A little over a week ago, I gave Heroes of Newerth a play. Well, actually, quite a few plays because I went in cold not quite knowing what to expect and I hit a noob-hostile environment and I pride myself on thick skin (and vengeance which could only be served if I overcame the learning curve) so I kept going until they had to lay the heat on somebody else and I did my best to help that person. The concern was that, at first, you really don’t know what to do unless you read up on the community boards or played one of the games that inspired it. I had done neither (okay, I played one of the games it was based off of, but a LONG time ago in “gaming years”). So, I ran around having fun and driving my team absolutely crazy. I felt I was helping, just not the way they wanted so why all the heat? I realized after study that the only way you win was working as a team not as a damage dealing headless chicken. Damage is only the beginning of this game, strategy is really key. Thanks to patch 3.0 you all can learn it the easy way, through tutorials and walkthroughs and they added lore and heroes to boot!
Storyline:
They tell the new lore better…
3.0 Features:
• Enhanced New Player Experience – The game’s walkthrough has been completely revamped with an indepth guide to better prepare first time players for the world of Heroes of Newerth. RAP 3.0, an all-new Report-A-Player system, gives the community the power to clean up and police itself while impacting the behavior of negative players.
• Reworked & Enhanced UI – Including friends list notifications, options menu, in-game chat, and more.
• Experience the Learning Center – This new feature will provide players with a series of videos that reinforce and explain in great detail some of the game’s basic and more complex concepts/techniques.
• Improved Referral Program – The new referral system will have both in-game and web-based options. Players can recruit friends for in-game currency and other tangible prizes using both systems.
• Learn Your Hero’s Backstory – One of the key features of the 3.0 update is the inclusion of lore within the world of HoN. Discover the story behind all your favorite heroes as each one has a unique tale to tell concerning their involvement in Newerth.
• An All-New Caldavar – The Forests of Caldavar map has received a complete overhaul in terms of its appearance and layout. The environment is now more dynamic and includes stunning new aesthetics, tower designs, fountains, buildings and more!
• 30 New HD Hero Models – Valkyrie, Deadwood, Magebane and 27 other heroes now look better than ever as they have been redesigned with spectacular high definition graphics.
• Bots Welcome – AI-controlled Bots are now available as an integral part of the Heroes of Newerth experience. The new walkthrough will also include bots so that beginners can test and develop their skills before venturing into more competitive play.
Gameplay:
The game’s play really didn’t change that much with the patch, what changed was the player’s gameplay. One of the maps was seriously revamped and all the atmospheres were improved with AAA graphics which is unheard of in a free to play, free to win game. Yes you read that right, you can spend money on this game but it is cosmetic and supportive of the game itself rather than a pay to win system designed to rake in money. This game was a labor of love when it began and it is still a labor of love now, more so as extra effort was put into making the experience more enjoyable for more players. Sometimes patches really don’t change much and when it comes to game model it hasn’t, but the additional heroes and abilities that come with them and the additional aid to new players is a game changer and should be recognized. The developers even show their belief in the community by creating the Report-A-Player system in which they show they trust the community to help police itself and keep making the game the best it can be.
The first time I played before the patch it was pretty painful, jumping right in was not the best idea. I struggled to improve my game while at the same time taking scathing noob aggro to the point that had I not been committed to the game I probably would have not played on. I read tutorials and tips on the forums and that helped a lot and got so that I could play without getting hated on. With the release of the 3.0 patch and it’s New Player Learnatorium and walkthroughs the game not only becomes much more accessible to new players but enables them to be competitive right from their first game. I went from a so-so player at best before the patch to a competitive one running middle or better in the pack afterwards. I cannot stress enough how much more accessible the developers made this game.
Last Call:
This was a very solid, very good game that was a bit hard to get the hang of if you weren’t very familiar with the genre and didn’t do your homework. They changed maps, added lore, added hero content and they put in a whole system designed to make the game more accessible to a wider audience and bring an end to noob aggro. Then they said thank you to the community by giving it the ability to help police itself with Report-A-Player. It was a fun game that was going to keep me coming back before but it is going to bring me in even more now. Kudos S2 Games for making a great game better and bringing your community along with you. With the graphics and quality of the game content and the addition of all the tips and walkthroughs I could easily see Heroes Of Newerth becoming the new game to emulate in this genre for years to come. You gotta love that it is truly free to play too.
[easyreview title=”Heroes Of Newerth Review Score” cat1title=”Overall Score (out of 5)” cat1detail=”” cat1rating=”4″] Our Rating Scores Explained
Trailer:
Gallery:
