5 Best Overwatch Archives Skins So Far

Overwatch Archives is an event that fans look forward to, and every year they add new skins and other cosmetics. Here are five skins from the event you should definitely check out. Some even include hidden bits of lore from the game that fleshes out our favorite heroes.

Aviator Pharah

Since Pharah has a simple kit, it is difficult to change a lot without taking away her iconic equipment. In the Aviator skin, she gets glasses and an overall casual look that is in character with her. The description also mentions that she was "hand-picked by Helix" after a meritorious career in the Egyptian Armed Forces.

Soldier: 24 Reaper

Seeing Reaper without his mask is always fascinating as we get to get a glimpse of what he was like in the past, and the Soldier: 24 skin further enhances that. A lighter palette, with neutral military hues, makes for a great fit that still fits the silhouette made by the coat. Not to mention that we also get a small bit of information about Gabriel Reyes, since this was before he was even in the original Overwatch Strike Team.

Combat Medic Ziegler Mercy

The best way this skin can be described is it has even more "medic vibes" than Mercy's original skin, with syringes scattered all over her outfit (and the staff one should deal extra damage.) Who has a syringe in their pistol? Mercy apparently, who has a medical bayonet now. In her Valkyrie Swift-Response Suit, Mercy would participate in Overwatch missions and players get a great glimpse of this during the Overwatch Uprising missions.

Talon Widowmaker

Widowmaker did not always have that purple tone of skin she is known for, and this outfit highlighting her beginning at Talon shows what she looked like sometime after killing her husband, Gerard. It is interesting to note that her iconic ponytail is shorter now, and her rifle has the symbol of talon (and some nice red highlights against the white.) Seeing how Widow started out while knowing what she looks like in the "present" is a great concept for an unlockable skin.

Blackwatch Genji

Black shuriken with red highlights, a katana with a hilt that resembles a Sith lightsaber, and the overall cyborg look that Genji has going on in this skin is amazing. According to the description, this is what he looks like after agreeing to help Blackwatch, and receiving a lot of upgrades from Overwatch's cyberneticists. The skin shows a balance of Genji retaining part of his past (and flesh) while still having the robotic enhancements due to his injuries.

In no particular order, those are five of the best skins that have come out of the Overwatch Archives events. Every skin had something unique about it, but these are the ones we felt brought an interesting visual addition to the hero and highlighted some of their lore.