definitely has a straightforward kit, similar to Soldier: 76. He wields a three-round burst rifle that allows him to aim down sights without sacrificing movement speed, a sidearm that fires explosive rounds and boosts his speed, and an ultimate that lets him soar and unleash fire on his foes. Plus, he has frag grenades that bounce around just like Master Chief’s in Halo, triggering some nostalgic muscle memory for those who haven’t played as Microsoft’s iconic character in a while.

If you upgrade his abilities, Emre’s grenades can even stick to enemies, much like Halo’s plasma grenades, reinforcing those comparisons. If you’re thinking about diving into Overwatch after its recent soft reboot and aren’t sure who to choose first, Emre could be a solid starting point. With 50 heroes now, each varying in complexity, beginning with simpler characters is a great way to get accustomed to the game’s chaos. Just don’t freak out when you see a flying cat carrying a giant German guy with a hammer across the battlefield.