Game Review: League of Legends

We are seeing a high increase in the popularity of PC games. One of the most popular is League of Legends (LoL), a multiplayer online battle arena PC game or “MOBA” for short. Similar games have been out for a long time, however, none have been as big as LoL in the gaming industry.

League of Legends is a MOBA created and owned by Riot Games Inc. The developers originate from other well-known companies that have produced games such as Defence of the Ancients and Warcraft 3. Their combined talent may be one of the reasons why LoL is one of the leading competitors in the gaming world today.

LoL contains a vast number of characters/avatars (called champions) that the player (a summoner) can play. These champions are what summoners control in order to win the game which is done by destroying the Nexus, a structure located within each team’s base. It may sound easy but there are numerous obstacles along the way such as turrets (laser shooting towers), inhibitors (structures that protect the Nexus), and other opposing champions that random people around your region play. If these series of obstacles still seem too easy, you couldn’t be more wrong as there are limitless possibilities to play in order to win.


The multiplayer aspect of the game is effective in encouraging players to cooperate and rely on each other during the game. This unique aspect of LoL leads to communication and interaction between players (learning many game terms is highly recommended). However, this dependency on players and their communication in order to win the game leads to a downside because of players who refuse to communicate, players who intentionally assist the other team, AKRers (people who walk away from their keyboard), and DCers (people who have internet issues and disconnect from the game). However, all of this is unavoidable because it is a common trait of MOBAs. Riot is working on improving the matchmaking system, however, it seems that this issue will remain always remain a nuisance.

The game is rated for teens because of the violence and mild gore, as well as some subjective themes. LoL is mostly a difficult game. It challenges the players because of the competitive level. As players progress, they are matched with opponents that possess fairly equal skill levels, therefore, players are usually well entertained. Tutorials are offered in the game for starters and beginners. Each game can be as short as 20 minutes or as long as 60 minutes. There is no time limit, so players can theoretically play as long as they want (as long as each team can keep their nexus alive). The game cannot be paused or saved because you are playing with multiple people at the same time. Each game is different and unpredictable because there are so many different people participating, however, the game usually narrows down to a few different tactics because of their consistency and effectiveness.

In the past, LoL graphics were compared to other famous games such as Warcraft 3 or World of Warcraft. It was very cartoon-like and a bit unclean in texture. Current updates have reworked LoL art/graphics by making it look much cleaner, while still keeping the cartoon-like style. The cover art in LoL is also very appealing to the eye with detailed and vivid drawings. Other artistic features include various skins for champions which are what make champions appear differently in game. These features however, cost real money.

Audio in LoL is very impressive. Logging into the game is a great example of LoL audio as it features epic LoL-themed music created by Riot and the orchestras that perform it. In-game audio is also very clean and crisp featuring many voice actors (for champions and characters) and various sound effects. The audio can also be modified and changed in audio settings for louder/softer effects or louder/softer music.

Some additional features include background stories/lore of champions, various champion skins, adding people as friends on players’ list, chat rooms, and spectating mode which allow players to watch other players participate in game.

Overall, League of Legends is a very fun, competitive, and challenging game. It requires great skill and communication to enjoy the game to its full potential. Although the matchmaking system is flawed and coping with other players can sometimes be very difficult, this game helps players learn to cope well with one another and accept different types of people who may rage quit and start acting arrogantly. This game also features great art/graphics, impressive audio, and easy-to-control or modifiable mechanics.
I rate this game a solid 8/10.