Dota 2 has seen a multitude of events and updates. Some of which have brought some of the best custom event game modes that the game has seen in its tenure. These event game modes have historically accompanied special Valve events, be it The International Battle Pass, or the many seasonal events that have become part of the game such as New Bloom alongside the Chinese New Year, Diretide alongside Halloween, and Frostivus around Christmas.
These event game modes have had different unique themes like tower defense, battle royale, RPG-type adventure and dungeon crawlers. Here are our picks for the top five Dota 2 event game modes of all time.
Top 5 Custom Event Game Modes in Dota 2
5. Diretide 2020
Diretide is the Dota 2 event that accompanies the Halloween season. First introduced in 2012, Diretide has made an appearance three times as a Dota 2 seasonal event.
In its most recent iteration, Diretide 2020 brought with it the game mode in which two teams of five players had to collect taffy dropped by creeps with the team with the highest amount of collected taffy winning the round. The game mode was played over three rounds as a best of three format.
Diretide 2020 also brought a completely new map on which the game mode was played. Unlike previous versions where the base map of Dota 2 was used.
While highly enjoyable, the problem with the Diretide 2020 game mode was its replayability. The mechanics and design of the mode introduced little difference between each game for the players who, after a while, got tired of the mode.
4. Frostivus 2013: Wraith Night
The Wraith Night was a tower defense-esque game mode introduced during the 2013 Frostivus seasonal event.
In the Wraith Night game mode, players in a team of five had to defend the ‘Wraith King’s Altar’ against thirteen waves of enemies in a manner similar to a tower defence. The map featured entry points and ally towers and the Altar which was to be defended. Killing creeps earnt the player gold to purchase items and potions
After clearing all thirteen waves, the players had to face the newly resurrected Wraith King himself. After completing the game mode on a certain difficulty level, players had the option to restart the game on the next level. A feature popularly known as New Game+.
In Dota 2, the Wraith Night was a unique concept and was very well received by players and fans of tower defence games. However, much like the Diretide 2020 event, there was not enough replayability for the mode since it only provided one map, which eventually became dated.
3. The Underhollow 2018
The Underhollow Dungeon brawl was introduced in 2018, and it was exclusive to owners of the 2018 TI Battle Pass. The game mode has not made a return after its first introduction.
The game mode was set in a custom maze-like dungeon map where players were divided into eight teams of three players and the last team to survive won. Much like a battle royale game, the game mode also included revive mechanics with which fallen teammates could be brought back to life.
Additionally, the players could clear floors of the dungeon to get rewards such as items, potions, and the most valuable reward of them all, the Roshefort cheese, an item which granted the player 300 battle pass points in the 2018 battle pass.
The Battle Royale genre swept the world over during this era, with titles such as PUBG and Fortnite making waves. With Underhollow, Dota 2 could be played like a Battle Royale. The BR craze at the time made the mode a favorite among fans.
2. Aghanim’s Labyrinth 2020
Aghanim’s Labyrinth was a gauntlet style game mode available during the summer of 2020, first introduced alongside the 2020 TI Battle Pass. The game mode was not locked behind the battle pass and was available to all Dota 2 players.
Aghanim’s Labyrinth featured a room clearing dungeon crawler where one team of four players had to clear a total of eighteen rooms to reach the final floor with Aghanim himself as the final boss.
Players started with a set number of lives which they could refill from rewards gained from clearing floors. The eighteen floors of the game mode were divided into different types such as elite floors, boss floors, trap floors, and rest floors, etc. The game ended when all players were out of lives or if the players defeated Aghanim, the final boss.
Aghanim’s Labyrinth was much like Siltbreaker but in a more compact package, which people loved. There were so many different skill upgrades, floor layouts and different features which kept players coming back for more and more. It was one of the most well received experiences.
1. Siltbreaker 2017
Siltbreaker was a multiplayer campaign available to owners of the 2017 Battle Pass. The game mode came in two Acts in which players in teams of fours explored the map and engaged in missions in an action RPG environment.
Each act of the game mode came with a different map. Each act came with different zones in the map which players could clear, different monsters to defeat for rewards and items, and a trophy at the end after defeating the boss of each act. The rewards and trophies were also different for each act and even the achievements were divided among the two acts.
Siltbreaker was the most well made event game mode in its depth, design and execution. The campaign had an excellent depth to it, unique mechanics and it brought the world of Dota 2 and its heroes to an RPG-style which was a big attraction for the players and fans. There was a lot of content to play in Siltbreaker that made it a favorite among players.
