Valorant

From Riot Games – the creators of League of Legends – comes Valorant, an interesting spin on the hero shooter genre. In this (frankly) crowded market, games have to offer players something different to stay relevant, and that’s just what Valorant achieves.

If you’ve played Overwatch or Paladins before, then you’ll be more or less familiar with what Valorant has to offer. That said, if you’re looking for a more action-packed alternative with lots of customization involved, then this might be the game for you.

Team-based combat done right

Valorant’s gameplay could be described as ‘Counter-Strike meets Overwatch.’ Every match divides gamers into two 5-player teams: attack and defense. The objective of the attack team is to plant a ‘spike,’ meanwhile, the defense team must stop the attackers by any means necessary.

These rushed, objective-based matches are frantic and fast-paced, ensuring that every round in Valorant will keep players immersed in the action. This isn’t just good for players, but for streamers and e-sports fans as well.

In a world with a multitude of battle royale and MOBA games (with matches that can last up to an hour), Valorant provides a breath of fresh air with its swift matches and flashy visuals.

A multitude of playstyles

One of the biggest appeals of games like Overwatch is that every hero plays differently. Unlike Overwatch, heroes in Valorant aren’t limited to a single set of weapons (e.g., Tracer and her dual pistols), but they must unlock weapons as the match progresses. This is similar to the buy mechanic we’ve seen previously in Counter-Strike, with the bonus of Agent-specific skills, known as Signature Abilities.

Each Agent has its own unique Signature Ability, but Agents themselves are divided into 4 categories: Duelists, Controllers, Initiators, and Sentinels. These categories are the role the Agent does best during a match. Players are encouraged to choose a type of Agent that suits their playstyle – for example, a player who wishes to engage in direct combat might choose a Duelist, whereas those who want to play on the defensive might favor Sentinel Agents.

Unreal graphics

Powered by Epic Games’ Unreal Engine 4, Valorant offers a nice balance between graphical fidelity and overall performance. The game uses a “cartoonish” look that isn’t too taxing on modern systems, ensuring that every match runs smoothly.

Visually, the game looks like an updated take on the Team Fortress 2, albeit with more “mature” character models. Every Agent looks unique, and that’s vital in a game where you must learn to recognize the offensive capabilities of each player on the field.

It also helps that map designs are varied without being too crowded, focusing more on direct confrontations rather than being a cluttered, multi-leveled mess. This might actually work against Valorant in some cases, as some of the maps feel decidedly more “simple” than others.

Bottom Line

This free-to-play game is on its way to becoming one of the most popular games in the hero shooter genre, and for a multitude of reasons. The inclusion of a more tactics-oriented gameplay and the frantic nature of the matches make it a good game to play in quick bursts, rather than in long and dull sessions.

Pros

• Fun and fast gameplay keeps you engaged
• Each character feels unique, and their abilities are actually useful in combat
• Outstanding graphics that aren’t too taxing for most systems
• Free-to-play

Cons

• Some maps are a bit bland
• Balancing issues