Dota 2 - 10 Reasons Why the Transition was a Bad Experience for Me + mini-Review

I'm sure the word Dota is no stranger to anyone who's been into an internet cafe, or owns a computer. But today I'm not gonna talk much, just a little about Dota 2 - a standalone sequel to the immensely popular Warcraft III mod, Defence of The Ancients.

IGN's Video Review:


Gamespot's Video Review:


So this game has been around for quite some time, I received my beta invite like 1.5 years ago, I still remember it like it was yesterday, sounds like a cliché i know, but it's the truth. And I still have my e-mail kept, I looked it up in my Steam inbox, and Voila! The date says June 23rd, so 1.5years sound about right. Screenshot below:

My Dota 2 Beta Invite

I was overjoyed when I received this cuz I was the first among my friends to be able to play this. So I played my first match of Co-op versus AI, and I didn't like choosing heroes so I randomed Invoker.Then I was like sh*t, i can't remember the invoke list, but you know what? I'm just gonna go with this cuz I want the extra gold. Nonetheless, it was definitely a bad experience at first cuz:

1. I had stopped playing Dota 1 for some time, skills were very rusty
2. Even in the original, I wasn't a very good Invoker player
3. I didn't know how to check the invoke list
4. Vastly different AI behaviour
5. We used to buy by left-clicking, then it was switched to right clicking
6. Searching for items was a pain in the ass at first
7. Different interface, icons, character models
8. Glyph of Fortification and Creep Kills/Denies were nowhere to be found until I noticed my bottom right
9. A minor one - the original's 'Sentinel vs Scourge' had become 'Radiant vs Dire'
10. The overworld map was darker overall, where the original was brigther; the map in the UI felt smaller too

Offline Mode Home Screen: I was selecting my AI difficulty here, as you can see, Unfair is the hardest as of now.

Hero Selection Screen V1: This is what I'd like to call - The Horizontal View, which I prefer less, but you do get to see the detailed facial animations of the heroes that we have all come to know and love.

Hero Selection Screen V2: This is the Grid View, where it's easier to select heroes based on availability, and type(S,A,I), the one I prefer.

Post-game Stats: My first ever perfect run against the Unfair AI, with no deaths and 26 kills. (Just only finished this match at 9pm Novermber 12th)

Even so, the change isn't so bad once you get used to it, and in fact, the change is for the better. The slicker GUI, the superb graphics, the sound design, item search and organisation - everything just looks and feel better. And I must say, I've already gotten to the point where I cannot, and won't ever wanna get back to the Warcraft original!!

I'm not trying to write a review here but I'll outline Dota 2's strengths and weaknesses:

+FREE to play

+Sleek, User-friendly GUI

+Excellent sound design (from the 'Zap' of Zeus' Thundergod's Wrath to the very familiar 'Mmmmooonster Kill')

Thundergod's Wrath: In an early version of the game, a well-timed screenshot showcasing the lightning bolts summoned by Zeus when his Ultimate is activated.

+Much better graphics and customization (Shadows, Anti-Aliasing, Ambient Occlusion, Texture, Post-processing.. you name it)

+Customizable hotkeys

+Instant gratification

+Constant updates significantly reduce bugs
+Highly balanced

+Steam workshop
+Infinite replay value
+Well-developed and has matured compared to other MOBAs like HON and LOL
+Highly entertaining and enjoyable when played with or against group of friends
+Reworked names such as Outworld Devourer from the original Obsidian Destroyer

-Updates can take you quite some time if you don't have a decent internet connection

-Requires internet to play LAN, which defeats the purpose of it (the LAN is currently only developed for the purpose of tournaments)

-The infamous item purchase bug
-VERY steep learning curve
-Complexity tends to push newcomers away

-Relatively high PC requirements compared to LOL and the original

-Hero roster still lack some heroes like Terrorblade

-Like all online games, some users are just jackasses

Utter Chaos: Sometimes there are just so many things happening on-screen that it's hard to keep track of them - until you die, of course, like the Undying here, no pun intended.

Closing Comments:
If you are a busy person and only play games for instant gratification, then look no further, Dota 2 is for you!! If you are looking for a competitive game with depth, strategy and challenge, look no further too, Dota 2 will suck you up!! If you like to play games with story, then of course MOBA games are not for you.

Simply put, Dota itself has a universal appeal, and can be very addictive. I've seen people who have put in >500hrs in it, than's more than the amount of time I spend in my Pokemon and Monster Hunter!! So it's Insanely addictive, and players must exercise caution and self-restraint not to overindulge in it.

Dota 2 is a well-polished, constantly updated, balanced and addictive MOBA game. Its visual aesthetics, combined with the superb sound design and distinctive heroes, have all made Dota 2 the sequel that we all deserve, and love.

Score: 9.0 Amazing