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Feeling antsy and chilly in the foggy rain, 12-year-old Donn Fendler ran down the mountain ahead of his hiking party. The next thing Donn knew, he was alone and lost in the rugged Maine wilderness. His story of survival was almost unbelievable, but there he was, emaciated and chewed by bugs, but alive. Donns story flew across a shocked nation, where thousands had been waiting to hear the outcome of his plight. Later, Fendler wrote a book about his ordeal, Lost on a Mountain in Maine, which continues to be a beloved read for students throughout the state of Maine.Facing the SummitA depiction of Newport, Maine, where the Fendler family spent summers, ca. 1930-1945. Source: Boston Public Library, Tichnor Brothers Collection/Wikimedia CommonsDonn Charles Fendler was born, along with his twin brother Ryan, on August 29, 1926, in Rye, New York. The pair also had three sisters, Patricia, Nanci, and Kathy, and a younger brother named Thomas. Their family spent summers in Newport, Maine, during the siblings childhood.While Newport wasnt the wilderness, like many places in Maine, the family didnt need to go far to find vast forests. Thats just what they did in July of 1939. Donn, his brothers, and his father joined family friend and local Henry Condon to scale Mount Katahdin. Katahdin is the highest peak in the state, and just two years earlier, had been declared the endpoint (or starting point) of the Appalachian Trail.As the group moved up the mountain, the weather began to cloud in. The fog became heavy, and the air chilled as it began to rain. Donn and Henry reached the summit but were only able to see dense cloud cover, not the amazing view 12-year-old Donn had anticipated. Disappointed and cold, Donn grew impatient as Henry paused to speak with another hiker. Though Henry told him it was a foolish idea (Fendler, 9), Donn decided to start heading back down the trail, where his father and brothers were tarrying. He soon realized, too late, that Henry was right.LostMount Katahdin. Source: Wikimedia CommonsThrough the thick cloud cover, Donn lost sight of Henry after traveling a matter of yards. He headed back the way he cameor so he thought. The fog limited his view in front of him as well, and he didnt recognize the area he was in. He assumed his father and brothers must be close to approaching the area and yelled for them, but there was no response.Sleet began to fall, and Donns blue jeans and sweater were soon coated in ice (Fendler, 12). The boy grew increasingly uncomfortable, and as he recalled later, I was never good at standing cold anyway. He continued his hike and even fell into a hole at one point. He was able to extricate himself but was terrified and began to cry (Fendler, 17).Donn tried to clear his head and remember what hed learned as a member of the Boy Scouts. Though it is often recommended that lost people stay where they are and wait for rescue, Donn knew he would freeze stiff if he did that (Fendler, 19). He kept moving, looking for a trail. Despite his resolution to focus on his scouting skills and keep a clear head, as night approached, Donn was terrified, wondering if people were looking for him and thinking about a campfire story. Hed heard the story of Pamola, a spirit that the local Penobscot Indian nation believed occupied the summit of Katahdin. Legend had it that Pamola could make people disappear with the shake of his wings, and Donn wondered if the spirit would come for him.Seeking ShelterOne of Katahdins peaks has been named for the spirit of Pamola. Source: Famartin via Wikimedia CommonsDonn, growing exhausted and hungry, searched for a place to sleep. He came across a stream where he drank and washed his feet, which had become bruised and wounded as he climbed over rocks and brush. His sneakers were slashed and heavily damaged (Fendler, 26). Finding a hollow within the exposed roots of a tree, Donn said his nightly prayers and tried to sleep, which did not come easy. Even the smallest noises echoed throughout the forest, and his feet were freezing in the cold rain. He later recalled praying more and thinking about his parents (Fendler, 27).1863 depiction of Mount Katahdin. Source: Hathi Trust via Wikimedia CommonsUnbeknownst to Donn, search parties were already mobilized, led by his father. When Henry had reached Mr. Fendler and the boys, he was shocked to see Donn wasnt with them. They hurried back down the trail, spreading out to cover as much of it as possible, calling out for the lost boy (Fendler, 96). Henry, who was familiar with the area, raced to the base, notifying the Forest Rangers. Searchers reported temperatures in the 40s, with wind speeds over 40 miles an hour that night, with continuing rain (Fendler, 99).Early the next morning, Donns father contacted every agency he could think of to assist with the search for his son. The Forest Service deployed dozens of Rangers from numerous branches. The Great Northern Paper Company sent woodsmen familiar with the area to search (Fendler, 101), and workers from the paper mill in nearby Millinocket joined in the rescue efforts. The Maine State Police deployed bloodhounds who quickly lost Donns trail and suffered torn and cut paws from the terrain. National Guardsmen, locals, and Registered Maine Guides all joined in the efforts to find Donn. Searchers numbered as high as 500 over the following days (Fendler, 105).Still AloneFendler later recalled that while jeans were great for a daytime hike, they were not so suitable once wet and the temperatures dropped. Source: Partonez via Wikimedia CommonsMeanwhile, when Donn awoke from his brief slumber, he saw visions in the woods, including his Dad and Henry. He was dismayed when he rushed to them, only to find nothingness. Collecting himself, he decided to carry his stiff, damp jeans and now-useless sneakers. Donn came across a stream and, remembering a scouting rule, decided to follow it, hopefully to civilization. On bloodied feet, Donn continued to travel for nine days. He encountered clouds of biting mosquitoes, was harangued by leeches, and saw multiple bears and other wildlife, including deer and birds. On the sixth day of wandering, he heard a plane but was unable to see or signal it (Fendler, 69). Fendler was ecstatic when he found cabins, only to have his hope shattered when it became evident that the cabins were abandoned.Wild strawberries helped sustain Fendler as he moved through the woods. Source: Ermell via Wikimedia CommonsWith no food on him when he disappeared, Donn soon grew hungry but was hesitant to eat wild berries without confirming that they werent poisonous. To his delight, he did find some wild strawberries to eat. Though the berries brought him a little respite, Donn was growing weak and emaciated as the days went on. As his body struggled, Donns mind was growing weary as well. He later reported several strange dreams and hallucinations that he experienced on his journey, particularly in the last days before his rescue (Fendler, 85). At the base camp, rescue efforts were beginning to slow, and press coverage of the ordeal, which had been nationwide, was winding down. No one believed that a grown man, much less an unequipped child, would have survived the conditions Donn was subjected to.The East Branch of the Penobscot River. Source: Jan Kronsell via Wikimedia CommonsAfter nine brutal days in the Maine wilderness, covering more than 80 miles on foot, Donn came upon the East Branch of the Penobscot River. To his amazement, a cabin across the river proved to be occupied. The elderly couple within the cabin rendered first aid and fed Fendler, called authorities, and then helped Fendler call his mother. The boy was transported by canoe to Grindstone Township, where an ambulance took him to Bangor.Faith RestoredDonn Fendler upon his July 16 rescue. Source: Associated Press via Wikimedia CommonsDonn was overjoyed to be reunited with his family. Over the nine days, he lost 16 pounds and suffered countless insect bites, bumps, and bruises. His feet had been cut to ribbons, and he was dehydratedbut he survived. Donn was able to resume a relatively normal pre-teen life, though he participated in parades and received medals from President Franklin D Roosevelt.Donn studied Forestry at the University of Maine and joined the military. He served in three wars over his military career, training as a Green Beret in Vietnam. Though he settled in Tennessee with his wife, Maryrose, and their four children, Fendler summered and spent a great deal of time in the state of Maine. He was a state hero, spending many hours in his retirement visiting local schools after the publication of his book in 1978. His novella, Lost on a Mountain in Maine, was required reading for Maine fourth-graders for years. The book was adapted into a graphic novel, and then in 2024, a feature film produced by Sylvester Stallone. Donn Fendler passed away at the age of 99 in 2016. Maine has named July 25, the day of his rescue, as Donn Fendler Day.Mount Katahdins wilderness was no match for a resilient twelve-year-old. Source: TJ aka Teej via Wikimedia CommonsDonn Fendlers story is one of incredible grit and resilience. The story of a 12-year-old beating the odds is beloved by generations, particularly in the state of Maine. Not only did Fendler survive, but he went on to live an incredible life of community-minded service. Fendler inspires children and adults alike, proving that with a determination to never give up and a little bit of luck, success is attainable.Recommended ReadingFendler, Donn (1978). Lost on a Mountain in Maine. New York: Beechtree Books.

The legend of the shapeshifting entity known as the Skinwalker has largely been dismissed as a hoax. After all, it is difficult to believe that a humanoid figure has been transforming into a four-legged animal and terrorizing families in the American Southwest for decades, if not longer.But while theres no scientific proof, the Navajo Skinwalker does have deep roots in Native American lore.DoubleOurEfforts/redditAccording to Navajo lore, the Skinwalker is a shapeshifter that can appear in any number of terrifying forms.As for the rest of America, it got its first real taste of the Navajo legend in 1996. A newspaper story chronicled a Utah familys traumatizing experience with the supposed creature that included cattle mutilations and disappearances, UFO sightings, and the appearance of crop circles.But the familys most distressing encounter with the fabled Skinwalker occurred one night just 18 months after moving onto the ranch. Terry Sherman, the father of the family, was walking his dogs around the ranch late at night when he encountered a wolf.But this was no ordinary wolf. It was perhaps three times bigger than a normal one, had glowing red eyes, and stood unfazed by three close-range shots Sherman blasted into its hide.Terry and Gwen Sherman sold the so-called Skinwalker Ranch in 1996 after only having owned it for 18 months. Its been used as a research hub for the paranormal ever since.The Sherman family werent the only ones to be traumatized on the property. After they moved out, several new owners experienced eerily similar encounters with these creatures, and today, the ranch has become a hub of paranormal research thats aptly renamed Skinwalker Ranch.While paranormal investigators probe the property with novel inventions, what they seek has a history that is centuries old.This is the legend of the Navajo Skinwalker.What Are Skinwalkers? Inside The Navajo LegendLegends of AmericaSome reports say the Skinwalker can take the form of a wolf.So, what is a Skinwalker? As The Navajo-English Dictionary explains that the Skinwalker has been translated from the Navajo yee naaldlooshii. This literally means by means of it, it goes on all fours and the yee naaldlooshii is merely one of many varieties of Skinwalkers, called ntijhnii.The Pueblo people, Apache, and Hopi also have their own legends involving the Skinwalker.Some traditions concerning Native American monsters believe that Skinwalkers are borne of a benevolent medicine man who abuses indigenous magic for evil. The medicine man is then given mythical powers of evil, that vary from tradition to tradition, but the power all traditions mention is the ability to turn into or possess an animal or person. Other traditions believe a man, woman, or child can become a Skinwalker should they commit any kind of deep-seated taboo.Wikimedia CommonsThe Navajo believe Skinwalkers were once benevolent medicine men who achieved the highest level of priesthood, but chose to use their power to inflict pain.In Native American lore, the Skinwalkers are described as being mostly animalistic physically, even when they are in human form. They are reportedly near-impossible to kill except with a bullet or knife dipped in white ash.Little more is known about the purported being, as the Navajo are staunchly reluctant to discuss it with outsiders and often even amongst each other. Traditional belief portends that speaking about the malevolent beings is not only bad luck but makes their appearance all the more likely.Edward Curtis/Library of CongressThe Skinwalkers name in the Navajo language, yee naaldlooshii, translates to by means of it, it goes on all fours.Native American writer and historian Adrienne Keene explained how J.K. Rowlings use of similar entities in her Harry Potter series affected indigenous people who believed in the Skinwalker.What happens when Rowling pulls this in, is we as Native people are now opened up to a barrage of questions about these beliefs and traditions, said Keene, but these are not things that need or should be discussed by outsiders.The 1996 Incident At Skinwalker RanchIn 1996, a couple of outsiders were introduced to the legend after a series of inexplicable events occurred at their new ranch in Utah.Prometheus EntertainmentThe 512-acre plot of land on which the Shermans once lived has seen crop circle and UFO phenomena as well as unexplained cattle mutilation across the decades.Terry and Gwen Sherman first observed UFOs of varying sizes hovering above their property, then seven of their cows died or disappeared. One was reportedly found with a hole cut into the center of its left eyeball. Another had its rectum carved out.The cattle the Shermans did find dead were both surrounded by an odd, chemical smell. One was found dead in a clump of trees. The branches above appeared to have been cut off.One of the cows that vanished had left tracks in the snow that suddenly stopped.If its snow, its hard for a 1,200- or 1,400-pound animal to just walk off without leaving tracks or to stop and walk backwards completely and never miss their tracks, Terry Sherman said. It was just gone. It was very bizarre.Perhaps most terrifying were the voices Terry Sherman heard while walking his dogs late one night. Sherman reported that the voices spoke in a language he didnt recognize. He estimated that they came from about 25 feet away but he couldnt see a thing. His dogs went berserk, barked, and ran back hastily to the house.After the Shermans sold their property, these incidents only continued and talk of the Skinwalker intensified.Are Skinwalkers Real?YouTubeThe ranch is now fortified with barbed wire, private property signs, and armed guards.After the 1996 incident, enthusiasts entered the scene to try to answer the big question: are Skinwalkers real? UFO enthusiast and Las Vegas realtor Robert Bigelow bought the ranch for $200,000 in 1996. He established the National Institute for Discovery Science on the grounds and put up substantial surveillance. The goal was to assess what exactly had been going on there.On March 12, 1997, Bigelows employee biochemist Dr. Colm Kelleher spotted a large humanoid figure perched in a tree. Detailed in his book, Hunt for the Skinwalker, the creature was 20 feet off the ground and about 50 feet away. Kelleher wrote:The large creature that lay motionless, almost casually, in the tree. The only indication of the beasts presence was the penetrating yellow light of the unblinking eyes as they stared fixedly back into the light.Kelleher fired at the supposed Skinwalker with a rifle but it fled. It left claw marks and imprints on the ground. Kelleher described the evidence as signs of a bird of prey, maybe a raptor print, but huge and, from the depth of the print, from a very heavy creature.Wikimedia CommonsOne of the entrances to Utahs Skinwalker Ranch.This was only a few days after another unnerving incident. The ranch manager and his wife had just tagged a calf before their dog began acting strangely.They went back to investigate 45 minutes later, and in the field in broad daylight found the calf and its body cavity empty, said Kelleher. Most people know if an 84 pound calf is killed there is blood spread around. It was as if all of the blood had been removed in a very thorough way.The distressing activity continued well into the summer.Three eyewitnesses saw a very large animal in a tree and also another large animal at the base of the tree, continued Kelleher. We had videotape equipment, night vision equipment. We started hunting around the tree for the carcass and there was no evidence whatsoever.Ultimately, Bigelow and his research team experienced over 100 incidents on the property but couldnt amass the kind of evidence that scientific publication would accept with credulity. Bigelow sold the ranch to a company called Adamantium Holdings for $4.5 million in 2016.Now owned by Adamantium Holdings, Skinwalker Ranch is patrolled by armed guards.Nevertheless, the research on Skinwalker Ranch is more sophisticated and secretive than ever.Skinwalkers In Pop Culture TodayThere are many stories about Skinwalkers online in such forums as Reddit. These experiences commonly occur on Native American reservations and are allegedly only prevented by the blessings of medicine men.While its difficult to discern just how truthful these accounts are, the descriptions are almost always the same: a four-legged beast with a disturbingly human, albeit marred face, and orange-red glowing eyes.Those who claimed to have seen these Skinwalkers also said that they were fast and made hellish noise.YouTubeParanormal activity including strange orbs of lights have reportedly been sighted at Skinwalker Ranch.Skinwalkers have crept back into popular culture through television shows such as HBOs The Outsider and the History Channels upcoming The Secret Of Skinwalker Ranch documentary series. For horror-centric programming, a virtually demonic being that roams the countryside is rather perfect.Ongoing Research Concerning The Infamous Navajo ShapeshifterSince taking over Skinwalker Ranch, Adamantium has installed equipment all over the property including cameras, alarm systems, infrared, and more. Most alarming, however, are the accounts from company employees.According to VICE, employee Thomas Winterton was one of several who randomly experienced skin inflammation and nausea after working on the grounds. Some had to be hospitalized, with no clear medical diagnosis for their condition.This, and the following account, parallel some of the inexplicable events featured in Sci-Fi shows like The Outsider. As Winterton reported:I take my truck up the road, and as I start to get closer, I start to get really scared. Just this feeling that takes over. Then I hear this voice, as clear as you and me talking right now, that says, Stop, turn around. I lean out the window with my spotlight out and start searching around. Nothing.The area surrounding Skinwalker Ranch has been dotted with crop circles and littered with UFO sightings as well as the disappearances of people and livestock.Despite this dreadful experience, Winterton reported that he isnt leaving Skinwalker Ranch anytime soon.Its like the ranch calls to you, you know, he said with a wry smile.After learning about the legend and stories about Skinwalkers, read about the surprising true story of another mythical creature, the Chupacabra. Then, learn about another Native American monster of nightmares: the man-eating Wendigo.The post Meet The Navajo Skinwalker, The Demonic Shapeshifter That Native Americans Wont Even Mention By Name appeared first on All That's Interesting.

Paul Holes has become something of a celebrity for his contributions in cracking the Golden State Killer case, which famously remained unsolved for over 40 years until an arrest was made in 2018.Now retired, the former cold-case investigator for Contra Costa County, California gives speeches and hosts a popular podcast about his work, including the hunt for the Golden State Killer, who raped and murdered perhaps dozens of people starting in the 1970s.Jose Carlos Fajardo/MediaNews Group/East Bay Times/Getty ImagesPaul Holes nearly knocked on Joseph James DeAngelos door to request a DNA sample before his retirement.Holes was joined in this search by the late true-crime author Michelle McNamara. She reinvigorated his quest to find the Golden State Killer, while he helped her put the pieces together for her 2018 book Ill Be Gone In the Dark, which has since been adapted into an HBO documentary series.Though Holes had a lengthy career, his legacy is one of using advanced methods like DNA evidence to catch the Golden State Killer. Though Holes retired mere weeks before the arrest of Joseph James DeAngelo as the Golden State Killer, his insight couldnt have been more important.Paul Holes: From The Cradle To The AcademyPaul Holes was born on March 15, 1968. He was just a child when the Visalia Ransacker began his string of 100 burglaries in 1974, before raping at least 50 women as the East Area Rapist in the late 1970s, and then murdering more than a dozen people by the late 1980s as the Original Night Stalker. Laura A. Oda/Digital First Media/The Mercury News/Getty ImagesPaul Holes at the press conference announcing the arrest of Joseph James DeAngelo. April 25, 2018.Holes was barely an adult by then, but he would end up being one of the key figures who tracked down the man now known as the Golden State Killer. After graduating from UC Davis in 1990 with a degree in biochemistry, he went through the police academy in order to earn his spot in the crime lab.Though he was fascinated by the intricate clues comprising forensics, Holes rapidly began to appreciate the cat-and-mouse chase of police work.I very quickly got more interested in the investigative side to the point where the other guys in the lab were saying, Thats not your job,' he said. A 2018 Mercury News interview with Paul Holes.In 1994, shortly after being hired as a deputy criminologist, he found a manila folder in an old filing cabinet labeled EAR, for East Area Rapist. Holes had no idea what type of journey he was about to embark on once he opened that envelope but it would come to define his career.Paul Holes And The Golden State KillerThe idea that the Visalia Ransacker, East Area Rapist, and Original Night Stalker were all the same person had escaped authorities throughout the collective crime spree spanning from 1974 to 1986. Not only were the crimes different in nature, but they also took place in different parts of California. It wasnt until 2001 when DNA evidence finally linked the cases and authorities figured out they were one and the same.Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic/Getty ImagesMichelle McNamara and husband Patton Oswalt in 2011, around when she began researching the Golden State Killer.But it was amateur sleuth Michelle McNamara who did a truly deep dive into the vast amount of incidents, evidence, reports, and witness testimonies involving the criminal in one public place her True Crime Diary blog. She eventually coined the Golden State Killer nickname, and established rapport with investigators like Holes in her ardent quest to track him down.She really surprised me with her knowledge of the case, and we spoke for months, Holes said. I told her some things off the record, and when her Los Angeles Magazine article [on the Golden State Killer] came out, I saw that she didnt burn me. That really kicked off a sense of trust.Wikimedia CommonsA sketch of the Original Night Stalker, released by the FBI.From that point, we almost investigated the case together. She really was a partner with me in this and we shared suspects and information.Long before the two met, however, Holes embarked on the seemingly futile quest on his own. After familiarizing himself with the dusty old crime files, the young deputy became obsessed with the unsolved East Area Rapist case, and began to track suspects for over two decades.As I read the case files and saw the atrocities he was committing to these victims I started to think this guy has to be caught, Holes recalled.Though police had sketches based on survivors accounts, they varied, and ultimately just described a white male with light eyes and brown hair. Though they had collected DNA from the crime scenes, it didnt match any initial suspects. It took until 2017 for the case to make a vital step forward.Sacramento County Sheriffs OfficeJoseph James DeAngelo, a former police officer in Auburn and Exeter, California, pleaded guilty to 26 charges.With the advent of genealogy databases, Holes contacted genetic genealogist Barbara Rae-Venter to construct a profile of the suspect out of the collected Golden State Killer DNA evidence. The results were thorough enough to eventually narrow the list of suspects down to Joseph James DeAngelo. It was Holes last day on the job when he staked out the 72-year-olds home in Citrus Heights, California. Holes considered walking up to his door to request a DNA sample, but changed his mind.In reflection, its a good thing that I did not go knock on his door that day, said Holes. I considered it. Just to get a DNA sample and eliminate this guy. But who knows what would have happened if he recognized me and decided to do something.A 2018 KPIX CBS SF Bay Area interview with Paul Holes.Instead, police gathered DNA evidence from DeAngelos car door handle and discarded tissues and matched it to evidence left behind at crime scenes from the Golden State Killer. When Holes was asked if he was certain DeAngelo was the man he was looking for, he was unwavering in his response:100 percent sure.The True-Crime Celebrity Of Paul HolesIt was April 25, 2018 when Paul Holes became a true-crime icon. Though he didnt utter a word when he appeared at a press conference announcing DeAngelos arrest, fans noted his handsome looks and took to the internet to share their admiration for him.True-crime fan Allison Birdsong launched the #hotforholes hashtag, which rapidly began trending on social media. She explained that countless women worship the ground he walks on, which only helped expand the retired investigators post-law enforcement career opportunities.Randy Pench/Sacramento Bee/Tribune News Service/Getty ImagesJoseph James DeAngelo being arraigned in a Sacramento courtroom in April 2018.XG Productions, which is short for ex-G men, quickly took note of the new star entering the admittedly niche talent pool. Jim Clemente, a former FBI profiler who now works for XG Productions and helps produce Criminal Minds, let Holes know just how huge his options were.He took Holes to a Nashville true-crime convention where about 3,000 women who all think hes very easy to look at cheered for him. Since then, Holes has joined the United Talent Agency, which manages his speaking engagements across the country. He and Clemente have co-written Evil Has a Name: The Untold Story of the Golden State Killer Investigation, and Holes has also launched his own podcast The Murder Squad with investigative journalist Billy Jensen.Official trailer for the HBO documentary Ill Be Gone In the Dark.Most recently, his dogged pursuit in catching the killer has been chronicled in HBOs Ill Be Gone In the Dark documentary adaptation of Michelle McNamaras book.The time and energy and the dedication he put into catching the Golden State Killer, that is something that women everywhere have to appreciate, explained Birdsong. As for the object of Holes obsessive investigative work, Joseph James DeAngelo pleaded guilty to 26 charges in a raping and killing spree. He was ultimately charged with 13 counts of murder, with additional special circumstances, as well as 13 counts of kidnapping for robbery.He received a combined total of 12 life sentences in August 2020, putting him behind bars for good and tying off what is the biggest case in Paul Holes illustrious career.After learning about the life of Paul Holes, read about Sharon Huddle, Joseph James DeAngelos wife. Then, discover the horrifying story of David Parker Ray, the Toy Box Killer.The post Meet Paul Holes, The Former Investigator Who Helped Catch The Elusive Golden State Killer appeared first on All That's Interesting.

The first DLC expansion for Vampire: The Masquerade Bloodlines 2 has been revealed, and it finally lets players wield guns, the same way they would in a first-person shooter.

While asymmetrical co-op is nothing new to the video game world, It Takes Two has done a phenomenal job of bringing the genre into the spotlight for a new generation. Its mix of enjoyable platform-puzzling and its endearing tale of a relationship on the mend have helped make Hazelight Studios a household name. And it's left people wanting more and more co-op gaming experiences.

Vampire: The Masquerade is in a bit of an odd spot at the moment. While the franchise is starting to show renewed signs of life with Dimension 20's new VTM chronicle, and The Chinese Room is slowly but surely fixing up the rickety Bloodlines 2, the franchise hasn't quite managed to wriggle itself out of torpor just yet. With all eyes shifting to Teyon's Hunter: The Reckoning - Deathwish, a new action-focused RPG from the dev team behind Robocop: Rogue City, Bloodlines 2 has faded into the background slightly, which some would likely argue is where it belongs.

What are the best Dota 2 settings? In order to get the most out of Valve's MOBA and ensure you have both a smooth and successful time in your matches, you'll want to make sure that you've ticked all the right boxes first. Whether it's setting up launch options to optimize the boot-up process and turn on handy features, or adjusting your controls so that you can quickly respond to events in-game with minimal misclicks or delay, we've rounded up everything you need to check. Dota 2 is a competitive game first and foremost, and winning means getting every edge you can, which starts before you've even hit play. It can be as simple as making sure your game is running smoothly, no matter how comfortably you meet the Dota 2 system requirements.With roots all the way back in Warcraft 3 modding, Dota 2 remains one of the most intricately designed MOBAs, and while Valve's sequel has a lot of modern polish, there are a colossal number of possible settings you can change. I've picked out the essentials that will make the biggest difference to your game, or those that you should consider adjusting before you start playing for the first time, and get used to your chosen setup.