A little over two years ago Valve announced that Dota 2 would have custom games, which are games made with the tools (like a level editor and more) provided by Valve to the community. It's fitting that Dota 2 has them, considering Dota itself began as a custom game of Warcraft III. Now, Dota 2 custom games are getting a rather large release on August 22nd in ReIncarnation, an expansive RPG with leveling, dungeons, quests, cinematics, and more.
ReIncarnation is inspired by the many great WC3 custom game RPGs out there, such as Twilights Eve, which the creator says many have called ReIncarnation a "pseudo-successor" to. The RPG can be played solo, but the end game content is designed with a party in mind; though, those that want to continue solo can, they just have to find all the best equipment to get the job done.
So how does it work? The above image is a good jumping off point. There are basically six classes to choose from Warrior, Brute, Ranger, Rogue, Devout, and Mage. You get to choose from those at level 10. Heroes from 1-10 differ based on the choice of primary attribute, Strength, Agility, or Intelligence. From there they branch off more, ending with a total variety at the highest Tier, Tier 4, of 24 different heroes. It's worth noting the heroes are unique to ReIncarnation, created for the game specifically.
For those remembering the early days of WC3 custom games, ReIncarnation thankfully features a save system, so you won't lose your progress if you have to quit the game.
ReIncarnation featured 16 dungeons, as well, which are specific areas to fight through a bunch of enemies to the end boss of the dungeon. Each boss has unique mechanics to learn and its own challenges, as well as its own unique equipment it drops. So, they basically function the same as dungeons you would see in other games.
In addition to the dungeons, there are World Bosses scattered throughout the map. The description mentions that they are mostly geared towards end-game characters, so if you run across one early, you likely won't be able to defeat it.
For those interested in some PvP, ReIncarnation has an arena for players to fight each other as well. These fights can be one on one or in groups, with the results of the match tracked so you can see the history of your fights. The developers say they aren't as focused on PvP, so it won't be all that balanced, as its purpose is purely fun. Eventually, they would like to see a league system introduced and they intend to create large-scale battlegrounds in the future.
The above image gives a good look at the UI. In it you see the Options, Save, and more at the top; the quest tracking in the top right; the buttons for inventory, gear, and display for gold in the bottom right; the dialogue screen in the bottom center as well as your hero and abilities, and finally the minimap in the bottom right.
As far as the UI, it should be familiar to most people and easy to navigate. There aren't a lot of buttons and it's easy to see where everything is at. It may not be the flashiest, but it works.
There's a long story-driven quest line in the game, as well as side quests and Events to keep players busy. Those, again, function just how you would expect them to for an RPG. ReIncarnation also features what they are calling "dynamic dialogue," which means that every NPC on the map changes what they say or talk to you about depending on how far you have progressed in the story. ReIncarnation will even have cinematics for key story moments.
Above is the screen for alchemy, crafting potions. ReIncarnation features crafting in the form of alchemy and cooking, which are themselves supported by fishing and gathering herbs and minerals. This too should feel pretty familiar.
The number of things on display here is impressive and developers Dreoh and JoBoDo are committed to keeping updating the game, eyeing possible expansions in the future. ReIncarnation will be coming to Dota 2 custom games on August 22nd.
What do you think of ReIncarnation? Will you be trying the game out? Do you remember RPGs on Warcraft III? Let us know in the comments below!
