Overwatch 2 has over 20 maps across a variety of game modes, each with their own layouts, terrain, and strategy. As an avid Overwatch 2 player and content creator with over 100 hours played, I‘ve explored every inch of these battlegrounds.
In this guide, I‘ll be counting down the top 5 maps that I believe are best suited for competitive play, based on years of experience in Overwatch 1 and now the sequel. I‘ll explain the reasons why I think each map shines for ranked play, as well as tips and tricks for both attack and defense.
5. Lijiang Tower – Control
Location: Lijiang, China
Terrain: Urban streets and gardens
Lijiang Tower is one of the most balanced Control maps in Overwatch 2. Its three capture points – Night Market, Control Center, and Garden – all provide opportunities for heroes with both long and short range abilities.
The elevated position of the capture points allows heroes with mobility skills like Pharah, Echo, and Winston to attack from unexpected angles. Snipers like Widowmaker and Sojourn can also take advantage of the high ground.
At the same time, the cramped capture points give heroes with short range damage like Reaper and Junkrat an environment where they can thrive. Areas like Control Center also have environmental hazards to knock enemies into for an instant elimination.
Tips for Attack:
- Use vertical mobility to claim the high ground first
- Flank behind the point to catch enemies by surprise
- Draw out enemies with ranged attacks before engaging
Tips for Defense:
- Hold corners tight with tanks to block area access
- Use CC abilities like Zarya’s graviton surge to isolate targets
- Retake high ground positions quickly if they get compromised
With flexibility for multiple team compositions and attack strategies, Lijiang Tower tests a team‘s adaptability during a match. This makes it one of the best Control maps for competitive play.
4. Midtown – Hybrid
Location: New York City, USA
Terrain: City streets and plaza
The newest map in Overwatch 2, Midtown has quickly become a fan favorite for ranked play. As a Hybrid map, teams must first fight to control space before escorting the payload to its destination.
Midtown is structured almost like a ladder, with multiple avenues for attack and staggered high ground positions. This lets assault heroes pressure from unexpected angles while snipers post up in key spots. At the same time, the clustered streets allow tank and support heroes to anchor their backline.
The final point also takes place in an open plaza outside Grand Central Station. With long sightlines and destructible trains blocking line of sight, teams must balance shielding themselves while destroying enemy cover.
Tips for Attack:
- Use Sombra’s EMP to negate defenses on final point
- Attack with dive tanks to isolate backline heroes
- Establish snipers early to force enemies into cover
Tips for Defense:
- Defend streets tightly to mitigate dive attacks
- Spam projectiles into chokes to deter pushes
- Save ultimate combos to counter fight-winning pushes
Midtown tests a team‘s coordination and game sense across varied terrain – exactly the traits necessary to excel in ranked play. Clever positioning and ability timing can make all the difference on this balanced Hybrid map.
3. Oasis – Control
Location: Baghdad, Iraq
Terrain: High-tech laboratories
The university labs of Oasis make for intense Control point battles. With gaping holes everywhere and mostly indoors fighting, heroes must navigate the halls and evade environmental deaths.
Both supports and damage heroes can play effectively on Oasis. The cramped lab interiors benefit short range brawlers like Reaper and Junkrat. At the same time, clean sightlines outside labs give Zenyatta and Ana room to operate.
Perhaps more than any other Control map, Oasis requires outstanding team coordination. Teams must push together through narrow entryways while checking corners for hidden opponents. Callouts are critical since enemies could appear suddenly from any direction.
Tips for Attack:
- Use Sombra to hack health packs for heal advantage
- Shield tanks make pushing chokes easier
- Hold high ground before engaging point
Tips for Defense:
- Spam projectiles into small corridors
- Have teammates trade knockbacks on aggressive divers
- Hide in side rooms and strike from behind
Oasis taxes a team‘s communication skills and adaptability over a match‘s duration. With so many ways to exploit its unique architecture, Oasis is an exceptional stage for competitive Control games.
2. Circuit Royal – Escort
Location: Monte Carlo, Monaco
Terrain: Racing track and luxury hotel
The Overwatch team hit a home run designing Circuit Royal, the picturesque Escort map set in Monaco. Winding tracks, alternating high and low ground, and stunning locales make for intense payload contests.
Long rotate times enable daring Teleporter plays, like a risky Symmetra flank onto the opposing high ground. Of course, such maneuvers can also catastrophically backfire against savvy opponents.
The final stretch also provides a unique endgame. Attackers emerge from a rotating door into a wide open hotel lobby, allowing clever defenses to pounce. Overall there‘s enormous potential for highlight reel moments.
Tips for Attack:
- Use double shield to safely progress payload
- Teleport onto hotel balcony for a big advantage
- Save support ultimates for final lobby push
Tips for Defense:
- Spam hotel lobby doors to punish positioning errors
- Layer ultimate abilities to wipe pushes on final point
- Harass with Pharah across long courtyard sightlines
Circuit Royal simply has everything you could want out of an Escort map. It rewards creativity and punishs complacency, leading to down-to-the-wire thrillers perfect for competitive ranked matches.
1. Nepal – Control
Location: Nepal, Himalayas
Terrain: Mountain shrines
In my opinion, no map is better suited for ranked Control matches than Nepal. With staggering verticality, frequent environmental kills, and dynamic objective fights, Nepal consistently delivers heart-pounding contests.
The tiered design of Sanctum and Village enables diving heroes like Winston to crush immobile backlines. At the same time, the occasional long corridor in Shrine caters to ranged damage dealers.
Nepal also has more health packs than most Control maps. This element of sustainability gives otherwise fragile heroes like Sombra and Tracer extra staying power. Teams must strategize around health pack control and timing.
Tips for Attack:
- Ambush isolated targets using side routes
- Gain high ground before engaging objective
- Shield break is critical to winning team fights
Tips for Defense:
- Spam projectiles from high ground positions
- Layer crowd control effects to lock down space
- Deny health packs through area control
Simply put, nothing compares to Nepal‘s frenetic point capture showdowns. The potential for mechanical outplays combined with essential macro decision-making cements Nepal as Overwatch 2‘s premier Control map for sweaty competitive matches.
Overwatch 2‘s maps are intricate works of art finely tuned for objective-based warfare. While every map caters to different playstyles, these five battlegrounds stand above the rest for ranked play. Their layouts challenge a team‘s chemistry and game sense while enabling show-stopping moments of skill.
As the esports scene around Overwatch 2 evolves, expect these maps to feature prominently in the competitive map pool. For now, mastering both attack and defense strategies across their terrain is the fastest way to climb the ranked ladders. Adaptability and creativity are rewarded above all else.
I hope this guide has illuminated insights into excelling on Overwatch 2‘s best maps. Now get out there, sharpen your skills, and battle for glory! Let me know which maps you think should be included in next season‘s ranked map pools on Twitter [@mygamehandle].
