League of Legends: Welcome to the Fields of Justice!

Editor's note: Although we are primarily library blog, we believe storytelling in all its forms should be celebrated. This includes the interactive storytelling medium of video gaming. We hope you enjoy this look at a very popular online game, League of Legends!

The majority of the top rated or most popular games this year are primarily FPS games, with your fair share of RPGs and other genres mixed in. However, one game is still a beloved gem amongst many PC gamers, a claim backed up by over 115 million monthly players as of 2020, and there’s a good chance you might have heard of it. Welcome to the world of League of Legends!

League of Legends (LoL) is a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA for short), the goal of which is to assemble a team of different champions to siege the enemy base and take down their nexus, a big crystal-like structure in the center of their base. Of course, you have to fight your way to victory, but it isn’t easy.

There are 150 unique champions to choose from, each with different roles, play styles, and designs. The thing is, you can only pick one to play through an entire game, so pick wisely. Here’s a rundown of some popular choices:

Rammus

The phrase “stop hitting yourself” is something that kids teased each other with in kindergarten. Funnily enough, there is a champion that can be summed up with that exact phrase, and his name is Rammus. He’s an ancient creature that rolls around at high speeds, taunting enemies into attacking his spiky exterior, and that doesn’t even scratch the sharp tip of the iceberg. He can even create tremors around himself, damaging both enemies and buildings, something that most abilities can’t do.

Fiora

Most people like a proper duel in their games, so who better to play than Fiora. This elegant swordswoman has the mobility and damage to keep foes on their toes the entire match. The whole “point” of a sword fight is to attack the opponent’s vitals, and Fiora’s kit (set of abilities) is built around that whole concept. She can even parry harmful effects back at her opponents before homing in for the kill, all the while they’re stunned in awe.

A champion isn’t only defined by their gameplay, either. Each and every champion has their own story, called their lore. If you are drawn mostly to a character’s background and personality, there’s a lot to work with.

Pyke

Do you like the idea of a vengeful pirate left for dead coming back to life and taking revenge on those who wronged him? Then play Pyke! He has a list, and just like Santa’s, you wouldn’t want to be on it, but just know you’ll get a lot worse than coal if you are.

Lux

Everybody has a big secret, right? I just don’t think yours can hold a candle to Lux, who has to keep the fact that she’s a mage a secret from the land of Demacia, a kingdom that discriminates against mages. What’s even worse is that she has close ties to the royal family! If she gets found out she could be exiled, imprisoned, or worst of all, executed! You might be wondering, how does her story end?

Luckily, Riot Games (the company behind LoL) likes to keep its fan base updated with what’s going on in the universe of LoL. In fact, there are virtual comics, animated shorts, short stories and more that Riot Games pumps out often enough to keep even the most lore-hungry people sated until even more stories make their way to your screen.

There are also events that are scheduled when something big happens in the lore of the game. These events bring new cosmetics such as skins and emotes, and most are scheduled when a new champion is being released into the game. In fact (at the time of writing), there is an event that is going on right now called “Spirit Blossom.”

New champion skins for the Spirit Blossom festival.

This event, in my opinion, is one of the best events in the history of the game. It brings elements of visual novels that have you fulfill quests in game to get rewards, allowing you to redeem them for even bigger prizes. It lasts until late August, so there is still time to get rewards if you decide to try it out. There are even event passes, but they, along with everything else in the event, are fully optional. They only grant players the opportunity to get exclusive cosmetic items, such as prestige edition skins only available during the event. And hey, even if you miss out on this event, there are still many more scheduled in the future near and far.

LoL is even coming to mobile devices later this year, with a console release following soon after. So even if you don’t have a computer, you can try out League of Legends: Wild Rift before the year ends if you so desire.

League of Legends is a fun way to pass the time by strategically mapping out your road to victory with your teammates. As you strive to fight for your rightfully deserved victory, you can enjoy fun gameplay, voice lines, and animations from the champions in-game made lovingly by the people at Riot Games. So with all of that being said, I do hope to see you in the Fields of Justice!

Some of the League of Legends champions!

Aric

Teen Blog Writer