5 Reasons Why Dota is Better Than Heroes of the Storm

I'll be honest, I wrote the 5 Reasons Why Heroes of the Storm is Better Than Dota 2 without actually planning to make a list on the other side of the coin. It was only at the end of the post did I realize that having made the first list, another one would have to be made. The reason a list on why Dota is better than Hots would be hard was because I hated some mechanics that made Dota, Dota.

So a disclaimer is in order:

Although I still stand by my thoughts about Dota on my first post here, mechanics like gold and items have such a huge potential to be exploited when the playing field is uneven but become interesting tools for a turnaround in official league games. You will find me contradicting myself a lot as you read on and please keep this in mind while doing so, I find that those mechanics are unfriendly towards newcomers and have the chance to be exploited, hence I find that the game is better off without those mechanics to begin with. However after having played Dota for quite sometime, you see the potential of having those mechanics and I am a huge advocate for games that reward players for their experience, giving experienced players an added edge over less experienced players should they ever compete. Is it fair? I don't think so, but is it exciting to watch? It is when the playing field is fair. And having gotten those things out of the way, now on to the list~

1. Gold and Items

Hahaha, way to start the list, but hear me out. Gold gain plays a huge role in Dota 2, to the point you can never win against an opponent if you do not master the techniques of acquiring gold faster than your opposing team, ultimately giving you an advantage in team fights which will lead to you winning the game. The reason why gold is important because it allows you to purchase items, which can improve your hero is a variety of ways, from increasing their overall stats making them stronger, to even giving them access to a new ability provided by the item itself. The potential this gives you is massive, allowing you to go for an endless amount of combinations. Items also allow players to break the mold of a hero, allowing you to build your hero up to any role in game. Have you ever heard of a carry Crystal Maiden? Nope. But is it possible? Yes, through intense hardship. (Trust me, I've tried it)
Heroes of the Storm allows for different builds but not to the extent of Dota with the help of items. It just shows you know, just like the real world, gold can get you anywhere. (ughhh)

FEAR THIS FACE!!! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!!!

The opportunities don't stop there, you can use items to make up for what your hero lacks, like I bought a Drum of Endurance and Sange and Yasha for Crystal Maiden when I was attempting to carry with her because of her low speed and low health which those two both provided. Then it was all damage and I got quite far but she still couldn't compete with those agility carries.

The huge array of items makes for some very fun experimentation when you want to switch up your build so it caters for those who want to play long term.

2. Map and Lane Control
Remember when I said I like games that reward experienced players? Well Dota has a bevy of layers for you to master, each giving you more control over the game. From creep farming, to creep stacking to wards, to creep blocking and so on. And that's just scratching the surface, there are denies and last hits, and experience gain. All encourage teamwork and huge coordination from your team, bringing your team closer to victory should you succeed. Creep camps are monsters or mercenaries (otherwise known as creeps) that have no allegiance in the battle, but ones you can slay to obtain gold, stacking those camps allow more creeps to appear, allowing you to amass more gold in a short period of time. The opposing team can counter this by blocking the camp, the game is programmed to spawn a new set of creeps should the existing area not have any, and hence placing an object in the vicinity prevents a new set from spawning.

The camp can be blocked if you place a ward within its area

You can use wards to increase your vision of the map, allowing you to scout enemy movements, you can deny your creeps (an act of delivering the last blow to your friendly creeps, denying them of the gold reward) and last hit (amassing gold faster with the rewarded gold) and the list goes on. Dota has a huge learning curve and that curve rewards experienced players, keeping them hooked on the game as they try to master other mechanics of the game.

TRUTH

I haven't even touched the surface, the list goes deeper from creep timing to even map manipulation, Dota gives its hardcore players plenty of features to delve into and master, justifying the reason why it is such a popular game in the competitive scene and how it got so popular given the fact its still a relatively new game.

3. Hero Selection
Dota has a wide variety of different heroes to choose from, a list that spans more than 95 individually distinct heroes with their own set of skills and abilities. Not to mention their own weaknesses and combos that go along with other heroes on the list. With such an expansive list, the possibilities of hero matching and team building in game are endless, with different combos and combinations leading to very interesting team fights. And Dota has its fair share of mind blowing gameplay and teamwork, a wonder to witness when you see each spell being followed up with another, ultimately killing all the heroes on the opposing team. The scene is a spectacle to see and the result is a wonderful game with a huge opportunity in the competitive arena due to its entertainment value.

A few examples~

Wait... you know what, I'm just gonna show you some videos, courtesy of DotaCinema, you can check out their channel on YouTube, it's quite cool!

If you're thinking like, wait, Faruq, did you like watch a playlist of all the Symphony of Skills just to make this post? Well, yes. Yes I did (I had fun so can't complain)

Another thing I'd like to add is that Dota's list of heroes are completely unique in the sense that those heroes exist simply because Dota exists, and you get unique and lovable characters with their own backstory and relationship with other heroes in the game. Heroes of the Storm relies on creating a medium for different characters from Blizzard games to come together which I admit has its merits but just as how Overwatch was a huge success because of its new and interesting characters, Dota benefits by doing the same.

The kind of heroes you get are completely varied, some have a sense of humour, others are serious, with many of them sporting even different accents, giving you hints of where the hero might originate from. Their dialogue in game also expresses this, from how they reply to you as you give them commands to how the interact with other heroes, Dota shows the connections between heroes and their personalities vibrantly and it adds to the world of the game.

The List of Heroes in Dota, which could be complete or incomplete, depending on when you read this

4.Tone of the Game

You can tell a lot about what the creators of the game have in mind on what they wish for their game by the tone of the game, which from Dota I'm kinda feeling it's a friendly competitive game. All this from the way the heroes talk in puns based on their backgrounds, abilities and overall nature, the way heroes have their own attitude (some cheerful, others despising humanity completely) to the art direction of the game, which is sort of cartoony but not to the extent that the game looks childish. It shows that the game creators know that it is a competitive game (one that can be overly competitive mind you) and wish to remind its players that it's all for the sake of friendly competition.

Heroes are colourful and decorated, further emphasizing the heroes' background and the game's lighthearted intention.

Windrunner, my favourite hero

Yunero, the Juggernaut

Lanaya, the Templar Assassin

Sven, the Rogue Knight

Axe... the Axe?

Rylai, the Crystal Maiden

Heroes of the Storm tries to be, but the game doesn't seem to compliment the direction they're going for (which is lighthearted friendly competition), most of the heroes come from very serious games, so trying to do so sometimes leads to scary results.

These are all skins available in game *shudders* (I even made the pictures smaller so you don't have to look at them as long)

WHYYYYYYY

Speaking of skins...

5. Open Creation for the Fans from the Fans

Skins are custom items you can equip to the hero you're using in game to somewhat change the appearance of the hero. It might seem very trivial, but giving you the option to customize the hero to your liking, to your own individual taste has a huge impact on keeping a person invested in the game. And it clearly pays cause skins are how Dota is actually making profit, the game being completely free. In fact, most games allow their users some sort of customizability, Dota takes this a step further by allowing fans to create their very own skins for heroes in game, leading to some of the most beautiful skins in game I have ever seen. Most of the best skins aren't even made by the creators of Dota, Valve but are from the community.

Yeay community!

It just goes to show, sometimes you just have to leave it up to the fans, especially in creative stuff, the world is filled with creative people so don't limit it to the people you have in your office, Blizzard!

Here are a few of my favourite skins~

The Aria of the Wild Wind Set for Windrunner (Yes, it's windrunner and that'll never change)

The Deadly Nightshade Set for Templar Assassin (one of my favourite heroes but also one that I play the worst at)

The Acolyte of Vengeance Set for Anti-Mage (Another hero I'm bad at but dat hood though)

As I said earlier, I play both games and I like both of them but that isn't to say that they don't have their own ups and downs. It just comes to show that you can like something and acknowledge its flaws. That being said, I hope you have a wonderful new year and.....

HAVE FUN PLAYING GAMES!!! =D))  (geddit, cause it looks like a double chin?)