Of all the games released last year, Dota 2 could probably be played the longest.
Like Starcraft before it, this is a true example of games as sport. Equal teams enter a never-changing field of battle, each with the same resources and options available to them as everyone else. There are choices to be made, certainly. with over a hundred characters to choose from and more being released as quickly as Valve can balance them, there is a ton of variety.
Unlike Starcraft 2, however, players need only concern themselves with a single unit (unless they’re brave enough to try Meepo). That makes it more accessible to most. And unlike the far-and-away more popular League of Legends you don’t need to spend time or real money accumulating items or characters. Only cosmetic options can be cost a dime, and even they drop intermittently throughout matches.
For my part, I put several hundreds of hour into Dota 2 this year from beta to final release. I’ll likely still play it in 2014. Every character is a game unto itself; every new trick the community devises is an expansion. Spending that time with four of your best, most forgiving friends makes it one of the best gaming experiences of all time, not just 2013.
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