One of the most popular video game genres of all time is the strategy genre, which sits right up there with RPGs (role-playing games), action & adventure, sports, and horror.
Over the past couple of decades, a few blockbuster strategy games have stood out from the crowd and become more popular than any others, one of which is the 2013 multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) video game Dota 2, brought to you by Valve.
It’s regarded by many gamers and experts as one of the most complex video games ever made because of the skill level required to complete challenges, conquer opponents, and become a true master.
With that in mind, let’s dive straight in to discover how complex this game is and determine if Dota 2 is the most strategic video game ever made.
What is Dota 2, and how complex is the game?
Dota 2 is a popular strategy-themed multiplayer video game you can play on any decent Microsoft Windows, OS X, or Linux desktop computer or laptop on the Steam website. It was first released in July 2013 and has become one of the world’s most popular video games.
Two teams, each composed of five players, battle it out in matches, and the winner is the first team to destroy their opponents ‘Ancient.’ In other words, to ensure victory, teams must ensure that their opponents don’t destroy the large structure they are defending in their base while destroying their enemy’s structure first.
The ten characters in this game are known as ‘heroes,’ and each one has its own unique design, strengths, and weaknesses, and they are controlled independently by each of the ten players.
When encountering the enemy, heroes come together in a player-v-player fight, and the winner of each mini-battle will collect XP (experience points) and other items that can help them defeat their enemy.
The game has become so successful that it is now a major part of the eSports scene and is one of several hit titles played in many professional video sports leagues, tournaments and competitions worldwide.
One of the most notable Dota 2 eSports events is The International. When playing Dota 2 at an eSports tournament, the age rating is typically 18, although the game isn’t a PEGI-18 age-restricted title.
Is Dota 2 the most strategic video game of all time?
It’s far more difficult than several famous casino games that require complex strategies to affect the outcome, such as blackjack and poker, which you can only play today on any fully licensed and regulated iGaming sites currently featured on the official casinos.com website, provided you are aged 18 or above.
Although the game is very complex and takes a while for newcomers to get to grips with, many experts, fans of the game, and industry leaders don’t believe that it is the most strategic video game ever made.
Despite receiving a fair amount of criticism for how difficult the game is to learn and its overall complexity compared to many other games in the strategy genre, it has been praised on many other levels.
For example, the production quality is fantastic, and it has also been described as being one of the most rewarding strategy-themed video games currently on the market, especially for players who truly master the standard real-time strategy controls and get fully acquainted with the three-dimensional isometric-perspective maps.
When players select their heroes in the pregame drafting phase before a new game starts, they can confer with their teammates to devise potential strategies they might like to try.
Players can unlock and improve upon their existing abilities by gaining XP points. Obtaining level six experience will unlock the ‘Ultimate’ ability – a hero’s most powerful ability. There is no denying that Dota 2 is an incredibly deep and complex strategy game, but there are others that are more challenging.
What are the most difficult strategy video games ever made?
Some of the other challenging strategy-themed video games of all time, besides Dota 2, are Europa Universalis IV (2013) and XCOM 2 (2016). Others include Stellaris (2016), For the King (2017), Hearts of Iron IV (2016), and Crusader Kings II (2012).
That’s not forgetting The Banner Saga, Darkest Dungeon, Age of Empires II: Definitive Decision, Distant Worlds 2, Crusader Kings III, Unity of Command II, Baldur’s Gate, Into the Breach, Divinity: Original Sin, and Dwarf Fortress, to name just a few.
Final thoughts
Although Dota 2 may not go down in history as the world’s most complex strategy game, it is regarded by many as the best video game of its kind when considering all of the elements required to make a good video game.
It has received excellent reviews on all of the world’s reputable video game review sites, and the general feedback from most people who have played this game is overwhelmingly positive. If you are new to the game, be prepared that you won’t learn the rules and master all of the moves overnight.
It takes passion, commitment, and dedication, but all this hard work is worth it when you are no longer a beginner and start earning experience points to boost your experience level and become a fully-fledged pro.
