Opinion - The Best Bosses In Gaming Are Other Players

Dota 2’s middle lane is an interesting place, not only within the context of its own game, but in gaming as a whole. Traditionally the mid lane is the most important lane in each game, where a core hero from each team meets in one-on-one combat. These two heroes generally earn more gold and experience than any others on the map, meaning a victory at mid can have huge effects on the rest of the game.

Being in that high-pressure position is unlike anything else I’ve experienced in gaming. The feeling is reminiscent of the best gaming boss fights, but with the added intensity of another player. Dota 2’s Player-versus-Player combat exists in a rift somewhere between both of these experiences, but in my opinion outshines them both.

I have spent countless hours on a number of competitive games including Modern Warfare, Gears of War, and Uncharted 2. Although I love those games, their chaotic, free-for-all nature prevents them from offering the pure PvP experience I love most. Most kills occur when one player catches another off guard, and the engagement is over before the victim can get a chance to react. In the rare situation where two players do stumble upon each other there is only about one to two seconds of real competition before one player is defeated.

On the other end you have boss battles, which are generally long contests between you and one powerful enemy. Some bosses, like the colossi from Shadow of the Colossus, are seemingly unstoppable at first, and satisfaction comes from overcoming an extraordinary enemy. Other bosses, such as Dark Link from Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, challenge you to defeat an enemy who is your equal in almost every way, meaning the only way to win is to outplay them. Still, even the greatest boss fights can’t make you forget you are battling an A.I., and that oftentimes this A.I. can be manipulated for an easy win (the crouch stab exploit from Zelda II being one famous example).

Such is not the case with Dota 2. The battle for the mid lane can feel like a boss fight at times, but knowing you are competing with another human being keeps the pressure on. There’s no A.I. manipulation here. Aside from the differences between their selected heroes, each player starts on equal footing. From the moment the match starts it’s your skill that puts you ahead. 

Getting a kill in Dota 2 is not as simple as lining up a crosshair and landing a few shots. Though kills can happen just as quickly with proper coordination, getting a kill without teammate support generally requires careful play with plenty of back and forth. It also takes more finesse than simply running them down and throwing your best attacks at them. You need to understand the limits of your opponent’s hero, as well as your own. You wait for them to make the tiniest mistake, then capitalize on it with speed and precision. When two top professionals battle 1v1 it is an art form, and like many art forms it can be difficult to understand as a casual observer.

Like any good competitive game, knowledge of the map is just as important as knowledge of your character. Attack the enemy hero too much and their creeps (A.I. controlled minions that defend each lane) will turn their attacks on you, causing damage and disrupting your escape. Push your attack too far and you will enter the attack range of their tower, a slow but powerful turret that will take big chunks of your health if you give it the chance. Other things to keep in mind when battling in mid are the high ground/low ground advantages, the power-boosting runes that spawn nearby every two minutes, and of course your health and mana. It sounds like a lot at first, but like most competitive games eventually the small details become second nature, allowing you to focus on the real core of Dota 2: your battle of attrition with another human being. 

I’m not writing this to argue that Dota 2 is in some way better than other competitive games, but rather try to explain why I find its brand of PvP so addicting. Once you’ve got a handle on the ins and outs of playing the middle lane you will have a chance to experience one of gaming’s most thrilling competitive “boss battles.”  For me, the feeling of getting a solo kill in the middle lane, knowing you truly outplayed an equal opponent, is unmatched.