League of Legends is a team-based online battle game and the subject of this month’s game review. It is a game with a long and rich history, having been around since 2009. Despite the age of the game, it has transformed a great deal over time and still receives frequent updates. The game sets you as a “summoner” selecting and playing as a “champion” each game. The game is played by two teams of five, with each member fulfilling a different role for the team. It was made by Riot Games and is available for free on PC only.

The game has two teams whose objective is to become powerful enough to fight their way to the other team’s base, called their Nexus, and destroy it before their own Nexus is destroyed. To accomplish this they must accumulate power by winning fights with the other team, attacking the minions of the other team, and destroying the turrets that defend the path to the Nexus. At lower levels, the games are won and lost by the major moves, like choosing whether to engage in a fight or launching a surprise attack on an enemy team member. At higher levels, it is the small decisions that make the difference, from landing a hit with a powerful ability, to landing the last hit on a minion, these smaller decisions determine the outcome in higher levels of play. The ability of the game to require both small and large decisions to be made correctly always leaves room for improvement, no matter how skilled you are.   

The aspect of the game I enjoyed the most was the strategy.  The feeling of winning a match simply because my tactics were better than my opponent’s is one of the best feelings. Another benefit is the variety, with well over a hundred champions that each play completely differently, it is easy to find a champion with a play style that you like. Additionally, the game is not pay-to-win at all, the only things you can spend money on are cosmetics and unlocking champions you can unlock just by playing.

Ask any League of Legends player and they will tell you the same thing, the worst aspect is the community. The team chat which is necessary to communicate strategy with your team is one of the most toxic places I have ever seen. Whenever a player does poorly, it is common for teammates to insult that player repeatedly. While you can mute players, doing this will disrupt communication for your team. Another negative effect is how one player can ruin the game for your team. A player who plays poorly will make the other team more powerful, which can create an almost insurmountable lead. Additionally, a player leaving in the middle of the game puts your team at a massive disadvantage, usually one that cannot be overcome. Another negative aspect is the balancing, there are always around thirty champions that are significantly better than all other champions, forcing you to play certain champions in order to have optimal performance.     

Overall, League of Legends is a strategic, competitive arena game that I would really only recommend for competitive, experienced gamers. The game just simply is too toxic and difficult for new gamers to get a significant amount of enjoyment out of it. It is available for free on the Riot Games Store at all times.