Summary
Dota 2 is one of the most popular multiplayer online battle arena (“MOBA”) games out there today. Dota 2 is rated T for Teens due to fantasy violence and some mild language. While characters do fight each other with a variety of weapons and abilities, the detail of violence is minimal. What we believe makes this game a teen rating is the learning curve and knowledge required to be able to play the game. It can be very difficult to understand how your character works as well as how the items also work. There are a lot of small details that really make a difference in this game, and you really need to be able to understand it all if you’re going to get through the game! Because of this, we think that this game should be played by ages 16+ years or 14+ years if you are an experienced gamer or have someone to help you along.
In this highly strategic and competitive game, two teams of five players each, known as "Radiant" and "Dire," compete to destroy the opposing team's Ancient, a crucial structure located within their base. Each player controls a different hero character with their own skills and responsibilities where players have to work together to beat enemy heroes, earn experience, and get gold to buy powerful items. The game requires players to work together, be skilled, and make smart decisions, which makes it fun but also very difficult to get your head around. And I bet you’re wondering about what happened to Dota 1 right? While there may still be a nostalgic sentiment for DOTA 1 among some players (and this game is still playable today), its popularity has significantly declined, and most players have embraced Dota 2 as the main iteration of the game. People love "Dota 2" because it has a lot of different heroes and a lively esports scene with lots of events and loyal fans. A Dota 2 game typically lasts for about 35 to 45 minutes, however, we have had some games run for almost 2 hours so make sure you have time to spare! You can play this game on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, or, on iOS. The esports scene for "Dota 2" is thriving, with big tournaments like "The International" giving big prize pools of millions of dollars! Overall, "Dota 2" is a competitive, always-changing experience that requires skill, teamwork, and the ability to think strategically.
Gameplay
The main type of gameplay in Dota 2 is the standard matches. At the start of each match, players pick a hero from a list of more than one hundred different characters, each with their own skills and jobs. The heroes are put into roles like "carry," "support," "initiator," and more. This makes the team makeup dynamic, which affects the overall strategy. Each team starts on a different side of the map, with three lanes joining their bases. The main goal is to move through these lanes, killing enemy creeps and buildings along the way until you reach the other Ancient. Along the way, players fight as a team, gank other players, and use strategy to get ahead. The game has a complex item system that lets players change how their heroes look and act based on how the match is going. For success, you need to know how to use your resources, read maps, and talk to other people. Every game is different and hard because you have to make choices and be flexible all the time.
Dota 2 also contains a ranked matchmaking system that allows players to test their skills and climb the competitive ladder. The ranked mode serves as a more serious and competitive environment than unranked play, where players are matched with others of similar skill levels. Ranked is only available after 100 hours of gameplay in the unranked mode due to the high level of player skill and understanding of the game required. For more casual players, there are a few options available. You can play against bots (the computer) with teammates online or with your team of bots also making it a great way to learn and practice. There is also an arcade mode where you can join or create a custom game where anything goes! The main thing to be aware of with Dota 2 is while the game can be fun, it has incredibly challenging gameplay. To put it in perspective, there are currently 124 heroes and 208 items… you need to be aware of what each does to really get to grips with the game. On the bright side, all characters and items are available to play as soon as you start the game! Luckily there is also a learning tab that has a lot of in-depth tutorials to guide you through, but it will take you a couple of hours at least…
Education
It comes as no surprise that Dota 2 requires and helps people of all ages develop their strategic thinking, decision-making, and problem-solving abilities. Players are always looking at how the game is going, guessing what their opponents will do next, and making quick choices. The need to come up with plans, fight back against opponents, and deal with sudden events always works the brain improving brain skills and critical thinking.
Dota 2 also teaches players to handle several things at once. Taking care of a hero, finding your way around the map, watching your enemies move, and working with your friends all require you to be able to do more than one thing at once. This part of the game can help players get better at managing and prioritizing different jobs at the same time, which is a skill that can be used in real life and in games. You also often need to be patient and persistent to do well in Dota 2. To be successful in the game, you need to deal with problems, learn from your mistakes, and keep trying to get better. Dota 2's competitive nature helps players stay focused on long-term goals, which are skills that can help them deal with problems outside of games. Being able to deal with failures and working hard to get better are skills that can be used in many situations in life.
Violence/ Adult Themes
Dota 2 has fantasy violence in it which is a reason for the Teen rating. Players control hero figures that fight each other in a variety of ways. This can include weapons such as axes, swords, arrows, or magic spells such as fireballs and even ghosts! The game shows violence in a stylized and animated way, so while there is fighting in the game, it's not about showing violence in a serious or graphic way. When the characters take a hit, you see numbers and occasionally you will see a splatter of blood on the ground. When a character dies, they simply lie down on the ground and slowly disappear.
There are a lot of different character designs in Dota 2, some of which might be seen as more gruesome. Some heroes have scary and gross features. For instance, heroes like Pudge, has a scarred look and a huge, bloody hook, which can show the gorier side of some character designs.
On the other end of the scale, some heroes wear more revealing clothes that show how agile and flexible they are. Queen of Pain, for example, has a provocative outfit but the important bits are covered. It's important to remember that the game's characters are meant to appeal to a wide range of people, and players can change how their heroes look by using different in-game cosmetic things.
Monetization
Dota 2 is free to play. There are, however, a few monetization components to the game. Firstly, there are literally THOUSANDS of different customization and cosmetics available for each character in the game. These are generally bought with real-life money and can range anywhere from under $1 to around $1,000! The interesting part of this is that you can actually hold onto some of these items like a share investment and wait for the value to go up and then trade them later for a profit adding an interesting element to the game. Just remember that this is not in-game currency, this is real-life money.
There is an in-game currency known as shards. These are earned by completing different objectives such as winning matches, leveling heroes, participating in guilds, and in other ways. Shards can be spent in the game to buy exclusive hero items and other goodies. Shards cannot be bought with real-life money, they have to be earned.
Dota 2 also has a monetization element called the plus system. This is a subscription-based element where you can either commit to a monthly subscription, 6 monthly, or annual subscription. Signing up grants you better level progressions and experience, guild perks, real-time ability suggestions, battle reports at the end of each season, shards, and more. This can only be purchased with real-life money.
The Dota 2 Compendium is another monetization element of the game which is like a digital booklet that is released during events. This allows players to contribute to the tournament's prize pool, unlock in-game rewards, and participate in challenges. Players can get cosmetic items, loading screens, and more as they level up.
Safety
Dota 2 is primarily played online with other players. Dota 2 does have the ability to be played offline without any other real-life person present but only if you specifically play against bots with your teammates also as bots. Alternatively, you can play in the training area but there is no objective in the training area, it is simply a great place to practice.
As Dota 2 is an online game, communication is an important part of the game, so text chat and voice chat are both present. This is used to coordinate the characters and strategies within the team. An odd feature of the game is that you can actually type to the other team through text chat during the game (but not voice chat). The good news is that if this concerns you there is the option to turn off text chat and voice chat completely through the Steam menu. Here you can also choose your language preferences to filter out any inappropriate text chat.
With Dota 2 being a team game that emphasizes communication there is always the risk of online bullying or others saying negative things towards players. While every online communication platform has this potential, Dota 2 unfortunately has a reputation for having a more toxic community. This is not to say that players should not play due to this reason, however, it would be worth being aware so that you can assess whether it is still appropriate for your child to play.
Tips and Tricks
On the Dota 2 home page, there is a tab labeled “Watch”. This is a section of the game that allows players to watch live matches, replays, and tournaments from players in current tournaments. To really help players understand the game this will be a great tool for players to observe high-level strategies, learn from experienced players, or simply enjoy the excitement of competitive Dota 2 matches.
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