Overwatch 2 Genji Guide: Abilities, Tips, How To Unlock
The master of stealth and acrobatics Genji is one of the best assault picks in Overwatch 2. With his extraordinary traversal skills and powerful ultimate, this Japanese fighter is one to watch in Overwatch 2. Here's how to play as Genji and an explanation of how each of his abilities operates in Overwatch 2.
- Do you prefer to play as a tank? Check out our Doomfist guide.
Overwatch 2 Genji Guide: Abilities
Click to enlargeGenji has a wide range of abilities to cause damage and defend his low HP from deteriorating like his Shuriken and deflect ability. Here are all of the abilities at Genji's disposal:
Shuriken
- Type: Primary and Secondary
- Effect: Genji has two different ways he can throw his shuriken. The first is a direct burst of three projectiles that are thrown forwards. If they each hit, they will cause a lot of damage to your opponent, especially if they hit the head. However, if you're struggling to get a hit with any of these shurikens due to how narrow the primary attack is, the secondary shuriken move throws them into an arc instead. They cover a wider area but cause less damage.
Dragonblade
- Type: Ultimate
- Effect: When Genji's Dragonblade is unsheathed, the opposing team should be running for their lives. It can cause significant damage when struck and can decimate a team in no time flat, especially if Genji is boosted by Ana's ultimate. Genji's running speed is increased as he strikes his opponents with this mighty blade.
Deflect
- Type: Ability
- Effect: For a few seconds, this ability allows Genji to deflect projectiles like rockets and bullets back to the original user. You can also block melee attacks like Reinhardt's devastating hammer swings.
Swift Strike
- Type: Ability
- Effect: With this speedy move, Genji strikes forward as he dashes, causing damage to the foe. If you manage to eliminate a hero with this attack, the cooldown will reset and you can use it again straight away. The Swift Strike can also be used to get away from a situation quickly.
Cyber-Agility
- Type: Passive
- Effect: Genji can climb walls and double jump in the air, making him very acrobatic.
With all these incredibly useful abilities, Genji is easily one of the best damage heroes in Overwatch 2.
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Overwatch 2 Genji Guide: Early Tips
Click to enlargePlaying as Genji is high-energy and can be stress-inducing. Before jumping into competitive, make sure you really have his movements and aim down to a tea. While using his shurikens, for example, make sure you're getting as close to the head as possible and perhaps aim a little to the right for the time between shooting the shurikens and the impact.
Use Genji's agility to your advantage. Use the double jump as you're aiming to make it harder for them to aim at you. Also, utilize the wall running to get to higher-up areas. You can focus on snipers like Widowmaker or healers such as Mercy with the wall run and take out the back side of the enemy team's attacking form.
You'll want to use the primary shuriken throw for the majority of the match as this will cause the most damage. However, if you're struggling to hit an enemy and they're weak, the secondary fire's arc is a perfect way to guarantee the kill.
Don't waste your deflect if you can help it. You'll want to save it for high-pressure situations like taking Soldier 76's Tactical Visor ultimate, Tracer's snappy barrage of fire, or Pharah's rocket barrage. If there is a lot of firepower heading your way, the deflect would also be useful in that situation; perhaps you could even take out a few foes by deflecting their shots correctly.
- You can get rewards by watching Overwatch 2 streamers on Twitch. Here's how.
How To Unlock Genji
Click to enlargeIf you've played the original Overwatch before and use the same account for Overwatch 2, Genji should already be unlocked in the roster. However, if you've never played Overwatch before, Genji can be easily unlocked by finishing just one game. You can also get Genji by purchasing the Watchpoint Pack, which comes with all characters, the Season 1 Battle Pass, and 2,000 Overwatch Coins.
For more Overwatch 2 guides, keep reading GGRecon.