Domzalski1

Jacob Domzalski
Joan Robinson
ENG 101-4002
8 December 2015

Level Up
Technology has altered everyday life in various ways. Whether it is a new medicine that
can help save lives, or the average toaster, technology has spread across the world. Throughout
generations, humanity has given a meaning to technology, but it now appears that technology
gives humans purpose. Videogames are one of the areas that technology evolves the most. Riot
Games League of Legends and Blizzards Heroes of the Storm are popular MOBAs that are
compared on numerous occasions. Although the two share the same basic concepts they manage
to differentiate themselves from one another in various aspects.
Characters are an essential part in games and could potentially influence the performance
of the franchise and the companies that create them. League has a large variety of characters in
their roster and has well thought backgrounds for each individual. Heroes opt for a more
nostalgic approach as they utilize figures from other franchises to entice people to play the game
or to purchase the game the character originates from. Ive never been the type of person to read
character profiles but I believe them to be amusing nonetheless. Both companies appeal to the
public by presenting definitive characters that manage to stand out from the others. I prefer the
heroes because of the StarCraft II characters.
Gameplay is one of the more distinct differences between these two titles. Heroes offers
more map variety and each map has specific objectives that teams fight for to aide them in their
pursuit for victory. One of the battlegrounds is Dragon Shire, in which, he who controls the
shrines control the dragon; he who controls the dragon punts the other teams puny heroes

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(Heroes of the Storm). This map focuses more on engagements towards the two shrines which
are located at the top and bottom of the field. I find the objective amusing as teams usually lose a
shrine the moment they capture the other one. An issue I have with the map selection is that is
randomized unless you create a custom game. League has very limited options as there are only
four maps. League utilizes items like most other MOBAs as the game progresses youll acquire
gold you can spend on powerful items that improve your champions performance on the Fields
of Justice (League of Legends). Heroes offers just as much variety in the talent selections which
are distributed at certain levels. League is more competitive as each player levels individually.
Whereas heroes focuses more on teamwork with the team leveling. As someone who is not very
competitive, I believe that heroes is better in regards to gameplay.
One of the independent factors is the community. Both games are essentially on equal
ground. According to David Piner however, the E-sports community lean more towards League
than Heroes for competitive play. People on the internet have a tendency to be more aggressive
as their real identity is kept secret. If someone who decides to que by themselves is unlucky they
will get thrashed for mistakes no matter how big or small it is. There are many people who play
the game without worries and really dont care about the outcome or anyone else unless another
person initiates an argument. For games like these, it is better to have friends to play with not
only to escape a teammates aggression, but to communicate better. This isnt really what most
would look at to choose which game to download, but it is still worth mentioning.
I played both of these games so I am without a doubt biased, supporting Heroes of the
Storm. Heroes just came out of beta testing earlier this year and is already at such a point where
it can compete with other MOBA titles. Blizzard is always adding more to the game such as
maps, characters, and customization options. The gameplay is dynamic as there are map based

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objectives. The game can still be won by a team that has been three levels down the majority of
the game from a single team fight. After high school ended Ive played fewer games but, when I
get the free time I like to play casually. League is a good game, however I prefer the innovative
style that Blizzard incorporates into their MOBA. Like technology around the world, this game
continues to adapt as time progresses.

Works Cited

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Heroes of the Storm Official Game Site." Heroes of the Storm Official Game Site. Blizzard
Entertainment, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.
League of Legends." League of Legends. Riot Games, n.d. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.
Piner, David. "League of Legends vs. Heroes of the Storm." RSS. Tentonhammer, 08 Dec. 2014.
Web. 29 Nov. 2015.