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First Impressions review of HotS
Bonbalon
Member CommonPosts: 8
When I first heard Blizzard was making their own MOBA, I couldn't help but roll my eyes and imagine what a toxic cesspool of a game it would be.
Well, from what I've seen, I was wrong.
If I had to compare this game to any other game, I would have to compare it to.... Team Fortress 2. Stick with me as I explain why.
Many of the top FPS games were games like Counterstrike where the game play was super hardcore and VERY unfriendly to new players. Then comes along Team Fortress 2, where Valve takes the first person shooter genre, simplifies the core game play enough to where most anyone can play it, but it's still a very high level competitive game, especially since the classes items are specific to that class and team composition is key.
This game is like that in many ways
Blizzard may have removed things that are MOBA staples like items, last hits, individual levels, and such, but this doesn't water down the game. You still have talents to choose, which lets you focus on different aspects of your hero. Given that you never have to return to your base and spend time purchasing items, it keeps you in the battle more.
Some people may think, "Well, that removes a layer of the game, therefore, it is watered down!" Not really. HotS is a more aggressive game than most MOBAs. Also, each level has objectives to complete. If you ignore the objectives, you will most likely lose and lose big.
For instance, if you try to ignore the objectives in Blackheart's Bay, you're going to be crushed because your opponent is going to scoop up the coins, turn them in, and Blackheart is going to pave the way to victory for your enemy by tearing your defenses down. The odds of you overpowering your opponent and plowing through to their core and destroying it while ignoring the objective is pretty much nil, unless your opponents are very, very bad players.
On top of that, you have the camps. You beat down (or bribe) the enemies to take control of them. If you ignore them and your opponent doesn't, you're going to have a bad time, especially once they send the boss after you.
If you're wondering if this game is for you, just ask 3 questions.
1. Do you enjoy pvp?
2. Are you willing to accept the fact that you're going to lose about as much as you win?
3. Are you patient enough to study a hero and play it long enough to master it?
If you answered no to any of them, then no, this game isn't for you. I suppose you could stick with the vs ai mode, but that mode is super easy to win and only for learning the basics of using a hero and learning to play the game.
Is this game perfect? No game is perfect, but it is standard Blizzard. Take a genre, make it more accessible.
Comments
The other option would be to man up and play a real MOBA like DOTA 2.
I have about 100 games into heroes of the storm, because i have a friend who is casual gamer who doesn't want to invest the time to learn dota 2 and the myriad heroes, etc (which is fine).
HotS is standard blizzard fair, take a popular formula and dilute it for the masses.
There is not a high skill ceiling in this game. Blizzard also severely de-emphathizes hero kills and puts most of the focus on map objectives. I've had games where we were up 37-3 kills at the end of the game and were 2-3 levels behind because the other steam spent all day doing map objectives.
Again, all of this is fine, if thats what you want. But if you like to have a game where your own personal skill has a large factor in how the game turns out, this one is not for you.
The other issue is the absurd pricing on heroes and items. Its absolutely mind boggling. They recently had a pack on sale that was 1 hero and 2 skins for the hero and its "on sale" price was $25. $25 will buy you a good 8 full head to toe skins in Dota 2. And since all heroes are unlocked the moment you enter the game, they aren't nickle and diming you if you want to play a different hero.
"The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently."
- Friedrich Nietzsche
Hrimnir,
You very first line highlighted in red is a good enough reason to not take your commentary seriously.
DOTA 2 and HOTS are for two different types of players. As a player who often has limited time. HOTS fills that space well. Along with Team Fortress 2. Can get in a couple matches, do the things I need to do in real life. DOTA on the other hand is more like a MMORPG than a fast paced action oriented MOBA like HOTS.
With DOTA you can spend easily up to 30+ minutes just prepping for a match. While in HOTS they come rather quick. I personally prefer the fast paced action and strategy that HOTS provides. If I wanted a time consuming game I would play a MMORPG or a good RPG. Why would you want to play DOTA? When I can play ESO or DAOC. Which offers incredible customization to your play character. As well as a much more developed world than DOTA 2 could ever offer.
I can understand your love of DOTA 2. I have many friends who are avid DOTA 2 players. But when it comes down to it. My gaming group prefers teamplay over individual play. HOTS overall is more objective/team oriented. Which is also in part why I play. Besides being more polished than DOTA 2. HOTS provides fast paced gameplay. Compared to the somewhat sluggish gameplay that DOTA2 often gives.
All said, it comes down to the player. DOTA feeds a specific type of crowd. HOTS, and Team Fortress 2 offer to another type of crowd.
Is one better than another? No, because they both offer to different types of players.
If I were to "MAN UP" I would play Chilvary more! As none of the games mentioned above even come close to what Chilvary offers :-P
This may very well be the funniest thing I've ever read.
37-3 in kills and down by 3 levels. Hard to take you seriously.
You have 100 games in HOTS so I'm going to make the assumption you know the general idea to soak lane exp until level 10 and then it is a good time to group up.
37 kills and you didn't move your team fight on objectives? If the other team was just doing objectives you should of on accident stumbled into one while killing them endlessly.
Back to Heros of the storm, I think the game is amazing so far. The character designs and builds are great and I think the maps are a huge draw. Strategy has to change depending on which map you play as some require collecting items while others force you to defend a spot or two for a set amount of time to push the enemy lanes.
Game time is also ideal as most matches end in the 15-25 minute range and that allows for a quick game or a few with friends.
The pricing is a bit steep: I've used gold for my hero unlocks but I read somewhere that if you paid money for all the characters and their different skins and mounts it would be over $400.
The price of current heroes will probably drop as new heroes are put out. The game did just come out and I'm certain Blizzard will want to recoup the price of developing, promoting, etc this game as well as turn a profit on it.
Also, if you're leading 37-3 kills and still lagging behind on levels, you're either doing something TERRIBLY wrong, or you're just plain lying.
I wonder how long it will take for the MOBA crowd to reach the same conclusion as the MMORPG crowd. How many copies can they make of the same thing before people realize they are playing LoL, just with a different skin.
I'm seeing the same denial though. The OP is actually trying to convince himself that HoTS is somehow a different experience.
It was meant in jest. Also, on your avatar sig, i think WW1/2, etc would beg to differ ;-)
"The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently."
- Friedrich Nietzsche
You can take me seriously or not, it did happen. We were so busy hosing the other team we basically spent 0 time on map objectices. It was on the garden terror map. The reason we got so many kills is when they went into the mines we kept killing them while invariably 1 or 2 of their people was still off laning and pushing. It ended up working for them, we were so focused on the last garden terror that they went in and rushed the core.
The point is the game seriously de-emphathizes player kills, like big time. They're decently nice early in the game but by the time you're in the mid teens on levels they mean almost nothing in terms of XP. The biggest advantage of a later game player kill is that person is out of the game for ~1 min, so if you have a smart team that knows how to capitalize they will push objectives while the other team can't defend or defend as well.
Its all fine, its a different flavor, i just personally don't like the fact that your personal "skill" if you want to call it that, has a lot less to do with the outcome. The game also has ridiculous comeback mechanics. I've had games where we were down 4 levels and basically had 1 or 2 of our last towers and our core left, and we managed to win based on a single team wipe and then pushing hard while they were dead.
The game is still developing so the "meta" so to speak is still developing as well, im sure once people figure out all the mechanics to a T things will change. Another huge problem is you have a lot of people playing it like it were dota or LoL, etc.
"The surest way to corrupt a youth is to instruct him to hold in higher esteem those who think alike than those who think differently."
- Friedrich Nietzsche
It's true the game is objective-based rather than kill-based, which is a good thing. It means winning teams actually have to keep playing the game rather than just riding the snowball to the end, ensuring that you rarely have times where you're just waiting for it to end, which frequently happens in other MOBAs, sometimes snowballing hard just off of a kill or two even.
If your team ignored objectives in an objective-based game and lost, then that's good and it means the game is working properly.
Having a level lead is meant to give you an advantage, it's not meant to be an easy ride to the end where the other team has no chance of coming back. This is a good thing. A VERY good thing.
The majority of games in other MOBAs are just 30-45 minute unwinnable/unlosable snowball fests, based completely on who got the first few kills. Talk about boring!
I did play this MOBA from open beta.
I find when i am playing hero league at rank 33, I get booted and then it says you have been disconnected and you have to play a quick match to return. I have then already lost 2 ranks and has dropped to rank 35 again.
"This thing has happened to me 8 times when i reached rank 33. I think there is something weird in the hero-league play". The disconnects which are not from my side is actually making me play quick match one more time than the previous time. This is very annoying, particularly when the quick match queue time sometimes as high as 7-8 mins or more.
I do not play for the rank but the rank games are usually harder and faster "AI" than the usual versus "AI" found or may be there are real players.
Apart from this, it is a good free to play MOBA.
Mounts are vital and the use of mounts makes the game-play faster and has a vital role to play in gaining more team level than the opponent team.
So "Z" button for mount is one of the most vital aspect as the game is dependent on time and rate of actions per second. Killing other players like other MOBA does not play an important part as the time and level difference does.
Compairing this with other MOBA, I will still prefer the more complex one's like DOTA or League Of Legends. This game is simple and too much dependent on player speed (Button-Smashing) and movement than skill is what I have found.
I play in ASIA server and the community part is not very nice.
Cheers
Sourajit Nandi
" Don't listen to anyone who tells you that you can't play this or that. That's nonsense. Make up your mind,and you'll never whine or repent about gaming hours anymore, then have a go at every Game. Open up the Internet, join in all the Mmorpgs you can. Go make the Guild. But never, never let them persuade you that things are too difficult or impossible. "
Once An Addict Always An Addict .