Why Dota 2 is the Only Game that Does Free-To-Play Right

While the whole editorial staff contributed to our 2015 awards, we wanted to allow everybody the opportunity to publicly name their personal top 10 games of the year. While many did play the majority of releases in 2015, please remember that unlike our main awards, the editors are not naming the best games, but their personal favorites out of the selection they played.

It's hard not to get teary-eyed watching Tyrael descend from the sky voluntarily even out of context, but when the trailer arrives just at the right point in the game's story, there's no denying its impact. Although Diablo 3 is incredibly replayable, the game's story does matter and it's hard not to become attached to its characters in between long sessions of looting. We dare players to make it through the game without getting invested in this st

Meanwhile, The CW's Arrowverse crossover this year had perhaps the most consistency of any of the network's crossover events. In previous years it's been abundantly clear which larger series each section of the crossovers have belonged to, for better or worse - though usually for worse. This year, however, Crisis on Earth-X had the most consistency in tone and story across the board of all four of The CW's DC series. Certainly, there was still some differentiation in tone between Supergirl and Arrow on night one, and it was clear which episode was Legend of Tomorrow's since the remainder of the team suddenly appea

Code Name S.T.E.A.M. is a remarkable game for a couple of reasons. It’s a turn-based strategy game set in a steam punk past, the action is simple to understand and the storyline is unique. As a special agent, taking orders from the President of the United States is part of the job; especially if those orders are to eradicate swarms of alien armies. Combining characters from literary classics makes it an even more fantastical journey. It’s the kind of game you’d usually see on PC, which makes it being on the 3DS refreshing for fans of strategy games.

The Heroes of the Storm trailer is potentially a controversial inclusion on this list. The trailer doesn't include any logical story, but in that sense, it is a perfect representation of the MOBA game tournaments that it is selling. Heroes is all about action and fun,and the trailer runs with both of those concepts and pumps the volume up to 11. Viewers have the chance to see six of Blizzard's most iconic heroes and villains square off in a high-powered battle and it is incredibly reward

Another strategy game I played on my list is SteamWorld Heist and it’s a winner for me. Understanding the gameplay is simple and the story jumped right into the action. Exploring randomly generated ships and shooting it out with robots makes every stop along the way a true challenge. The old west aesthetic and steam-powered environment in SteamWorld Heist is pulled off much better than Wild Wild West. It’s almost the complete opposite of SteamWorld Dig but you could say SteamWorld Heist is a more grown-up version in the series. It’s a game to both kill time and robots with.

Pokémon is my absolute favorite franchise and it was very unfortunate there was no entry to the series this year. However, Pokémon was wise enough to appease me by releasing something, even if it was a puzzle game. Pokémon Shuffle has been a game I’ve constantly replayed. I’ve been enjoying it for over a year and I show no sign of stopping. New levels are constantly being added and timed challenges keep it interesting. It’s perfect to play on the go and with it now on mobile devices I highly recommend giving it a play.

Who's a good Frostwolf? WHO'S A GOOD LITTLE FROSTWOLF?! This World of Warcraft Frostwolf Cub Plush is great for some holiday snuggling or as the latest trophy up on your wall of gaming collectibles. An official Blizzard Gear product, this pup's soft blue-eyed gaze will never betray the fact that it's seen some seriously harsh things on the battlefronts of Draenor and Alterac Valley while serving the Ho

Regardless of what the most hardcore fans thought, the Mists of Pandaria trailer became an incredibly popular TV spot in the month's leading up to the game's release. It featured exciting action with its three way battle, but more importantly, showcased Blizzard's sense of humor. The trailer isn't full of jokes at all, but a few well-placed visual gags make it impossible not to love the cinematic introduction of the universe's new r

Dota 2 is free to play with no exceptions. The only items you can purchase are purely cosmetic. This makes it so everyone can have an equal experience with the entire game without paying one dime. If you want, however, you can purchase things such as outfits, environmental effects, announcer packs, HUD skins, loadings screens and couriers (an animal in Dota 2 that will bring you your items after purchasing them). You can purchase a battlepoint booster, which will increase the rate at which you level up for a certain amount of time. However, your level has no effect on the game. Dota 2 isn't stingy with these either, as it gives you a random cosmetic item every time you level up.