Heroes of Newerth

 PC
User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 242 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 152 out of 242
  2. Mixed: 43 out of 242
  3. Negative: 47 out of 242

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  1. bazztex
    Jan 23, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. HoN is a great game. The graphics help to bring the players into the right mood for a battle between the avatars. The community isn't the best but when you reach a higher mmr/psr the community improves slightly. Everyone who tries the game for the first time usually ends up with noobs as both teammates and opponents. Personal experience tells me that the reason newcomers complain about the community is that they, the newcomers, just ignore the more experienced players when they try to give them an advice in the hero picking phase or so. If you are patient and willing to play for the team rather than for yourself only, the mood for that game will nearly all ways be nice and calm.… Expand
  2. Erosiccu
    Jan 26, 2012
    9
    In this particular genre of games (MOBA) there are three main competitors: Heroes of Newerth (HoN); League of Legends (LoL); and the original, Defense of the Ancients (Dota). All three games have insanely TERRIFYING and rewarding learning curves and on top of that the community of players is nightmarish. Players in this game are ruthless, mean, spiteful, and better than you. These gamesIn this particular genre of games (MOBA) there are three main competitors: Heroes of Newerth (HoN); League of Legends (LoL); and the original, Defense of the Ancients (Dota). All three games have insanely TERRIFYING and rewarding learning curves and on top of that the community of players is nightmarish. Players in this game are ruthless, mean, spiteful, and better than you. These games will absolutely wreck you for the first month of play until you learn every hero, their skills, the map, the items, and the mechanics. When you overcome all of this and get decent with a few heroes so much so that you can actually change the outcome of a game then THIS BECOMES THE ONLY GAME YOU EVER WANT TO PLAY. This whole experience is infinitely easier and more fun if you have a few friends to accompany you throughout. Your friends will help you learn everything quicker, you will be able to be more strategic and communicate with your teammates better, and most importantly your friends will help you keep your chin up and stay positive and take the high road when people with huge e-peens and superiority complexes try to get in your face about the game. I can go on for another 4000 characters about this game but I already think that people won't read this haha. PHENOMENAL GAME, UNBELIEVABLY REWARDING, BETTER THAN THE COMPETITION, AND BUILDS CHARACTER!!!… Expand
  3. normyp
    Jun 10, 2012
    8
    I really love this game. It's so addictive and a lot of fun, with loads of replayability, new heroes and loads of tactics. I love how strategic the game can get but I hate it when you just get in a game full of idiots or feeders or leavers, it ruins the game, also ragers piss me off. So all in all it's brilliant and a lot of fun but it is way too time consuming and there are just someI really love this game. It's so addictive and a lot of fun, with loads of replayability, new heroes and loads of tactics. I love how strategic the game can get but I hate it when you just get in a game full of idiots or feeders or leavers, it ruins the game, also ragers piss me off. So all in all it's brilliant and a lot of fun but it is way too time consuming and there are just some players I wish would die.… Expand
  4. namDa65
    Jan 6, 2012
    9
    Been playing this since I quit LoL . It's faster, more gritty, and more satisfying overall. I find the community to be pretty bad however, once you hit 1700 MMR, you'll get **** on for playing ****ty. Nice game till DOTA 2 comes out! (I heard DOTA 2 is slower D: )
  5. Smallbubbles
    May 2, 2012
    9
    The most underrated game in the genre, fast paced, smooth, okay graphics and so on. The reason why the game was dominated by LoL, was because of S2 marketing early on, S2 has been really bad at supporting their own game.
  6. serotonic
    Jun 8, 2012
    8
    A great step up from DOTA! Nice graphics, great game play. Lag is very rare. My only issue is the balancing. Some heroes are very clearly overpowered, while others have been nerfed into the ground.
  7. pennstateguy
    Apr 26, 2013
    9
    Love the game, the community is harsh. Great graphics, great f2p game, i've logged over 1400 matches and still come back and back and back to play with friends or solo play
  8. keemt
    Feb 9, 2014
    9
    Heroes of Newerth is a free Dota clone with many different heroes. I created an account specifically to create a review that more accurately reflects this game--I think it has received a lot of criticism that is just wrong, which is common for cutthroat games like these. HoN does not have the worst player community, Dota does. Dota 2 may be better, but I will never know because Dota 2Heroes of Newerth is a free Dota clone with many different heroes. I created an account specifically to create a review that more accurately reflects this game--I think it has received a lot of criticism that is just wrong, which is common for cutthroat games like these. HoN does not have the worst player community, Dota does. Dota 2 may be better, but I will never know because Dota 2 is just a Dota clone that has even more childish looking graphics, and they added in the ridiculous Clinkz hero on purpose, which is unforgivably stupid (Scout in HoN can be compared to Clinkz, but he is at least melee which makes him 3x more vulnerable). League of Legends has the most cartoonish graphics of all, and attracts people who are cartoonish and childish themselves. Heroes of Newerth is distastefully ridiculous at times, but more often than not, the game is just down right hilarious (e.g., the owl with laserbeams graphic for their 1st year anniversary). Heroes of Newerth is the only MOBA game that is geared for mature adults, but it still of course does have people raging and insulting on the internet. Their penalties for leavers has stopped that problem almost completely, but I do disapprove of their concede system, which makes many games finish unnecessarily early if they start badly.

    Now let's get down to the details of the gameplay itself. When playing MOBA games, it becomes clear that people have no idea what's fair and balanced. When Dota would receive updates, it was a constant disappointment. As the leadership in Dota 2 is the same, I would expect the same results. Every update to Heroes of Newerth was the complete opposite, with the exception of some hero additions who don't pique my interest. The item changes and additions have been absolutely incredible. The game has also has as many options as you could want, very simple hotkey setup, and outright hilarious voice choices (Including Samuel L. Jackson parodying himself from Pulp Fiction!). Best of all, they have finally added in the funnest mode of play (OMG mode in Dota 1), called Rift Wars, where the skills are randomly chosen and change after each death. The worst thing about this game is that it takes a while to get used to, and doesn't feel great when you lose terribly. As a bottom line, if you like strategy rpg games made for adults and are competitive, exciting, and have a fantasy setting, this is the best sport you could waste your time with.

    Note: When I recently re-installed the game, I had to switch the graphics to OpenGL and then do a "repair install" from the options menu, which took an extra 5 minutes for my free game.    … Expand
  9. redankilous
    Jul 29, 2014
    8
    I hate people who dont give honest reviews. I play this game everyday. among all the different moba games this is the one i am most comfortable with. LoL sucks so in my opinion there are two great classic moba's to choose from dota 2 and hon. The main reason i like hon better is because of the differences from dota . There is no secret shop, you have auto leveling and runes are better isI hate people who dont give honest reviews. I play this game everyday. among all the different moba games this is the one i am most comfortable with. LoL sucks so in my opinion there are two great classic moba's to choose from dota 2 and hon. The main reason i like hon better is because of the differences from dota . There is no secret shop, you have auto leveling and runes are better is hon (because of the refresher rune) there are other differences but these are why i like hon better. The one thing i can say is that S2 is horrible and the dota servers better. Ever want a laugh look up S2'ed in youtube and you will see what i am talking about. 8 out of 10 is a very honest review for this game.… Expand
  10. Mojawk
    Nov 10, 2011
    9
    A very decent DOTA clone, miles ahead of LoL and should probably the market leader in the MOBA genre. Not going F2P from day 1 hurt them. Needs some better support for guild. Has in-game VOIP, great spectator system and a lot of re-playability. Definitely worth checking out if your waiting for DOTA 2.
  11. wonzling
    Oct 17, 2011
    10
    HoN is the best MOBA (Multiplayer Online Batte Arena) title on the markets right now. It stays very close to the original game DotA, with slight gameplay and major interface enhancements. E.g. matchmaking gives you a easy way to enter a game with people who are about the same level as you... no more server browsing, no more host leaving the game, ect. The only critique I have with thisHoN is the best MOBA (Multiplayer Online Batte Arena) title on the markets right now. It stays very close to the original game DotA, with slight gameplay and major interface enhancements. E.g. matchmaking gives you a easy way to enter a game with people who are about the same level as you... no more server browsing, no more host leaving the game, ect. The only critique I have with this game is it's incredible steep learning curve. To actually be a valuable asset to your team you have to play numerous hours (20+), and in the beginning you're going to feed very very much. Anyhow, I'm hooked since the first minute. TLDR: The best MOBA on the market with a extremly high skill ceiling.… Expand
  12. Zelosfan
    Jul 1, 2012
    10
    Even though this game has the same high learning curve than the Warcraft3 Mod(DotA) it still has a lot of improvements which make this game the perfect DotA clone. The leaver protection, the skill based matchmaking and a decent mix of own heroes and DotA heroes creates thousands of hours of gameplay with a friends and clans. The competitive scene and their players are constantly changingEven though this game has the same high learning curve than the Warcraft3 Mod(DotA) it still has a lot of improvements which make this game the perfect DotA clone. The leaver protection, the skill based matchmaking and a decent mix of own heroes and DotA heroes creates thousands of hours of gameplay with a friends and clans. The competitive scene and their players are constantly changing and is not dominated by the same team.… Expand
  13. twopac10
    Aug 1, 2012
    10
    for me i rate this game a 10 because i have been playing it for a year and i am so incredibly addicted to it. However, it is not for everyone. It is a game that has a simple concept, however, learning all the items and all the characters requires a lot of patience...that is just the tip of the iceburg! There are many things to learn and that comes with practice and hour and hours of timefor me i rate this game a 10 because i have been playing it for a year and i am so incredibly addicted to it. However, it is not for everyone. It is a game that has a simple concept, however, learning all the items and all the characters requires a lot of patience...that is just the tip of the iceburg! There are many things to learn and that comes with practice and hour and hours of time playing and watching replays and asking questions. The community however will not be welcoming you as a new players in general (this includes myself). you can be kicked for poor play, you will be verbally aggressed for simply not being good! That said, the game has recently become free to play, so what do you have to lose other than hours of valuable time and possibly your soul! Give it a try and make your own opinion!… Expand
  14. rabage
    Oct 5, 2010
    10
    This game will destroy you. There is no easy way to put it, but you will want to yell at your team mates and they will want to yell at you. With a game so focused on working as a team where it is all about setting up combinations that are effective in team battles you can not avoid emotions. Really need to stress to not take this game too seriously as it is just a game and having fun isThis game will destroy you. There is no easy way to put it, but you will want to yell at your team mates and they will want to yell at you. With a game so focused on working as a team where it is all about setting up combinations that are effective in team battles you can not avoid emotions. Really need to stress to not take this game too seriously as it is just a game and having fun is the goal, but be prepared to be just torn apart if you do anything that someone else feels isn't up to snuff. The good thing is that when you are playing well as a team nothing is quite as awesome as turning a game where you were losing into a game where you are destroying. That is why I keep coming back.… Expand
  15. Zen-Zinxe
    Dec 20, 2011
    8
    A very solid MOBA game, though difficult to get into (and difficult to return to) due to its high learning curve and unfriendly player base. This game has a stylish feel to it and each of the heroes have a very unique personality. Definitely worth trying out now that it is free too play.
  16. Zurtrogx
    Aug 27, 2010
    9
    "Heroes of Newerth" or "HoN" is a great game to play. It is essentially a copy from the Warcraft 3 custom map "Defense of the Ancients" or "DotA".

    In HoN (and DotA) you choose from a vast variety of Heroes, each with different roles and abilities. Your team of five players versus another five players with the aim of "pushing" lanes, and eventually destroying the opponent's main structure.    "Heroes of Newerth" or "HoN" is a great game to play. It is essentially a copy from the Warcraft 3 custom map "Defense of the Ancients" or "DotA".

    In HoN (and DotA) you choose from a vast variety of Heroes, each with different roles and abilities. Your team of five players versus another five players with the aim of "pushing" lanes, and eventually destroying the opponent's main structure. AI units ("creeps") spawn every 30 seconds from either side of the three lanes, which automatically attempt the push the lane. If your Hero is nearby when an enemy creep or enemy Hero dies, you gain experience. By gaining experience, your Hero eventually levels up, allowing you to learn/improve your different abilities. By killing creeps and Heroes, you gain gold (as well as gaining gold periodically) which allows you to purchase items to make your Hero stronger.

    The graphics in HoN is a huge improvement over the Warcraft 3 graphics DotA was utilising and being able to reconnect to a game is a great if you have an unexpected connection issue.

    Many of the Heroes in HoN are clones from the DotA Heroes, which for someone like myself is good - having played DotA for a while, I am able to play HoN with all my old favourites. Although, not all the Heroes from DotA have been ported over. And there are even some non-DotA Heroes in HoN which are really good.

    For someone new to this type of game, HoN can be quite difficult to grasp. The majority of the HoN community can be quite mean to new players. However, an easy way to overcome this is to play no-stat games. In HoN, different statistics are tracked as you play, such as Kill:Death Ratio, win %, and Public Skill Rating (PSR). When you win/lose your PSR will go up/down depending on the PSR of all the other people playing. Since most people would like to have a high PSR, they critizise new players who cause them to lose the game, and thus cause their PSR to go down. When playing a no-stat game, none of the stats a tracked, so people aren't aggressive.

    However, the game costs 30USD. Which, for a game, 30USD isn't really that much.
    Every now and again, Heroes of Newerth has a free-to-play-weekend or even a free-to-play-week where you can play as much as you like for the period. If you want to try -before-you-buy, keep an eye out for these free-to-play periods.    … Expand
  17. JDMullenary
    Aug 28, 2010
    9
    Heroes of Newerth, while i have no idea what newerth is, I do love the heroes. Essentially this is a game that has improved graphics and easier controls then ice frogs old DOTA series. I've played DOTA for years upon years and i played the open beta for HON as it's called, and found the transfer to be fairly easy. Overall the community is fairly similar to DOTA, however due to theHeroes of Newerth, while i have no idea what newerth is, I do love the heroes. Essentially this is a game that has improved graphics and easier controls then ice frogs old DOTA series. I've played DOTA for years upon years and i played the open beta for HON as it's called, and found the transfer to be fairly easy. Overall the community is fairly similar to DOTA, however due to the statistics, if you have a low K/D Ratio or Kills to Deaths ratio, odds are you won't be allowed in numerous games, and thats a problem for some new players and a solution for more of the veteran players who hate playing with newbies. I believe this game was built well, with great intentions, but seems to be missing the option of hiding statistics to make life easier on newbies.… Expand
  18. madisonjacka
    Mar 10, 2011
    9
    Unlimited gameplay, steep learning curve, obnoxious community

    Still my fav game, but its basically dota revamped

    Heart pounding action every game though, so I cant complain too much

    -1 only because of the obnoxious community
  19. gqtony03
    Jul 15, 2011
    10
    http://heroesofnewerth.com/ref.php?r=992J7K3T
    Heroes of Newerth is a game that has spread DotA's acclaim to a whole other level by elevating their weaknesses, and improving upon community wants and needs by implementing a reconnecting system and stats system that keeps everything organized and civil. HON is regularly 30$, but with a special promotion of 10$ at the moment, it is a must have    http://heroesofnewerth.com/ref.php?r=992J7K3T
    Heroes of Newerth is a game that has spread DotA's acclaim to a whole other level by elevating their weaknesses, and improving upon community wants and needs by implementing a reconnecting system and stats system that keeps everything organized and civil. HON is regularly 30$, but with a special promotion of 10$ at the moment, it is a must have if you have DotA's withdrawals. Don't miss out on this chance!
    http://heroesofnewerth.com/ref.php?r=992J7K3T    … Expand
  20. Nathonas
    Apr 14, 2014
    8
    From a technical standpoint, this game is, in my humble opinion, the best MOBA. It's just so, so much more responsive than Dota 2, and the game pace is so fast that it truly rewards better players. Going to Dota 2 (or god forbid, league of legends) is like playing drunk - everything is slow and feels unresponsive.

    I also enjoy the graphics style, and most of the original (non-dota)    From a technical standpoint, this game is, in my humble opinion, the best MOBA. It's just so, so much more responsive than Dota 2, and the game pace is so fast that it truly rewards better players. Going to Dota 2 (or god forbid, league of legends) is like playing drunk - everything is slow and feels unresponsive.

    I also enjoy the graphics style, and most of the original (non-dota) heroes are relatively well-designed and made, with some exceptions. I love the MMR system and the region locks so I don't have to deal with people that don't speak English every single game (I'm looking at you, Dota 2). However, the game's community is also one of the worst out there - very discouraging to new players. Also there's a ton of trolls and griefers. Would recommend to play with a team to deal with that, or try to get up to 1800+ MMR where there is less trolls.    … Expand
  21. Spudrospar
    Dec 31, 2011
    10
    Ok,so first review of 2012 for this game:HoN is a great game,and way better than dota 2. Dota 2 is a thumbed down version of the original dota,and much less action based+fun than hon. League of legends has always been a terrible game,and I highly recommend HoN over any other moba game if you're tired to dota.
  22. VonCarlsson
    Oct 31, 2010
    9
    This game is fantastic, well worth the $30 it costs.

    With a large pool of playable heroes, and a wide variety of items, the combinations are almost unlimited. The game is immensely addictive and fun to play. Though it takes lots of practice and hours spent before you can start to grasp the real value of this game. Which might turn some new players off. The game requires a lot of time    This game is fantastic, well worth the $30 it costs.

    With a large pool of playable heroes, and a wide variety of items, the combinations are almost unlimited.
    The game is immensely addictive and fun to play. Though it takes lots of practice and hours spent before you can start to grasp the real value of this game. Which might turn some new players off.

    The game requires a lot of time being spent on it, it requires your full attention for the full duration of the match. Tabbing out for a couple of minutes, answering a SMS or getting something to eat is not an option, you must be there all the time. So be well prepared.

    Another thing which is in much of my delight, is the amount of thinking you have to do in order to strategically outsmart your opponent. This game is indeed a strategy game at its best.

    The downside to this game, isn't really the game itself but the players. There are, to my great dismay, a large amount of players that are very unreasonable persons, that haven't yet understood that the game has to be played together with other people. This can potentially ruin a great game.

    I am inclined to give Heroes of Newerth a straight 10, but the player base is much responsible for my disability in doing so. Were it not for the blatantly lousy lower tier player base it'd be a 10.

    In conclusion.
    If you love strategy and a lot of thinking, this is a must have.    … Expand
  23. misterpete
    Oct 7, 2010
    10
    Based on the popular Warcraft 3 custom map, Defense of the Ancients, Heroes of Newerth (HoN) is an incredibly addictive and polished game from indie developer S2Games. Featuring stunning graphics, fast, smooth gameplay, and whole range of useful features (stat tracking, replays, reconnection, matchmaking, etc.), it is an absolute bargain at just $30. I highly recommend this game to anyoneBased on the popular Warcraft 3 custom map, Defense of the Ancients, Heroes of Newerth (HoN) is an incredibly addictive and polished game from indie developer S2Games. Featuring stunning graphics, fast, smooth gameplay, and whole range of useful features (stat tracking, replays, reconnection, matchmaking, etc.), it is an absolute bargain at just $30. I highly recommend this game to anyone who enjoys RPG and RTS style games, as well as anyone who enjoys a bit of PvP gaming.… Expand
  24. Tomken
    Aug 13, 2010
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Something is really missing that Defense of the Ancients has, the feeling is just gone. OK game, but copycat everything from IceFrog's DotA is kinda embarrassing… Expand
  25. Etdashou
    Apr 17, 2011
    9
    Great game with a lot of updates. For 30$, this game is a steal.
    Their is a lot of customization within the game if yuo are willing to pay, but nothing that will change your skill, only how you look.
    The company is really active and for +2 years that I played, their is always something new and fresh added. The multiplayer just works. The graphic are perfect, nothing super fancy, but you    Great game with a lot of updates. For 30$, this game is a steal.
    Their is a lot of customization within the game if yuo are willing to pay, but nothing that will change your skill, only how you look.

    The company is really active and for +2 years that I played, their is always something new and fresh added.

    The multiplayer just works. The graphic are perfect, nothing super fancy, but you will be able to play this game on any computer and you really understand what happens on the screen, which is very important.    … Expand
  26. Chapy
    Jul 22, 2011
    9
    Put simply, HoN is the only decent option (until Dota 2) for hardcore DotA players. S2 supports the competitive communities, they make efforts to keep the game balanced and most importantly it plays just like DotA. I have no major complaints whatsoever, I've logged hundreds of hours into this game and ever since matchmaking (finally) came out, that number went up. Certainly the only worthyPut simply, HoN is the only decent option (until Dota 2) for hardcore DotA players. S2 supports the competitive communities, they make efforts to keep the game balanced and most importantly it plays just like DotA. I have no major complaints whatsoever, I've logged hundreds of hours into this game and ever since matchmaking (finally) came out, that number went up. Certainly the only worthy title to belong in the 'DotA genre' besides DotA.… Expand
  27. MuthSera
    Jul 22, 2015
    10
    Still fun in 2015. I play it with my wife. HoN remains a solid example of the Moba Genre. Better graphics than LoL. Better balance than Dota 2. Don't get me started on heroes of the storm.
  28. Coonaros
    Jan 11, 2022
    10
    RIP HON !!! You will be missed!! I enjoy this game since 2009 before become F2P and it was a nice transition from Dota 1 !!!! Its really sad is shutting down!
  29. nicket
    Jun 16, 2022
    9
    It's sad that poor management decisions led to the downfall of what could've been the greatest MOBA of all time. Thanks for all the memories, HoN. You will be deeply missed by many.

Awards & Rankings

62
#62 Best PC Game of 2010
36
#36 Most Discussed PC Game of 2010
80
#80 Most Shared PC Game of 2010

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. Game Revolution
    83
    The only real compelling argument for getting into the game now comes from that group of friends who spend hours a day playing, telling you how great it is until you finally give in and join the madness with them.
    Read full review
  2. Gamers.at
    77
    Heroes of Newerth makes a lot of fun. The heroes are cool, you have the typical DotA atmosphere and the matchmaking system ensure fair play. Nevertheless HoN is mainly a game for DotA veterans.
    Read full review
  3. My Gamer
    76
    For anyone who is a super advanced DotA player, Newerth is a must buy, if only to keep up with the tournaments. Everyone else really should stay away due to the terrible community.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »