Game profile
Dota 2
Two teams of five heroes engage in epic battles on a complex map with hundreds of possible item and ability combinations. The enormous depth makes the game demanding but also extremely rewarding.
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What kind of game this is
At its core this is MOBA / Strategy, set in a fantasy world. Visually it is deliberately stylised rather than photorealistic, and the overall tone stays dark throughout. The structure is guided rather than open, so you are moved along instead of dropped into a map. It rewards long uninterrupted stretches more than quick check-ins.
It is genuinely demanding, and repeated failure is part of how it is designed. There is no story to speak of, the systems carry everything. You can play it with others cooperatively or go head to head. It is available on one platform. Getting in costs nothing.
What stands out
- Enormous depth
- Complex item builds
- Legendary esports
This fits you if
- you want your skill measured against other people
- levelling, looting and optimising a build is your kind of loop
- you can sit down for a proper long stretch without interruptions
- cutscenes annoy you and you just want to play
- you want real resistance and are fine with dying a lot
- you have someone to play with
Look elsewhere if
- you want to relax and not be punished for mistakes
- you play mainly for narrative
- you want a game with a clear ending you can reach
- you only ever get short bursts of play time
How long is Dota 2?
This one has no finish line. It is built to be played for years, in whatever rhythm suits you.
How the rating ranks
Critics settled on 91 out of 100, which puts it above 91 percent of the 1276 games here and at rank 97 overall. That is a strong score, comfortably above what most releases manage.
For comparison, MOBA averages 79 points across the database, so this one sits 12 points above its own genre. The figure rests on 781 collected ratings.
Released in 2013, which makes it 13 years old. A genuine classic, and worth checking how the version you buy holds up today.
The facts
- Release year
- 2013
- Genres
- MOBA, Strategy, Action
- Playtime
- Endless game
- Difficulty
- Demanding, punishing
- Story weight
- None, pure gameplay
- Play with
- Co-op, Competitive
- Setting
- Fantasy
- Visual style
- Stylised
- Price bracket
- Free-to-play
- Platforms
- PC
- Critic rating
- 91 / 100
Direct comparison
| Genres | Release year | Playtime | Critic rating | Price bracket |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dota 2 | 2013 | Endless game | 91 | Free-to-play |
| League of Legends | 2009 | Endless game | 84 | Free-to-play |
| League of Legends: Wild Rift | 2020 | Endless game | 84 | Free-to-play |
| Heroes of the Storm | 2015 | Endless game | 86 | Free-to-play |
If you liked this, try these
- 84/100 League of Legends Shared: MOBA, Strategy, Fantasy
- 84/100 League of Legends: Wild Rift Shared: MOBA, Strategy, Fantasy
- 86/100 Heroes of the Storm Shared: MOBA, Strategy, Fantasy
- 84/100 Honor of Kings Shared: MOBA, Strategy, Fantasy
- 71/100 Pokémon Unite Shared: MOBA, Strategy, Fantasy
- 63/100 Mobile Legends: Bang Bang Shared: MOBA, Strategy, Fantasy