Varied Map and Game Mode Design
Heroes of the Storm already has four maps, all of which I’ve found entertaining. They all stick to the standard of defending and attacking defensive structures, but include critical objectives that are varied and tend to produce epic team fights.
My favorite game mode is The Haunted Mines where every few minutes an underground area opens up filled with creep. Players are encouraged to down these creatures to acquire skulls, which buffs an allied NPC golem. The more powerful he is, the easier it is to push into the enemy’s base. I find it particularly fascinating because your team needs to balance offense both on the regular map and in the mine. Since the mine has such high value targets, it’s not a very safe place. Bring a friend.
This is a game aiming to be what it calls a hero brawler that feels a lot more like heading into a battleground in World of Warcraft than your typical MOBA. You will be compelled to play the variety of maps instead of doing a basic tri-lane for months on end. In other words, it isn’t repetitive.
Relentlessly Addictive
The daily quests and constant rewards make it a game that is difficult not to log into at least once per day. As with League of Legends, there are also weekly free heroes, so you can play new characters and see if they’re something you’d like to buy.
Made better, there are hero quests you will unlock at level 10 which present unique challenges, rewarding you with experience, gold, and color schemes for your character. Yes, color schemes. Why didn’t someone else think of that?
A Free-To-Play Blizzard Game
Heroes of the Storm is born from the same cloth. It appeals to many demographics while having enough fan-service to be a highlight for fans of Blizzard titles. It’s easy to pick up and play, as well as having a great tutorial system. As with Hearthstone, Heroes of the Storm is a game with the superior quality of all of Blizzard’s software, minus the entry fee.
While the character cast is the strongest benefit of Heroes of the Storm being a Blizzard game, there are other elements as well. Blizzard is known for its outstanding polish and presentations, and Heroes of the Storm is another fine example of that. It’s undoubtedly the most beautiful MOBA we’ve seen (even in Alpha), with highly detailed characters and a intuitive UI.
My anticipation for the official launch of Heroes of the Storm, which is TBD, is through the roof. If you haven’t already, you can sign up for alpha on the official site.
