Valorant, Riot Games' new multiplayer team shooter, is a valiant effort. Launching a new competitive first-person shooter in an already saturated market is a major risk. But if one developer is up for the job, it's Riot Games. After all, the developer created League of Legends from scratch and made it a household name in PC gaming circles. It's also an incredibly popular esport. Despite its creator's pedigree, though, Valorant has a Herculean task if it wants to thrive among the giants of competitive shooters. So is he an instant competitor or does Riot still have work to do? Let's take a look.
Time to fight
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(Image credit: Riot Games) Valorant's gameplay can be closely compared to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO). It's a precision-based 5v5 tactical shooter that emphasizes accuracy and crosshair placement above all else, which can certainly punish newcomers. You have to aim for the head, try to control the bullet launch and recoil of a variety of firearms, and there's no respawn if you die during a round. The twist, of course, is that Valorant has a clever character class system, as well as nine Agents who each have their own abilities, but we'll get to that in a bit.
Valorant's two main modes, Competitive and Unrated, focus on the very nice attack vs. defense premise, which has been popularized by CS:GO. The attacking team must try to plant and detonate the point (essentially a bomb) or destroy the entire enemy team to win a round. Defenders, on the other hand, must do the opposite: deactivate the pickaxe if it's planted, or destroy the enemy team. Once the match is halfway over, you will switch sides.
But that's not all. Players start with a small amount of money to buy weapons, armor, and abilities at the start of each round, and more credits can be earned by doing well or beating your opponents. Winning a round will provide your team with additional funds, but you will still earn credits if you lose.
The management aspect of the economy brings an interesting risk/reward element to Valorant gameplay, because you'll have to use your money accordingly during each match. If you spend a lot on a powerful weapon to maximize your chances of success, you risk having nothing to spend on the next round if you die. Whereas if you're too thrifty with your money, you'll be at a disadvantage if you're up against someone better equipped. Ah, make decisions.
"Valorant avoids feeling like a carbon copy."
Sounds a lot like CS:GO, doesn't it? Well, there are some distinct differences between the two games. For example, games are top 30 in CS:GO, compared to top 13 in Valorant, which prevents games from blowing out, especially if you go the distance. Valorant also avoids feeling like a carbon copy thanks to its striking visual presentation, excellent card design, and unique agent abilities.
There's also nothing wrong with relying on an incredibly successful formula. CS:GO remains one of the most played games on Steam every week, and Riot Games' approach to Valorant is reminiscent of how Epic Games approached Fortnite. There's no doubt that it was built on the foundations laid by PUBG, who was the leader of the battle royale genre, but they added their own spin to the formula with great success. That's basically what Riot Games has done here, and they've done it extremely well.
It would be unfair to compare Valorant to Overwatch and Apex Legends in terms of gameplay, because while the games share similarities such as heroes, team gameplay, and a colorful visual style, they are all significantly different in the experiences they try to provide.
Choose your character
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(Image credit: Riot Games) This is where Valorant really shines. Known as Agents, Valorant's nine heroes offer their own buffs and abilities that can turn the tide of battle when used correctly. From blocking lines of sight to revealing enemies, you'll need to make the most of your chosen agent's arsenal if you want your team to take charge. Each character belongs to one of four classes: Duelist, Initiator, Sentinel, and Controller. Duelists are ideal for players who like to push forward and meet the enemy head-on; Initiators can best be described as scouts who can help determine the location of enemies; Sentinels are suitable for defensive players who prefer to support the team through healing; and controllers are specialists in blocking lines of sight and disrupting the other team's tactics. "Each Operator offering new playstyles to master, there's a lot of depth to offer." Each character has three abilities (two of which are optional purchases each turn) and an ultimate that charges over time/based on the performance of it. Therefore, it is crucial to assess what is happening on the battlefield, the type of opponent you are up against, and use the strengths of your particular agent. For example, if the enemy team is huddled at the end of a narrow hallway, throw a cluster grenade like a Raze to disperse them. Don't know where your opponents are hiding? Attach an activation wire like Cypher and you'll be warned of any incoming hostiles if you activate it. Want to block off an area but can't cover all lines of sight? Place a wall as Sage to force the enemy to choose another entry point. Abilities can reverse the course of any encounter. Ideally, a balanced team will include a mix of character classes, because teamwork is essential in Valorant. It's also important to learn how each agent works, because if someone else picks your favorite before you do, you'll have to play as someone else. Each agent comes up with new playstyles to master, so there's plenty of depth to offer. How does this compare?
Perhaps a little predictable, Apex Legends and Overwatch had a lot more time to build a roster of playable characters. Both games have been out for much longer, and Valorant can't compete with Overwatch's 32-character lineup. However, with Riot Games promising to add more agents to the game in the weeks, months (and hopefully) years to come, the key to Valorant's success will be making sure each new character is balanced properly and adds something new to the experience.
Rules of war
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(Image credit: Riot Games) Valorant only had four modes at launch — Unranked, Spike Rush, Custom, and Hands-on — but the long-awaited competitive mode has now arrived as well. This is where most players will gravitate, as this is where Valorant's abilities as a competitive shooter will come to fruition. That being said, Valorant's Spike Rush mode is a fun type of rapid-fire game that serves as a must-have alternative for longer form matches. Each player starts with the same loadout (there is no save in the game) and there are various stat-boosting and gameplay-affecting Orbs to be picked up on the battlefield. Each attacker also has their own pickaxe, meaning rounds are often hectic business. It's one of the top seven formats, and it's the perfect pre-game warm-up mode. How does this compare?
Other than that though, the lack of modes could be considered Valorant's weakest feature at the moment. Tried against the competition, Valorant is simply pale in comparison. The disparity is immediately noticeable when stacked alongside Overwatch, in particular, which has four basic Assault, Escort, Hybrid, and Control modes that are protected by the standard Deathmatch, Capture-the-Flag, and Rotary Seasonal offerings. Obviously, Overwatch has had more time to establish itself and find new ways to keep players interested, but Valorant's offering still leaves a lot of room for improvement.
War theaters
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(Image credit: Riot Games) But what about the game cards? Unfortunately, there aren't many steps to combat it yet - there are only four - but at least each one has been designed to offer unique challenges to overcome and encourage you to experiment with new strategies. Haven's bomb doors cut off certain entry routes, for example, and Split has many of them vertically to keep things cool. How does this compare?
Unfortunately, Valorant is outmatched by its rivals when it comes to card selection, as Overwatch, Apex Legends, and CS: GO offer much more variety in selection and design. The actual Overwatch locations mixed with more wacky maps like Junkertown or the nostalgic Wonderland of BlizzardWorld are simply more interesting than anything Valorant has to offer. Meanwhile, the 12 maps in CS: GO offer three times the option, while also including a remake of the most famous multiplayer map in the history of shooters in Dust 2. On the one hand, it is unfair to compare a game that is still in his childhood with a game that has been around for a decade, but Riot knew what the competition was like.
Put your money where your (micro) mouth is
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(Image credit: Riot Games) Controversial as they are, micro transactions have become commonplace in free-to-play games, and Valorant is of course no exception. Riot decided to keep it simple here: buy a certain amount of digital currency for different amounts of real money, use this digital currency on cosmetics. Easy to understand for people familiar with the format, entirely optional, and non-intrusive to the player experience, the micro transactions here are probably as good as they get. This corresponds to other competitive shooters in the field of free play, most in-game purchases are strictly limited to cosmetic clothing. Apex Legends and Overwatch have a similar approach: not wanting to risk the integrity of the competition by allowing players to purchase power-ups or revolutionary abilities. CS:GO also offers a lot of content through its micro transactions, but the community market for this game has become a haven for money laundering schemes, which isn't great.
Worth it
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(Image credit: Riot Games) The final verdict here is clear: despite the lack of game mode and card variety, Valorant is a cleverly crafted competitive shooter that has all the ingredients to stand out among the more established titles in the game. the gender. The action is arguably more exciting and the unique characters are fun to learn and experience. The classic defense vs. attack format also works beautifully and the competitive modes of the game should create epic moments. As time goes on and more content becomes available, it's not unreasonable to think that Riot Games could have another big hit on their hands. Today's best Overwatch deals GB Eye Overwatch Roadhog Mug,...