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Oct 26, 2023 · MOBA. Heroes of the Storm fans are excited: More than a year after Blizzard ended development, a new patch has appeared on the PTR. News. By Andy Chalk. published 26 October 2023. There's no...
- Andy Chalk
Apr 13, 2020 · By Jack Delaney. Updated: Apr 13, 2020 11:28 pm. Posted: Apr 13, 2020 10:13 pm. Late in 2018 Blizzard Entertainment all but signed the death warrant of Heroes of the Storm, its MOBA that brings...
- Blizzard's MOBA packs a ton of variety and excellent characters.
- Every Heroes of the Storm Character
- Verdict
- Heroes of the Storm Review - 2018
- IGN\r Recommends
By Ian Nowakowski
Updated: Mar 21, 2018 3:45 pm
Posted: Mar 20, 2018 12:25 am
[Editor's Note: This review replaces our original 2015 review which, thanks to Blizzard's constant updates, no longer reflects the state of Heroes of the Storm.]
If variety is the spice of life, then Heroes of the Storm is the MOBA genre’s ghost pepper. Recognizable characters from Blizzard’s most iconic games face off against each other on themed maps with unique objectives that serve as lightning rods for teamfights. Heroes of the Storm also takes a more simplified and accessible approach to the genre that bucks MOBA trends by implementing a streamlined talent system and team-shared experience. It doesn’t always work, but when its at its best Heroes of the Storm can be one of the most varied and exciting 5v5 competitive games around.
This is a MOBA with all the hallmarks of a Blizzard-produced game: a punchy art style, responsive controls, and loads of stuff to do to work toward satisfying unlocks. But most importantly, Heroes of the Storm’s take on the MOBA formula is distinctive because it’s willing to kill some of the genre’s sacred cows in order to make its mechanics easier to learn and its matches flow differently.
Being a free-to-play game, Heroes of the Storm puts a huge emphasis on out-of-game progression systems, many of which tie directly into monetization. There’s three currencies (gold, gems, shards), extra rewards for leveling up heroes, about six-quintillion customization items, and yes, loot chests. Let’s just get this out of the way: Unless there’s a way to opt out of randomized progression, it’ll always be a sub-optimal way to earn items. It robs me of clear goals other than hoping I’ll roll what I want with my next lever pull. With that being said, there were plenty of ways to earn in-game items through leveling heroes, completing quests, and reaching milestones. Parts of the progression may be locked within loot crates, but at least Blizzard is generous with them.
Parts of the progression may be locked within loot crates, but at least Blizzard is generous with them.
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Even if I was grinding quests all week for gold (the currency used primarily to earn characters), the time to unlock some of the higher-cost heroes like Malthael or Ragnaros felt like ages. This time commitment was compounded when I was charged gold if I decided to re-roll any loot crates whose yield I was unhappy with. Don’t get me wrong, I love being able to retry my hand again at the slot machine, it’s just a bummer that it hinders my ability to quickly unlock heroes. If I found myself truly smitten with a cosmetic, I also had the option to buy it outright, assuming they were in the purchasable rotation. It’s a nice, albeit still lackluster option, to escape the randomness of loot boxes.
Heroes of the Storm takes the variety baton and runs with it all the way through the finish line. Its varied battlegrounds and unique cast packed full of Blizzard’s established characters make each trip to Nexus feel new and engaging. Even after hundreds of levels of progression, I feel like I’ve still got a ton to learn and new strategies I’ve yet...
Review scoring
great
Heroes of the Storm packs a ton of variety and excellent characters. Some of this MOBA's modes work better than others, but it's a safe bet that it'll deliver a fun match.
Ian Nowakowski
Jun 3, 2015 · 84. Heroes of the Storm review. Reviews. By Chris Thursten. published 3 June 2015. Comments. Our Verdict. The most any studio has done to open up a complex genre to a new audience. Inviting,...
- Chris Thursten
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Jun 3, 2015 · Heroes of the Storm outshines the likes of Dota 2 and League of Legends because it respects the value of your time. Blizzard's 5v5 team brawler takes a familiar framework, where heroes battle...
- Lucas Sullivan
Jul 29, 2016 · Heroes of the Storm has professional backup, reasonable prize pools, and Blizzard behind it trying to make things better. So why so many departures?
Apr 20, 2017 · With Heroes of the Storm 2.0 comes the game’s first Overwatch battleground, set in the scenic and colourful Hanamura. Perhaps the most ambitious battleground so far, it incorporates key elements from the popular shooter expertly translated, or transported, to the Nexus.
