Cover artwork I generate from the game data. I do not use publisher artwork.
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 Strategy / MMO, set in a fantasy world. Visually it is going for realism, 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
What it costs you in time
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 90 percent of the 1206 games here and at rank 100 overall. That is a strong score, comfortably above what most releases manage.
For comparison, Strategy averages 82 points across the database, so this one sits 9 points above its own genre. The figure rests on 765 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
- Strategy, MMO
- Playtime
- Endless game
- Difficulty
- Demanding, punishing
- Story weight
- None, pure gameplay
- Play with
- Co-op, Competitive
- Setting
- Fantasy
- Visual style
- Realistic
- 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 |
| Legend of Ymir | 2025 | Endless game | 83 | Free-to-play |
| League of Legends | 2009 | Endless game | 84 | Free-to-play |
| EVE Online | 2003 | Endless game | 79 | Free-to-play |
If you liked this, try these
- Legend of Ymir Shared: Strategy, MMO, Fantasy
- League of Legends Shared: Strategy, MMO, Fantasy
- EVE Online Shared: Strategy, MMO
- Albion Online Shared: Strategy, MMO, Fantasy
- World of Tanks: Heat Shared: Strategy, MMO
- Smite 2 Shared: Strategy, MMO, Fantasy