League of Legends

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–PUBLISHER: Riot Games | DEVELOPER: Riot Games | GENRE: MOBA –THEME: Fantasy | PLATFORM: Download | STATUS: Final

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League of Legends is one of the finest examples of the Defense of the Ancients (DotA) subgenre, developer Riot Games claiming that over 15 million players are registered in the game (data from July 2011). Fans of this fast-paced blend of action, strategy and MMORPG may find other free-to-play MMO alternatives in names such as DOTA 2, Realm of the Titans and Heroes of Newerth.

The Defense of the Ancients is a mod that originated from Warcraft III and quickly became a major success due to its frantic competitive nature capable of testing players’ skills to the max. The player is a summoner who is able of calling Champions to enter amazing battles in a game world that is, oddly enough, visually similar to Warcraft III. As the game manages to grab more and more players, Riot Games improves the Champions rooster with new members, offering different powers and abilities that need to be conveniently explored to result in victory. With several dozens already available, gameplay becomes more and more rich as new and original Champions are added to the mix.

With such a focus on competitive gameplay – although we are free to train with AI bots – League of Legends would require robust social tools to make players feel at ease in the game. Included are competent match-making, statistic tracking and anti-hacking technology to make things appealing, even to the point of featuring Leaverbuster technology, meaning that the despicable strategy of leaving a game that wasn’t going particularly well isn’t unpunished in League of Legends. 5v5 or 3v3 combats are available, with the persistent elements of League of Legends allowing for an attachment and development of the players’ Champions. They can be equipped with over a hundred different items.

League of Legends deserves the attention it is receiving, offering a solid and well-rounded experience with plenty of qualities. The more the game ages, the better it is likely to become.