Dota 2
- July 9, 2013
- Valve
- 675h median play time
Dota 2 is an ocean-deep pool of rewarding nuance and strategy, but it will drown newcomers.
Get on SteamDota 2 is a popular multiplayer online battle arena game. Players choose from a roster of heroes, each with unique abilities, and work together to destroy the enemy team's base. Matches require strategy, teamwork, and quick decision-making, with a strong emphasis on player skill and mastery.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- Dota 2 offers a dynamic and engaging gameplay experience with a vast roster of heroes and strategies.
- The game has a strong community and competitive scene, providing opportunities for players to improve and connect with others.
- Regular updates and new content keep the game fresh and exciting for long-time players.
- The community can be extremely toxic, with rampant insults and negativity directed at players, especially newcomers.
- The matchmaking system is often criticized for being unbalanced, leading to frustrating experiences for players of all skill levels.
- The steep learning curve can be overwhelming for new players, making it difficult to enjoy the game without prior experience.
- gameplay65 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Dota 2 is characterized as dynamic, engaging, and complex, requiring significant time investment to master its intricate mechanics and strategies. While many players appreciate the depth and rewarding nature of the gameplay, they also highlight issues such as a toxic community, repetitive hero selection, and significant changes in core mechanics that have polarized the player base. Overall, Dota 2 offers a unique and challenging experience, but it demands patience and resilience from its players.
“Gameplay is dynamic, engaging, and rewarding once you get the hang of it.”
“Dota has always been the epitome of hyper-competitive cooperative gameplay, with a high emphasis on individual skill and decision-making at all phases of the game, especially in punishing poor decisions.”
“Overall, Dota 2 has created its own gameplay that sets it apart by miles from all other games.”
“Terrible game all in all just bad gameplay, glitchy bugs, and everything is just trash.”
“No action, way too long games, only one map, very repetitive, ugly graphics, slow pace of the game, no comeback mechanics... playing it feels like I am back in the 90's.”
“Getting into Dota 2 means committing time to learning a game whose mechanics have been designed with complexity rather than accessibility in mind.”
- graphics35 mentions
- 74 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game receive positive feedback, with many users praising their quality, vibrant colors, and character designs. However, some players note inconsistencies in animations and express disappointment with certain graphical elements, describing them as outdated or bland. Despite these criticisms, the game's visuals are often highlighted as a strong point, contributing to an enjoyable gaming experience.
“A game with some fabulously spectacular characters and nice graphics, though some heroes lack good animations.”
“Great graphics, great gameplay, a better community than other MOBA games.”
“The graphics are amazingly colorful to the eye.”
“The tower aggro seems to have no rhyme or reason, and when you start taking tower damage, the tower seems to gain infinite range. Champions who are melee seem to have ranged attacks, the graphics are poor and the game is just bland.”
“No action, way too long games, only one map, very repetitive, ugly graphics, slow pace of the game, no comeback mechanics... playing it feels like I am back in the 90's.”
“[lacking varied game modes, dated graphics, non-integrated lore.]”
- humor19 mentions
- 95 % positive mentions
- -11 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is often described as a mix of absurdity and camaraderie, with players finding amusement in the game's quirks, glitches, and the chaotic nature of multiplayer interactions. Many reviews highlight the enjoyment derived from playing with friends, where laughter and lighthearted banter can turn frustrating moments into funny experiences. However, some players also note that the humor can be overshadowed by issues like matchmaking and gameplay balance, leading to a blend of hilarity and frustration.
“But overall this gameplay is unique and funny.”
“This game is so funny, and can make you happy.”
“I love this game since Dota 1, it's funny when you play it with your friends.”
“Not funny, did not laugh.”
“The jokes fell flat and felt forced.”
“I expected more humor, but it was mostly cringeworthy.”
- story9 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 22 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is not its primary focus, as it is primarily a competitive 5v5 experience; however, players appreciate the deep lore and backstories of the over 100 heroes, which add richness to the gameplay. Each hero and item features interesting narratives that enhance the overall experience, making the game feel more immersive despite its competitive nature.
“Deep and interesting character/hero storyline.”
“The heroes are very well made and have very interesting lore and backstory.”
“Dota 2 is not a story game, but it is a game that looks like one.”
“If they were stricter on these rules, it would be a different story.”
- grinding7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of Dota 2 to be both addictive and overwhelming, with a steep learning curve that can lead to frustration, especially for those struggling with farming mechanics. While the initial experience can be enjoyable, many feel that after extensive playtime, the grind becomes tedious and can lead to team disputes and a sense of burnout. The complexity of various systems related to farming adds to the challenge, making it a polarizing element of the game.
“If you are bad at farming, there is no way to make up for it.”
“Farming can be abused to neglect the team or cause team disputes.”
“Dota 2 is ultimately a game of grinding, and after more than 200 hours, it feels like a grind with no end in sight.”
- emotional5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players describe the game as an emotional rollercoaster that can evoke significant distress, prompting introspection about life choices. While it offers a fun and wholesome escape from reality, some recommend muting teammates to maintain emotional stability during gameplay. Overall, it serves as a form of entertainment that can help alleviate feelings of boredom or emotional turmoil.
“Strap in, folks, because this rollercoaster of emotional distress is about to make you question your life choices.”
“Although this game doesn't yield any financial profit for me 'explicitly', it serves as entertainment when I need to unwind from moral boredom or find myself in a bad emotional state while playing RPG or ARPG games.”
“Emotional game”
- stability4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The stability of the new Steam UI has been criticized for being buggy and visually unappealing, particularly at 1920x1080 resolution. While the game itself is generally glitch-free and well-supported with updates, users report issues with new patches causing glitches, freezing menus, and problems with certain features not functioning properly.
“Nice game, no glitches, lots of updates, balanced, and free - the microtransactions are vanity or cosmetic items.”
“I just can't stand this new Steam UI; it's way too buggy for 2023 standards, and it looks terrible on a 1920x1080 display (probably not tested at the shop).”
“I just wish that there weren't so many glitches in the new patches, like sets not showing and not being able to use the compendium, etc.”
“My game and menu freeze, but the sound is still on. Is there any solution?”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game boasts strong replayability, keeping players engaged and eager for more, though some users suggest that its appeal may diminish after extensive play, with a maximum of around 400 hours.
“The replayability factor of this game is impressive, as it keeps you engaged and wanting to play more.”
“It has some replay value; I can't imagine playing this game for longer than 400 hours, tops.”
“Has some replay value, but I can't imagine playing this game for longer than 400 hours at most.”
“The game feels repetitive after a few playthroughs, lacking the depth to keep me engaged.”
“While there are different paths to explore, the core gameplay doesn't change enough to warrant multiple runs.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization system has faced criticism for its limitations, particularly regarding the inability to purchase the battle pass on Mac devices. Additionally, there are concerns about the prevalence of solicitation and various forms of unofficial transactions within the game's community.
“Can't buy the battle pass through in-game purchases on a Mac.”
“The monetization system feels like soliciting, begging, and auctioning for basic content.”
