Multiplayer online battle arenas(MOBAs) are continuing their domination on gaming. We are here to help you to differentiate them. LOL vs Dota 2 vs HOTS vs Smite: Which Is Your Pick?
Defining MOBAs:
Let us first get to know what MOBA is. Traditionally, they will involve two teams of 5 players. Each player gets to control a hero with unique abilities. These heroes battle on a map that includes three lanes, a jungle between the lanes, A.I. minions that march across those lanes, and turrets and other defenses which each team must destroy. You will win once you annihilate a giant structure in the middle of the opponent’s base. LOL vs Dota 2 vs HOTS vs Smite: Which Is Your Pick?
This genre actually began as a series of mods for Blizzard real-time strategy games Starcraft and Warcraft III. Defense Of The Ancients became the most popular in the genre at one time. Now let’s take a look at each of these games:
League Of Legends:
League Of Legends is one of the first standalone MOBAs. It has been able to transform the spirit of original mods into a free-to-play money-maker. It has faced sturdy competition over the years but, still can claim the No.1 spot.
League Of Legends took out some of the complexities of Defense Of The Ancients. The most notable of them being the capability of players to deny the other team experience and gold through killing their own minions. It kept on the tradition of adding new heroes and right now has a big roster of 126 heroes. It has added different maps and modes. This goes along with the traditional three-laned MOBA standard.
Dota 2:
While LOL may have made some changes from the Defense Of The Ancients, Dota 2 is the most faithful update of the original mod. It features the same mechanics and also most of the same heroes. It is the most technical compared to the other three. So, it may not be the best game to start playing MOBAs if you don’t have prior experience playing MOBAs.
Dota 2 is all about playing on the same field of 3 lanes between the two bases. But, develop Valve did recently allow the modding community to create custom games that use Dota 2’s assets.
Smite:
The biggest difference for Smite lies in the perspective. While most MOBAs have an isometric, top-down view, Smite is a third-person game. What does it do? Well, it allows for most abilities to require aiming. This ultimately makes the experience feel more frenzied and it will depend on the player’s skill. There’s another factor, while most MOBAs have a fantasy setting, Smite bases the playable characters after the gods from different mythologies.
Smite also has also come to consoles, with an Xbox One version currently in beta. The third-person experience will make a lot more sense for the controller than the traditional mouse-dependent top-down view.
LOL vs Dota 2 vs HOTS vs Smite: Which Is Your Pick?
Heroes of the Storm:
This is the newest kid on the block. Heroes of the Storm is the most casual of the MOBAs. Unlike the other three mentioned above, it doesn’t contain an in-game shop to buy items from. It also contains teams leveling up together. This helps the lesser experienced players from being quickly outclassed in a match.
One map has you collecting gold coins to turn into a ghost pirate, who then shoots cannons at the other team’s buildings once you meet its price. This only makes things interesting and different compared to other MOBAs.
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