Overwatch 2 Genji guide: Abilities, tips & how to unlock

Overwatch 2 Genji guide: Abilities, tips & how to unlock
Images via Blizzard

Written by 

Chris Penwell

Last updated 

25th Jul 2024 12:44

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. Here's a rundown of his abilities as well as how to play him in the game.

Abilities explained

Genji abilities in Overwatch 2
Click to enlarge

Name Type Effect
Shuriken Primary and Secondary Fire Throw an accurate burst of 3 projectiles with the main attack, and throw a fan of 3 projectiles in an arc with the secondary
Cyber-Agility Hero Passive Climb on walls and double jump
Swift Strike Ability Rapidly dash forward and inflict damage on enemies. Eliminations reset the cooldown
Deflect Ability Deflect incoming projectiles towards the direction you are aiming and block melee attacks
Dragonblade Ultimate Unsheathe a deadly melee weapon
Role: Damage Role Passive Damaging an enemy temporarily reduces their healing received

Tips for playing Genji

Playing 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 enemies 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. 

Genji gameplay in Overwatch 2
Click to enlarge

You'll want to use the primary shuriken throw for the majority of the match as this will cause the most damage. However, the secondary fire is perfect for dealing with a weak enemy to take them out in one click.

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. 

With the ultimate, it's about the right timing. Sneaking in behind enemies or attacking opponents in small areas, like objectives, is the best way to make the most of it.

How to unlock Genji in Overwatch 2?

If 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.

Chris Penwell
About the author
Chris Penwell
Chris Penwell is an experienced video games journalist with a Bachelor in Communications. He loves to play narrative-focused games like Kingdom Hearts and Beyond Good & Evil.
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