I think Deadlock is pretty up there. That said, it's closer to Smite than it is a hero shooter. The community-driven character builds mean meta is pretty fluid and it has what I would describe as a very accessible MOBA-centered design. I don't care for MOBAs much, but to say Valve isn't innovating here would be disingenuous. I think my only problem with it is that it's lacking something that makes the gameplay loop feel satisfying, but that may just be my bias against MOBAs talking.
That said, it's closer to Smite than it is a hero shooter.
I haven't played Smite since it came out, but has it really changed that much that it's no longer a hero shooter? 🤨 It was like Overwatch, 2 years before Overwatch came out.
Hm... Maybe that's what I am thinking of. I know for sure that Smite is the reason Tribes: Ascend was left for dead, though, and that's reason enough to hate it.
It's been hilarious watching Overwatch take notes from Paladins, the "Overwatch clone", more and more lately. 5v5, hero builds, more of a brawly playstyle... OW2 at times feels like a blend between OW1 and Paladins.
Not only they copied the way Paladins works but some heroes too. Kiriko is just Io, even the fox theme is the same. Maui is Raum. Freja looks a lot like Cassie but at least the playstyle is different, the other two have the same playstyle