Opinion - A Tale of Two DotAs

Today in Gaming: What is the most interesting part of DotA? Is it your favorite hero? Is it perfecting the combination of items in your build? Is it the endless pursuit of a rampage?

For me, the most fascinating part of MOBAs are the players -- the quirky personalities on the other end of my headset. Unless you play with the same people every game, your DotA experience during any given match will be decided by the random link you have with nine other humans -- four of whom have been given the power to enrich or ruin your life for upwards of an hour.

At no time has this been more clear to me than last night at about 10pm when I sat down for two starkly different games of DotA 2.

IdleThumbs Launches New Podcast, Ends Use of Term MOBA

Today in Gaming: DotA Today is a new video game podcast for fans of the on-line third-person, demigod-smiting video game DotA 2 -- developed by Valve.

The podcast features two members of the illustrious IdleThumbs team -- Nick Breckon and Sean Vanaman -- discussing strategy within the world of DotA 2, their personal obsessions with bottling Tinker, and various upcoming marital milestones. The inaugural episode is poignantly entitled, "QOP top and POTM bottom".

Gameplay - HARDWARE: Shipbreakers

Today in Gaming: Blackbird Interactive released the first gameplay trailer for their upcoming scavenger strategy game HARDWARE: Shipbreakers. As Blackbird is made up of several people from the Homeworld franchise, it should be of no surprise to anyone that the game has a very familiar look and gameplay style about it. It's a cool video, but the guy at the end seems oddly calm about the loss of his squad-mates.

• [LINK] HARDWARE Home Page

Launch - Wargame: AirLand Battle

Today in Gaming: for those of you jonesing for a new real-time strategy game, Wargame: AirLand Battle may be the one that quenches your thirst. Paris-based developer Eugen Systems is known for their passion in warfare games. Previous titles have included Act of War and Times of Conflict. This is the second release in their Wargame series; the first was called Wargame: European Escalation.

In this game you take direct control of over 800 different types of units, which -- using a card based system (aka, your deck) -- you then deploy and use to liquidate your enemy.

The game is currently $39.99US for everyone except for players of European Escalation -- there is currently a 25% loyalty discount for you if you order on Steam.

• [BUY] Steam
• [LINK] Facebook
• [LINK] Home Page

Review - NarcoGuerra

Today in Gaming: NarcoGuerra is a brand new game title from GametheNews.net -- a developer that makes games out of real-life events in order to spread awareness. In this game, you play as the newly appointed chief of police tasked with taking control of Mexico away from the drug cartels.