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Games like Dota 2

Valve · 2013 · Windows, macOS, Linux

Steam: 79 % positive of 2,806,614 reviews, as of Oct 28

Every day, millions of players worldwide enter battle as one of over a hundred Dota heroes. And no matter if it's their 10th hour of play or 1,000th, there's always something new to discover. With regular updates that ensure a constant evolution of gameplay, features, and heroes, Dota 2 has taken on a life of its own.

24 games that play like Dota 2 and 24 that look like it. Closest by gameplay: Team Fortress 2, Dota Underlords and Counter-Strike 2.

Player tags

  • Free to Play
  • MOBA
  • Multiplayer
  • Strategy
  • e-sports
  • Team-Based
  • Competitive
  • Action
Map region: MMOs & Online RPGs
Open on Steam ↗

Steam reviews

What players say

Players love its depth and strategy but describe a notoriously toxic community and a steep, stressful learning curve that can eat up huge amounts of time.

Most reviewers recommend Dota 2, and Steam's totals are very positive, though the reviews here are more mixed in tone. Many players praise the strategic depth, the large hero pool and the way each match plays out differently, and long-time players say the game still feels fresh after thousands of hours. The criticism centres on toxic teammates and chat, blame and reporting systems, and a brutal learning curve. Many reviewers joke that the game costs them time, sleep and mental health, and some describe it in terms of addiction. Some players note technical issues, cheating in certain regions, and frustration with balance and matchmaking. Recent reviews are fewer and echo the same themes, with some mentioning slow updates and a feeling that the game has changed over the years.

Praised

  • Strategic depth

    Players praise the complex mechanics, large hero pool and endless combinations that keep every match different.

    Many players
  • Long-lasting replayability

    Players have logged thousands of hours and say the game keeps changing and stays fresh over years.

    Many players
  • Friendly players and good community

    Reviewers report helpful, friendly teammates and say the community can be a real pleasure to play with.

    Some players
  • Social and nostalgic value

    Players enjoy playing with friends and cite long histories with the game, from early Dota All-Stars to current play.

    Some players

Criticised

  • Toxic community and chat

    Reviewers describe insults, blame, abusive chat and players who report or mute others without good reason.

    Many players
  • Mental strain and addiction

    Reviewers say the game is stressful, causes frustration and is hard to stop playing, sometimes taking over their lives.

    Many players
  • Harsh learning curve

    Players find the game very hard to learn, with complex systems that take long to understand and punish mistakes.

    Some players
  • Cheating and matchmaking problems

    Reviewers complain about cheaters in certain regions, unbalanced or slow matchmaking and low-priority penalties.

    Some players
Who it suits
Suits players who enjoy deep, competitive strategy games, can handle heavy frustration and are happy to invest hundreds or thousands of hours.
Who should skip it
Should skip it if you want a relaxed game, dislike toxic or hostile communities, or have limited time and a low tolerance for stress.

Short vs. long playtime: Players with well over 200 hours tend to focus on long-term replayability and the game's changes, while newer players mainly describe the difficulty of learning it and frequent frustration.

Summarised by AI from 80 Steam reviews (English, helpful and recent), as of Oct 28, 2026.

Best matches

Plays and looks like Dota 2

These games are close to it by gameplay and by look, so they appear in both lists below.

By gameplay

Plays like Dota 2

Matched from Steam descriptions and player tags. The tags under each game are the ones both games share.

More matches

  1. SMITE 254 % positive of 24,442Shared: MOBA · Strategy · Team-Based
  2. Apex Legends™66 % positive of 1,075,624Shared: Team-Based · PvP · Co-op
  3. Dragons and Titans79 % positive of 3,454Shared: MOBA · Strategy · PvP
  4. Counter-Strike95 % positive of 170,397Shared: Strategy · e-sports · Team-Based
  5. Artifact46 % positive of 24,760Shared: Strategy · e-sports · Competitive
  6. Counter-Strike: Source95 % positive of 136,096Shared: Strategy · e-sports · Team-Based
  7. Minion Masters88 % positive of 65,327Shared: Strategy · Online Co-Op · PvP
  8. Arena of Kings74 % positive of 1,658Shared: MOBA · e-sports · Team-Based
  9. Battleborn62 % positive of 9,709Shared: MOBA · Team-Based · Online Co-Op
  10. THE DAY Online58 % positive of 557Shared: MOBA · Strategy · e-sports
  11. Guild Wars 2®87 % positive of 30,140Shared: Strategy · Online Co-Op · PvP
  12. Bloodline Champions84 % positive of 1,737Shared: MOBA · Competitive · PvP

By look

Looks like Dota 2

Matched from screenshots. Each card shows the screenshot closest to the look of this game.

More matches

  1. Last Epoch76 % positive of 107,142
  2. Torchlight90 % positive of 5,491
  3. Magicka 282 % positive of 9,496
  4. The Last Flame84 % positive of 2,758
  5. Soulstone Survivors91 % positive of 25,878
  6. Dwarven Realms81 % positive of 2,859
  7. Divinity: Original Sin - Enhanced Edition87 % positive of 27,813
  8. Druidstone: The Secret of the Menhir Forest81 % positive of 1,293
  9. Warlords Awakening69 % positive of 532
  10. Songs of Conquest85 % positive of 12,180
  11. Royal Crown68 % positive of 3,174
  12. Shadows: Awakening75 % positive of 1,546

At a glance

What games like Dota 2 have in common

  • The tags they share most often with Dota 2: Strategy (17 of 24), MOBA (16) and Team-Based (13).
  • They came out between 2000 and 2024, 19 of them after Dota 2 (2013).
  • Best rated by Steam players: Counter-Strike (95 % positive of 170,397).

How these matches work

Matches come from embeddings of Steam descriptions, player tags and screenshots, computed offline. “Plays like” compares what the games are about and how players tag them; “Looks like” compares their screenshots. The share of positive reviews is based on Steam user reviews.

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