League of Legends Review
Defense of the Ancients (DotA) was originally created in 2003 as a mod to Blizzard's successful Warcraft III. Few could have predicted its meteoric rise in the world of gaming, with it arguably the most popular free, non-supported gaming mode in the world; it's even been included in some editions of the World Cyber Games. Taking all this on board, Riot Games took it upon themselves to make a stand-alone version, which would feature an entirely new engine and would act as the spiritual successor to DotA.
Due to the nature of the game, League of Legends doesn't really have any kind of premise behind the action. There's no dramatic story that tries to entice players to take part and while it might be seen as a negative, it's quite difficult to see how any kind of narrative could actually be included in a functional manner. There are numerous Champions, all with their own back story, but it's all quite circumstantial.
The Champions are essentially the playable characters in the game and there is a huge number of them featured. With 40 on offer, it can actually be quite daunting to new players, as they all have their own advantages and disadvantages. To help players out, there are some basic stats, as well as a difficulty meter, but players will have to experiment and find a Champion that suits their playing style. The diversity means that there will likely be a Champion to suit most playing types, as there are ranged fighters, short-range melee, tanks and support classes. Some Champions also cross multiple class types, so it's really down to personal preference. There is no character that's any better than the rest, it all depends on how they are used.
Currently there is only one proper map available, Summoner's Rift, with another, Twisted Treeline, currently in the beta phase. There will be plenty more added in the future though, but even with only one map, the gameplay is still showcased perfectly. It's important to note that players take the role of the Summoner, and they are the ones that summon the Champions. The Summoner can be levelled up, whereas the Champions don't, and upon levelling they can unlock more stats, spells and runes can be unlocked. These affect any Champion they choose to send into battle. The generic battle is 5 vs 5 and after selecting a suitable Champion to represent them, players can then select which two spells they wish to take into combat, as well as any Runes they've collected.
To win, players must destroy the other team's base, but this can only be done by destroying all of the towers in one channel. It's no easy feat, as the towers can cause considerable damage. Fortunately, minions spawn from the allies' bases at regular intervals, and they are more than happy to distract the towers. Should there be no other Champions roaming the map, it would be a relatively easy task to win, but this is where the fun begins. Due to the game being 5 vs 5, it creates an interesting dynamic, as players are generally forced to work together for the greater good. It creates a constant battle for ground and momentum, and a single Champion's death can turn the tides dramatically. There is a definite sense of risk and reward, and it gives players plenty to think about as they are trying to slowly gain ground on their opposite number.
