The Oasis map that was announced at last year’s Blizzcon has just been officially released on the PlayStation 4, Windows PC and Xbox One as part of a game update. We’ve been fooling around the map and testing out different characters to give you some strategic advice on how to play this new map.

Oasis is a Control map ike Nepal, Ilios or Lijiang Tower. As a result, there are actually three distinct sections to this map. Set in a futuristic city in the middle of the Arabian Desert. It was founded by scientists looking to push the boundaries of their craft beyond regulatory limits. It was created as a testament to the ingenuity of humans, turning a desert into an advanced metropolis.

Here’s Blizzard’s official description of Oasis:

Researchers and academics from around the region came together to found a city dedicated to scientific progress without restraints — a monument to human ingenuity and invention. The city and its inhabitants are governed by the Ministries, a collection of brilliant minds who possess many secrets that have attracted the interest of powerful organizations from around the world.

The map features three unique control points. Overwatch‘s first jump pads, which allows you to get high up to strategic locations that are located near capture points. As well as some very hazardous traffic.

Oasis: City Center

Watch out for environmental hazards. The city centre is the most open area of Oasis. Although because of the traffic racing around, you’ll need to pay very close attention to your positioning. Where you’re heading towards and who might risk nudging you towards certain death. Think Roadhog and Lucio.

It’s also the single section of Oasis that features a jump-pad, allowing you to reach a position of greater height rapidly. The jump pad is located directly away from the central control point. Look for the directional arrows to find the actual entrance point to the pad. This jump pad takes you to a balcony which provides excellent sniping opportunities.

Using the jump pad will take you quite high above the control point. A great position for mid-ranged heroes like Soldier: 76 or McCree. It’s also a great jumping off point to unleash a devastating Ultimate from above.

Okay, so important things to note.

• – Getting hit by a car spells instant death
• – Each spawning room has a semi-circular pit right outside of it. Watch out for pushers.
• – The flanking path forwards will make you vulnerable to the cars on the road as you exit the corridors. Watch out for characters with pushback abilities or Mei that could keep you stuck on the road.
• – The control point provides a lot of cover from the inside. Reducing the effectiveness of AoE based ultimates such as Lucio or Reinhardt.

Oasis: Gardens

This section of the map is a real flanker’s delight with side passages having side passages of their own which you can use to launch any number of surprise attacks from. It’s a pretty small and unremarkable part of the new map all things considered, with all those corridors and entry points reminding us a little bit of Temple of Anubis Control Point B.

• – Break left or right as you approach the control point and you’ll find stairs which lead you up towards a mid-level location. These stairs take you directly to a balcony area that’s great for providing a secondary assault on the controlling team.
• – Unlike the underground section of University you can actually capture the control point from this higher elevation. Expect team fights to move constantly between these upper and lower levels.
• – The amount of high walls and tunnels leading to the control point make it fair game for Reaper, Pharah and Junkrat. Letting the small space increase the amount of splash damage.
• – Directly opposite the jutting out part of the balcony is a great spoint for a sniper to hang out, or for a Genji to clamber through. If you can use this as a launching-off point for your Ultimate, you’re going to have a very good time indeed.
• – Try and control the higher ground with Tracer and D.Va.

Oasis: University

Similar to the control centre of Lijian Tower. On this part of the map you’ll find a central, circular hub representing the control point.

You can approach it a number of ways:

• – With a charge down the middle of the map through the university rooms
• – By flanking left or right down corridors
• – Or by going underground

If you’ve missed the underground entrance it’s just as you approach the control point. There are a set of stairs that lead down to a network of underground tunnels. Accessible to either side of the map.

These tunnels lead towards a circular section that sits directly underneath the capture point. From here, you can make your way back up top and pinch the control point from the enemy. There’s also a big health pack in the centre. Good for D.Vas or Pharah to jump in and out.

Note that you cannot actually capture the control point while you are in this lower section. You must be up on the correct level to trigger the capture process. The amount of small paths around the map make it ideal for Genji, Sombra, Reaper and other sneaky close-ranged heroes.

We’ll keep playing but let us know if you have any more tips for the Oasis map in the comments below!