Heroes of Newerth has more in common with Dota 2 than LOL. It’s a very literal spin-off of Defense of the Ancients. Dota 2 and HON even feature many items and heroes that, aside from their names, are pretty much identical. The biggest difference between them is the pacing. HON matches tend to move faster.
In addition to the standard 5-on-5 map, HON has two more official battlegrounds. One is a smaller field for 3-on-3 play while the other is another 5-on-5 map with a different layout. Players generally stick with the original.
Graphically, HON most closely resembles the original Warcraft III mod. It doesn’t have LOL’s cartoony, dark outlines or Dota 2′s sheen.