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Dota Underlords has launched its Big Update, and it really is big

The Underlords themselves have finally arrived, plus a bunch of new heroes.

Valve has been drip-feeding information on the next big change for Dota Underlords over the past week, and it finally arrived Thursday. It turns out, the so-called ‘Big Update’ really is big: In addition to the new heroes and alliances it introduces, Dota Underlords is getting new play modes, a ‘jail’ system, and the titular Underlords themselves.

To start off, let’s talk about those Underlords. You’ll pick one before each match, and for the time being, there are two: Anessix and Hobgen. They’re key parts of your team composition, because they actually sit on the board and help fight enemy teams. Both have unique buffs and special abilities they can use to help turn the tide of battle, and as matches go on, they unlock more advanced and powerful abilities to bring to bear.

That’s not all, though. As you play more Underlords, you’ll unlock more options for your Underlords to use as they level up. Both Anessix and Hobgen have 11 abilities unlocked each by default, and you can unlock another 11 for both of them through play.

The Big Update also introduces Duos mode, which lets you team up with a friend to take on seven other teams of two. You can send each other gold and heroes, but you share your health pool, meaning it’s important to keep your power balanced.

With all the new heroes and alliances showing up, you’ll be wanting a chance to figure out how they work. That’s where Freestyle mode comes in, which lets you set up any combat situation you can imagine and watch how it plays out.

In any case, Dota Underlords ‘Big Update’ certainly lives up to its name, and if you had gotten a bit bored with the state of the meta, now is a great time to jump back in – everything has changed, so expect a certain amount of chaos for the next week or so at least.