A new Overwatch short is always something to look forward to. We've had a whole suite of shorts at this point; the beautifully cinematic "Dragons" exploring the relationship between Hanzo and Genji, the action-packed "Hero" focusing on Soldier 76, the incredibly poignant "The Last Bastion" teasing at our heartstrings, amongst other classics. And now, we have "Rise and Shine" starting off the new season of Overwatch animated short.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tjcm_kI0n0
Introduced at Gamescom, Overwatch's latest short expands on the backstory of community sweetheart and Chinese environmental scientist, Mei. The video shows her going into a cryogenically-induced hibernation state, alongside her team, and focuses on her reactions to awakening nine years later.
We shan't be spoiling too much - just go and watch it. It's right there, above all this text - but it's a beautiful piece. If you found yourself choking up at "The Last Bastion" you'll probably be in absolute pieces after watching Mei's ten-minute story. Also notable is the change in tone from previous videos - while all the previous shorts have starred members of the Overwatch roster who are obviously used to handling difficult situations, and are clearly cast comfortably in the role of hero or villain, "Rise and Shine" follows someone not used to handling serious situations by herself. Watching Mei work her way through her cycles of grief, surprise at the fate of Overwatch, and her eventual rise from the ashes as a more familiar, frost-slinging hero. And it's safe to say that there's more than one hero in this short. Now excuse me while I curl up under my desk and weep while thinking about it.
Aside from the excellent plot, we also see what will likely be a new outfit for Mei - if not more than one - as well as the usual host of easter eggs and subtle nods. Mei's Murky mug was particularly welcome.
If you've got a hankering to watch the rest of the Overwatch shorts after watching that, you can find the entire playlist on the PlayOverwatch YouTube channel. If you want to learn more about Mei, check out our Overwatch Character Highlight on the ice princess herself!
What did you think of the latest Overwatch short? Which character do you want to be covered in the next video? Let us know in the comments down below!
