League of Legends doesn't have a storyline and frankly it doesn't even need a narrative as an excuse to play it, since the gameplay is equally attractive and addictive. Unless you've been living in a cave for the last 5 years or so, it's most unlikely that you're completely unaware of the concept that made the Warcraft 3 mode Defense of the Ancients just as appealing as the original title. Riot Games' latest release doesn't bring a great deal of novelty, but instead preserves the basic concept and significantly improves it, to fit the high standards of the most dedicated DotA players.

Essentially, you are in control of a single hero called "summoner" and either play against a single opponent, or compete in a team of five players fighting an equally matched adversary. There are three lanes where AI controlled units are pouring from both directions, heading towards the enemy base and on each lane there are three defensive towers for each team. The purpose of the game is to annihilate the enemy units, also known as "creeps" so your own troops can advance further, destroy towers and other enemy structures including the main building.

Naturally, the enemy heroes are going to do everything in their power to ambush you and your allies and take advantage of the resurrection time to destroy your own buildings. It's a cat and mouse game where you are constantly trying to outmaneuver your enemy, lay traps and flank opponents by launching coordinated attacks. Team play is crucial, because as you level up the creeps are nothing more than a nuisance and even towers don't pose a real danger, but enemy summoners are capable of killing you in a few blows. It takes longer to revive and during those dreadful seconds while you are dead, the enemy team can inflict enough damage to knock you out for good.

Heroes level up as they slay creeps and towers, but they don't need to land the killing blow, it's enough just to be close to the area where AI controlled units die. This prevents ranged heroes from keeping melee opponents at bay and avert them from leveling up, but being around the killing fields is not enough if you want to buy expensive artifacts. You gain a few gold coins even if you don't do anything, but only killing blows are rewarded with cash so hitting the unit with the lowest hit points or denying an enemy kill is just as important. Regular units pay less than a tower or summoner and there are even special rewards for scoring the first blood or ending a killing spree, so be alert.