Overwatch Archives Retribution Challenge Missions tips and tricks

Overwatch’s Archive event has advanced into its second week, and Blizzard has unlocked the next round of brand new challenge missions.

Like the first weekend’s missions, there are two brand new versions of the Retribution to play through. Both versions don’t necessarily change the way the mission is played, but instead, affect how you play the mission. Here are some quick tips on how best to beat both missions.

Related: Overwatch Archives Uprising Challenge Missions tips and tricks

Surgical Strike

Surgical Strike sees you play through Retribution, where the only damage you can output is through critical shots (headshots). This is important to note because not only does this make most ultimates and damage abilities completely useless in this mode, some heroes are not even playable since they cannot perform regular critical damage.

The heroes available in Surgical Strike are D.Va, Orisa, Roadhog, Wrecking Ball, Ashe, Genji, Hanzo, McCree, Mei, Reaper, Soldier 76, Sombra, Torbjorn, Tracer, Widowmaker, Baptiste, Lucio, Mercy, and Zenyatta. Of these heroes, Orisa, Ashe, Hanzo, McCree, Soldier, Widowmaker, Baptise, Lucio, Mercy, and Zenyatta are recommended for success because of their abilities to either put out consistent headshot damage or their support uses in the cases of Lucio and Mercy.

Of all of these heroes, only Hanzo can put out damage while using his ability Storm Arrow. His ultimate is the only one that can deal critical damage, but that is only when the arrow is shot out, the dragons themselves will do nothing. Your team is going to need some sharpshooters to pass this challenge. Aim for the red helmets on Talon soldiers while keeping your teammates alive, and you will beat it.

On the side of heroes not recommended for Surgical Strike, avoid using Torbjorn, Mei, Genji, and Wrecking Ball at all costs. Torbjorn’s turret will not have any effect on enemies here, nor will any of Mei’s freezing abilities. Genji and Wrecking Ball also rely too much on their movement abilities to be useful in a mission where only headshots get rid of enemies.

Close Quarters

Close Quarters brings back the entire roster to be playable in a mode that sees enemies only take damage when someone on your team is close enough. You will know when Talon soldiers can take damage, as they will no longer have a yellow glow to them like they are standing in one of Baptiste’s Immortality Fields.

Heroes recommended for this mode include, D.Va, Reinhardt, Reaper, Genji, Briggite, Lucio, and Tracer. You want heroes that can get in close during a battle and survive. Reinhardt, Reaper, and Briggite should be picked almost every single time because of their abilities to put out damage close and heal themselves/others in the cases of Reaper and Brig. Use Reaper and D.Va/Genji to dive snipers. While the sniper and grapple away sometimes, they don’t have much of a fighting chance against these heroes jumping on them.

Heroes to stay away from in Close Quarters include Bastion, Torbjorn, Soldier 76, Widowmaker, Hanzo, Zenyatta, Orisa, Ashe, and Moira. While these heroes can put damage from a distance, it will require your teammates to be in the fight already, which in turn will severely minimize your output and overall your usefulness in the mission.