Fans of the game will have a general idea of Overwatch's story. The game takes place in a world where heroes have been outlawed, allowing greedy corporations and terrorists to run amok. With society quickly headed toward another global crisis, remnants of the Overwatch team decide to reform the organization to defend the earth once more.

While that's the overarching story, the first game never had an official in-game story mode. Lore was revealed through animated short films and comic books.

Does Overwatch 2 change any of this? Indeed it does.

While the initial game ended the lore with a hero sending out a recruitment call, the sequel follows up with heroes finally answering. Story missions were confirmed in a 2019 blog post from Blizzard Entertainment that followed the sequel's announcement.

"Story and gameplay come together in co-op Story missions where palyers will be able to have an active role in the next chapter of the Overwatch saga," the post reads.

These Story Missions consist of PvE modes where players can team up against NPCs while learning more about the ongoing lore. More Story Missions will be added as the game's lifespan moves on. Players can also check out Hero missions, in which you can play as individual heroes and unlock new talents to make your favorite characters stronger.

Of course, the game still has plenty of spiffy animated short films to introduce new characters.

Overwatch 2 makes a number of notable improvements over its predecessors, but the game overall has been receiving mixed reviews. Gaming sites like SVG have rounded up critics' thoughts on the game. Many appreciate the new world-building and updated gameplay, but apparently the Battle pass grind and microtransactions don't do this controversial sequel any favors.

Only time will tell if Overwatch 2 has what it takes to become, well ... the next Overwatch.

Overwatch 2 is available on PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch platforms.