Players love MOBAs for both the thrill and the complexity of each match. After all, players have to choose their unique heroes, rise to the top, and dominate the battlefield. And whileDOTA 2andLeague of Legendsdominate much of the MOBA scene, other promising games take players' attention. For instance,Overwatchquicklytook the MOBA scene by storm with its action-packed FPS mechanics. Meanwhile,Smitelets players duke it out as Gods in third-person glory.
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However, when it comes to MOBA choices, players can quickly get divided. After all, should they pick an Overwatch hero and use their sci-fi weapons and unique skillsets? Or perhaps they’re better off wielding the power of Gods, smiting everyone who dares face them?
10Overwatch: Immerse With Rich Lore
If there are anything players collectively love aboutBlizzard, it’s lore. Players remember games such asWarcraft,Starcraft, and evenDiablofor the lore that comes with their gripping gameplay. Blizz fans can generally say the same withOverwatch, as it has enough lore to get players into the game despite the new cast of characters andtheir battle roles.
The FPS MOBA sets itself 30 years after the “Omnic Crisis,” a war between humans and hostile robots called Omnics. Of all the groups formed by nations to defeat the threat, it’s Overwatch that managed to restore order. Unfortunately, an internal conflict led to the abolishment of Overwatch.
9Smite: It’s An Inter-Pantheon War
Surprisingly,Smitehas lore of its own. Fans of the God-versus-God MOBA might look atSmiteas just a mashup of Gods from multiple pantheons. However, folks from Dark Horse Comics expandedSmite’s lore and explained the Pantheon War. In the comics, the Gods split themselves into a group of Chaos that wants to punish humans for trying to overthrow them, and another group of Order that simply wants to retain peace.
In the comics, the Gods finally decided to stay within their domains. However, more events in-game seem to increase tensions between pantheons.
8Overwatch: Popularized The “Hero Shooter”
When gamers first playedOverwatch, some experienced difficulty just defining what kind of “game” Blizzard’s new title is. SinceOverwatchfeatures heroes fighting in arenas, it’s easy to point out thatOverwatchis a MOBA, or a multiplayer online battle arena. Since it’s an FPS game, players started callingOverwatchan FPS MOBA.
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And despite the popularity of games such asTeam Fortress(also with similar mechanics), it’sOverwatchthat put the FPS MOBA genre in the mainstream. Most players refer toOverwatchas a “Hero Shooter,” referring to its creative take on an FPS where players take on the role of heroes with special abilities.
7Smite: MOBA Has Potential In Third-Person Play
Fans who playSmitefor the first time may have been surprised by its gameplay mechanics. As a MOBA,Smiteplays exactly likeDOTAorLeague: players use heroes (Gods) and fight for domination in three-lane battles. However, what players didn’t anticipate isSmite’sthird-person look.
As such, players can control precisely when their Gods attack, dodge, or use special abilities. This newfound control over gameplay makesSmiteextremely entertaining. And despite the extreme popularity ofDOTA,League, and evenOverwatch, it’sSmite’s unique take on the genre that makes it worth trying.
6Overwatch: Heroes With Unique Stories
Aside from an overarching plot,Overwatchslowly introduces heroes with backstories connected to the main story. The game made its 2016 debut with 21 characters, divided across Tank, Damage, and Support roles. However, players might find their relationships more intriguing, asOverwatchheroes find themselves split not just between Overwatch and Blackwatch factions, but also Talon and other parties.
As of writing,Overwatchcurrentlyhas 32 heroes. Thanks to Blizzard’s efforts in content releases outside the main game, players now know their favorite heroes have stories attached to them.
5Smite: 100+ Playable Gods
Despite the depth ofOverwatch’s lore, players who just want pure old fashioned smiting can rely on one of more than 100 playable Gods inSmite. As of writing, the game boasts 109 Gods, which is close to the current 119 heroes ofDOTA 2and 123 Champions ofLeague.
Players interested in learning aboutSmite’s overarching plot can learn from in-game missions that come alongside events. However, players looking for classic MOBA fun can spend hours' worth of gameplay just exploring and experimenting withSmite’s current roster.
4Overwatch: Multiple Modes Is Good For Replayability
Much like other FPS shooters,Overwatchoffers many game modes for players. Unlike the usual MOBA, most ofOverwatchgame modes involve capture-the-flag and escort mechanics. They also have a Deathmatch mode, and an Elimination mode that won’t allow respawns once killed.
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The diversity of game modes inOverwatchgives players a lot of opportunities to experiment with hero combinations and team mechanics. These game modes, added with the modern sci-fi aesthetic ofOverwatch, makes for some pretty entertaining matches. Moreover, the fast-paced nature of these modes gives players more opportunities to play games repetitively.
3Smite: Lanes, Minions, Structures Have Appeal
As a third-person MOBA,Smiteoffers various game modes with the same set of themes. In most of its game modes, Gods have to battle minions and Titans, as well as protect or destroy structures. The MOBA has ten game modes, each offering different maps and mechanics for heroes.
The Conquest and Clash modes serve as the standard MOBA mode forSmiteplayers. Meanwhile, other modes include Arena, one-lane Assault, a 3v3 Joust mode, a Match of the Day, limited-time Adventures, Custom matches, and a Training mode. It’s refreshing to see how third-person mechanics fit the “standard” MOBA layout.
2Overwatch: Overwatch 2 On The Way
One might say a clear sign of a franchise’s success is a successor. Fans ofOverwatchfound themselves surprised when Blizzard announcedOverwatch 2, a sequel of thehit hero shooter. Aside from new maps, the game features a story previously absent in the original entry. It seems Blizzard is setting upOverwatch 2to expand the narrative Blizz has built throughOverwatch.
While there’s no definite release date forOverwatch 2yet, Blizzard made fans know it’s looming closer than ever. WhenOverwatchofficially debuted Echo, it’s 32nd Hero, Blizzard said she’ll be the last to arrive before the sequel.
1Smite: Cthulhu, More Heroes To Arrive
Smitestays strong as a MOBA with more gods coming along the way. Lovecraftian horror begins to enter the world ofSmitewith Cthulhu, the latest hero to arrive in the roster. Cthulhu relies on his sheer terror to strike fear on his enemies. His passive lets him stack Torment to his abilities, gaining magic power with enemies he’s Tormented. His S1 Sanity Break and S2 The Mire slow enemies, which works in tandem with his S3 Rushing Terror that knocks back and stuns enemies.
Meanwhile, his Ult Descend Into Madness transforms Cthulhu into his true form, giving him devastating new abilities.
