|Release: July 9, 2013|
|Screen Resolution: 480p-1080p||Contains strong language from the game’s community, Blood and Violence, Comic Mischief|
Sadly, losing a game is the exact opposite: you feel like crap, which your teammates usually think you are. There’s no escaping the game’s (at times) incredibly toxic community, but Valve is taking all the right steps from day one. By commending my teammates for their good work (and them commending mine), I’ve noticed a severe drop-off in the flaming and verbal abuse. That’s not to say the system’s perfect; I’ve had games where people act completely stupid in terms of how they play, but that’s an issue with every game.
Despite being a full launch, the game could use some work in other areas. There are still a few heroes that need to be brought over (people are clamoring for Techies to make their debut), and the game lacks a sense of personality (the gray-ish color scheme combined with the classic-but-generic announcer doesn’t entertain me in a way that the over-the-top announcers and vibrant colors in Heroes of Newerth do). To be honest, I’m just nitpicking here. I’ll get used to the art style (I hope), and I can always mod in announcers (NBA Jam, here I come).
Dota 2 isn’t for the faint of heart. It isn’t for everyone. But if you play MOBAs, then it is for you. This is the game in the genre you need to play. If you don’t believe me, then consider this: There’s a reason why the community has crowd-funded a total of $900,000-plus to the prize pool for The International 3.
Don’t just take my word for it, take their word too.
Date: July 19, 2013