DOTA 2: First Impressions

G4m3rFr34k is beyond GODLIKE. Someone KILL HIM!!!!!

Who doesn't know the epic, jaw-dropping moba DotA 2?
Almost every creature in the known universe knows DotA 2 (maybe i'm a bit too overreacting here xP).

Defense of the Ancients a.k.a. DotA is known for its fun, uniquely created moba gameplay. It's been known by the Gaming society all around the world thanks to IceFrog, the founder of the game.

The first DotA game was just a map mod for Warcraft III. So in order to play the game, you need to own Warcraft III (of course, *sigh). Since the release, the mod had received a plenty of positive reactions over gamers widely, and IceFrog keep updating the game by delivering new heroes, game modes, items, abilities, etc. And that's how a single mod became such a big title as we know now, DotA.
Later, the well-known developer and publisher of the legendary Half-Life franchise, Valve teaming up with IceFrog to make a sequel of DotA, known as DotA 2.
And this is where we start to discuss about this epic game.

At first, DotA 2 entered a beta phase where only a few selected(or can be considered lucky) players can play the game by using DotA 2 Beta key. And now, the beta is over and the game can be downloaded for free via steam here.
Next, we'll talk about the features inside the game.

The first aspect is Gameplay, the gameplay of DotA 2 is exactly the same as the first installment. But there's a minor changes made in DotA 2, such as all-in-one shop(so the players won't have to move from a shop to another, just press F4 and the catalogue will show up instantly), matchmaking, party, etc. Other than that, the core gameplay doesn't change to make sure the first DotA players can play DotA 2 easily.

The second aspect is the interface, this is where the major changes occured in DotA 2. Valve really change a LOT of this aspect from its predecessor, a huge modification from main menu, to in-game HUD really makes a brand-new DotA style. The main menu is quiet simple and minimalist. The in-game HUD is easy to understand (but sometimes it's a bit confusing for DotA 1 players). The graphics is also a brand new, it makes the game more adorable, immersive, and addicting.

And last, is the controls, the controls of DotA 2 really shaped up a bit easier and accessible, espicially for begineers. Also, the hardcore one can find no problem playing the game.

So, I'm listing some of the key features while I play the game(I only play the game about 30 hours). Here are some key features I get from the game :

• Everything is exactly the same as DotA 1, except for shops, buildings, skins, heroes, and environments.
• The game's graphics changes significantly from DotA 1.
• The game's mechanics are same as DotA 1.
• The new game's interface looks really cool and easier to understand.

That's it guys, I hope you enjoyed my review. And.. happy gaming! :D

Edit: Here's the screenshots of an early game in both Dota 1 and 2, for comparison (Ctrl+LeftClick to gain a better view) :