As a lapsed 4,500 hour veteran of Dota 2, the big new Wandering Waters update has lured me back—but despite the changes, the game still feels stuck in its ways

Three monsters holding clubs in Dota 2.

There was a time when a slight tweak to a forest path would send my Dota 2 clan’s heads into a collective spin. Valve’s venerable MOBA used to be much more conservative with map changes, and big ones are still rare—but they happen, now. In 2023 the map got 40% bigger, and Roshan relocated to the edges of the map. As of last week’s Wandering Waters update, Dota 2 has more rivers, frogs and crafting than ever before, plus Roshan has returned from the suburbs.

They’re welcome changes! Dota is still Dota, though, which means that when it’s not making me feel triumphant, it’s often making me feel miserable.