Highguard’s 5v5 Mode Still Doesn’t Fix the Game’s Biggest Problems

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Introducing a new game mode is a common way to keep live games exciting and show players things are moving forward. It gives people something new to discuss and can temporarily mask any existing issues. However, this excitement doesn’t last, and eventually players will focus on the core gameplay experience itself.

As a Highguard player, I was really excited to see the new 5v5 mode drop – the 3v3 matches always felt cramped on those big maps! And honestly, at first glance, it does feel better. Things are clearer, the matches move faster, and there are some genuinely thrilling moments that were missing before. But after playing a bit, I realized it doesn’t really fix the core problems with the game. Highguard still feels a bit… thrown together, and it’s becoming clear that changing the rules just isn’t enough to make everything click.

Highguard’s Gameplay Swings Too Wildly Between Highs and Lulls

When it’s at its best, Highguard is exciting and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Successfully working together, executing powerful ability combinations, or quickly changing the flow of battle can hint at a truly competitive game. The 5v5 format makes these moments happen more frequently, as it reduces confusion and gives players clear goals to focus on.

The main problem with Highguard is how quickly exciting moments die down. Matches often become stagnant, with little happening because one team gets a large lead, the game doesn’t push players to fight, or even worse, the game’s design actually encourages these slow periods. Instead of consistently feeling tense and engaging, Highguard tends to offer brief bursts of fun followed by long waits for something interesting to occur. And simply gathering resources isn’t a compelling activity.

This isn’t just about the game feeling slow at times. It reveals a fundamental issue with how the game was designed. The different elements – abilities, maps, and goals – don’t quite fit together, as if they were created separately instead of as a connected experience. This makes the game feel disjointed and struggle to build excitement, even in modes meant to speed things up.

While the 5v5 mode does make the game easier to follow and more organized, mostly by giving players more things to do on the large maps, it can’t fix the core problem: the game lacks a natural pace. Good competitive games need a rhythm, where every choice feels like it’s driving the action. In Highguard, too often the game feels flat, like players have to create the excitement instead of the game providing it naturally.

Highguard Still Doesn’t Have a Character You Instantly Remember

Successful competitive games usually rely on memorable characters, and Overwatch had that in Tracer. Even before the game launched, players recognized her – her personality, appearance, voice, and how she played were instantly clear. She gave Overwatch a strong identity right away, before anyone even started playing. Essentially, she became the face of the game long before its release.

Highguard’s characters are functional, but ultimately forgettable. They rely on common character types without enough unique qualities to make them stand out. While character design is important, personality is key – players need to connect with characters on a deeper level. Unfortunately, Highguard’s characters lack distinct personalities, and none of them really grab your attention beyond how they play the game.

This is surprisingly important. Characters aren’t just how you move the story forward; they’re what make players connect emotionally. People will choose a game simply because they’re drawn to a particular character – maybe a quirky, winged woman, or a strong ape with a surprising intelligence. That connection is vital; it’s what makes players invested enough to really enjoy a game, keep playing with a favorite character, discuss it with others, and feel a sense of ownership. Without memorable characters, even a game with perfect gameplay can struggle to hold players’ attention in the long run.

The issue with Highguard’s characters isn’t that they’re poorly written; it’s that they feel bland and predictable. They seem created to simply meet requirements, rather than to stand out. In a game with many players, this is a fatal flaw. Players will remember characters who take risks, even if those risks don’t always pay off. They quickly forget characters who are just… competent but unremarkable.

The 5v5 mode doesn’t solve the problem of the game lacking memorable characters. Even improvements to the game’s structure won’t make players care about characters that don’t stand out. Without a central, iconic character, Highguard is having trouble establishing a unique identity and risks being just another team-based game in a crowded market.

Okay, so the new mode in Highguard? It’s actually really good! It gives the game some much-needed energy and clear direction. But honestly, playing it also made me realize how much more the game needs. The story feels a little rushed in places, and I just didn’t connect with the characters – those aren’t things a simple update can fix. I really think Highguard needs to figure out what it wants to be, both in terms of gameplay and the story it’s telling. Until it does that, no matter how cool a new mode is, it won’t be enough to solve the bigger issues.

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2026-02-08 02:10