"...For long-time DOTA players wondering what Valve has to offer them with DOTA 2, as stated in the lead, this is DOTA."

DOTA 2's heroes look fantastic... hey isn't that Gabe?

When Valve first announced DOTA 2 in October 2010, the studio promised the game would be "instantly familiar" to anyone who plays the original Warcraft III Defense of the Ancients mod. After going hands-on with the DOTA 2 beta, I can confirm that the new game is not just familiar, it is the original DOTA through and through. Less a true sequel and more DOTA HD, DOTA 2 is Valve's effort to make the action-RTS more accessible (and more pretty) without neglecting the game's hardcore community. And it appears the studio is going to pull off that difficult balancing act with the flair of a Flying Wallenda – if the game's rabid community allows it.Navigate DOTA 2's main menu, and you'll immediately see how Valve plans to bring DOTA to a wider audience. The main page features a section to Watch live DOTA 2 matches and, more importantly, another to Learn about the deep, multi-faceted, highly competitive game.The Watch feature is live, and anyone can choose from a list of matches to drop into as a spectator. DOTA can be an exciting eSport to watch, and Valve will undoubtedly hook a ton of newcomers that witness a well-played match and want to dive in to select a hero of their own – in particular because of the options Watch offers. You can free roam with the camera, set it to follow a particular hero, or allow the system to automatically direct you to where the action is. Clever.The Learn feature is not active for the beta, but when it's launched, Valve promises a full tutorial will introduce new players to DOTA's many elements, and a coaching system will connect veteran volunteers with n00bs, easing their entry into game. Or at least that's the idea. (More on this in a bit.)For long-time DOTA players wondering what Valve has to offer them with DOTA 2, as stated in the lead,DOTA Allstars' roster of 100-plus heroes are all making the trip (though not all will be available to play at launch), their skills, upgrade paths, and items are relatively unchanged, and they'll do battle on a near identical map. Valve delayed the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive beta because CS veterans testing the game complained it didn'tlike Counter-Strike. The studio will have no such trouble with DOTA 2.Whatnew is the look and sound of the game. Courtesy of Valve's Source engine and the studio's talented art department, all those heroes you know and love – and the map they fight on -- get a substantial visual upgrade over the now weathered Warcraft III engine. Your shiny new hero will also have plenty to say. A stunning amount of voice work gives each of the game's heroes a one-liner for just about every gameplay scenario imaginable. I couldn't help but grin when the Drow Ranger promised to notch an arrow and deliver cold death to my enemies.After the major visual upgrade and the sound, the most noticeable change is in the DOTA 2 shop, the place you'll return to throughout the game to spend your hard-earned coin. A Suggested Items tab helps you easily find and buy the most common Starting, Early Game, Core, and Luxury items, and a new Quick Buy system allows you to place items you plan on purchasing in the future – namely upgrades – in a separate box. Return to a shop with enough gold, and boom, the Quick Buy item is instantly in your inventory. When you're in a rush to upgrade and get back to your lane, Quick Buy is invaluable, and it will help you make sure you don't hang your lane partner out to dry.A Stash system has also been implemented, allowing you to pre-purchase items and keep them in your Stash until you're ready to place them in your inventory – a wise strategy if you prefer spending your gold and not handing a chunk of it over to the enemy when you die.On the surface, it appears Valve has successfully managed to make DOTA more accessible while bringing it up to current-gen standards – all without doing anything to push away the game's core community. No easy feat. But I couldn't help but wonder if the learning, training, and observing will be enough for newcomers to feel at home in DOTA 2.DOTA's community is notorious for shunning n00bs, and in my limited time with the beta, I witnessed one self-confessed newcomer get lambasted like Private Pyle being dressed down by Gny. Sgt. Hartman in Full Metal Jacket. It was brutal. I wouldn't be surprised if that particular player opted to never play DOTA 2 again, and I wouldn't blame him. And did I mention this was during theValve appears to have done all the heavy lifting with DOTA 2, creating the framework for a fun, challenging action-RTS/MOBA game that could hook a horde of newcomers (as well as those who discovered the genre with titles like League of Legends and Heroes of Newerth). The question now is, will the existing DOTA community allow that to happen?The more things change... It is sad to hear that some players take it upon themselves to be idiots even during the beta. But I also don't think Valve will unleash DOTA 2 into the wild without a solid plan to make sure newcomers are welcome. Do you think DOTA 2 can be accessible and hardcore?