Ask any WarCraft fan to compile a
list of their favorite mods, and Defense of the Ancients will almost certainly
appear on that list. Centering on the popular hero class characters of WarCraft,
Defense of the Ancients grew rapidly into a popular office distraction that no
RTS-fan could resist. Not surprisingly, it falls upon the shoulders of
development studios to capitalize on the success of Defense of the Ancients,
with a standalone game that came to be known as League of Legends.
The battles can take place online,
but there is also a solo mode that utilizes AI-controlled characters, focusing
on the player’s ability to manipulate the flow of battle between them. League of
Legends is relatively friendly for a title of its genre, but the challenge
should keep even veteran RTS fans on their toes; in some situations, flocks of
baddies can chew through you in no time. Utilizing your heroes’ respective
abilities in each situation will be the key to your success. As the summoner, it
is your task to manage these hero characters. This also reinforces the
persistent qualities of character development, as your progress and success
allows you to continuously upgrade, lending a rather addictive potential to the
game.
Fortunately, League of Legends does
a pretty good job of guiding newcomers to the battleground. The heroes
themselves (or champions, as the game prefers to call them) are diverse and
visually interesting. Their strengths and weaknesses become readily apparent
right from the start of the game, so you can decide which attributes best suit
your style of play. Some of them appear to be based on archetypal figures, while
others are a bit more… well, let’s say “memorable”. There’s really nothing like
seeing a tiny fellow wreaking havoc on the battlefield.
The underlying premise of each
battle should be familiar to RTS players: outwit your opponent in the old
“tug-of-war” style of conflict. This means the standard rules of risk vs. reward
will apply. If you capture a control point, should you fortify your position, or
pursue retreating forces? Naturally, anyone who plays too conservatively or too
aggressively may find themselves in a heap of trouble before the game is over.
Generally speaking, strategy fans should feel right at home. The controls are
largely conventional, and the interface is very accessible, making League of
Legends an exceptional offering for hardcore players and newcomers alike.
Despite everything that occurs on
screen, League of Legends is very presentable and runs fairly smoothly. The
visual density is amplified by a vibrant color palette, which lends an
appropriate “fantasy” feel to the experience. The flickering and blooming of
dazzling effects keeps the battlefield looking like a party at all times. League
of Legends also features a nice array of sound effects, although the voice-overs
tend to get a bit repetitive. There isn’t really much else to gripe about here.
League of Legends offers great online support with the promise of new content,
such as an in-game store. It is absolutely a distinct and improved experience
from Defense of the Ancients, and deserves to be played for hours on end – which
you most certainly will do.
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Gameplay: 9.0
Plenty to keep
you busy, but not excessive or overwhelming. This is one of the finest examples
of how RTS combat should be.
Graphics: 8.5
Stylized
characters and striking colors aplenty, League of Legends will dazzle the eye.
Sound: 8.0
Some of the
voiceovers can be irritating, but the rest of the audio holds up nicely for a
fantasy-style game.
Difficulty: Medium
Definitely more
accessible and helpful for newcomers, but this game isn’t going to coddle you.
Concept: 8.0
A fairly
brilliant mod becomes a beautifully executed standalone game.
Multiplayer: 9.0
Frantic,
bombastic, and addictive. This is absolutely where most of your time will be
spent.
Overall: 9.0
With a continuous
reward loops for player progress, who can resist working to get that precious
rune unlocked? League of Legends has replayability in spades for anyone who
loves romps in real-time strategy format. It’s attractive, accessible, and above
all else, League of Legends delivers heaps of fun.
