Game Breakdown

Valorant’s mechanical gameplay is very reminiscent of Counter-Strike, fashioning tight hip-fire accuracy and reserving aiming-down-sights (ADS) for marksman rifles. Although you can ADS with any gun (besides shotguns), it is generally discouraged due to an increase in vertical recoil and a lack of zoom (only 1.25x magnification).

Players begin each round of a match with a “buy phase”, where players purchase weapons and utility with credits. Players earn credits from each round in a match, and each “Unrated” (default) match is a first-to-13 wins format with a 100-second timer every round, though there are other game modes with different rules. There is an attacking and defending side that switch places after the first 13 rounds. The attacker’s objective is to plant the Spike, a bomb-like device, in one of the defender’s two bomb sites and defend it until it detonates (45 seconds), or to eliminate the defenders. On the other hand, the defenders must defuse the Spike, eliminate the attackers before they plant the spike, or run down the clock. 

Where Valorant differs from Counter-Strike is the presence of agents; unique characters who possess unique abilities and gadgets to aid in battle. Each team consists of 5 different agents. Agents are also classified into 4 categories: Initiators, Controllers, Duelists, and Sentinels. Each class serves a different playstyle and role on a team.

Game Review

Valorant is a well-made FPS hybrid, employing the game mechanics of Counter-Strike and the hero format of Overwatch. It has a very wide appeal and can spark the interest of any FPS connoisseur.

Valorant is much easier to pick up than a game like Counter-Strike, its closest relative. It is less mechanically demanding and employs more strategy and team coordination, especially with the inclusion of unique agents. Any player with a brain can defeat even the most skilled shooters.

The game also feels far more casual, and it’s easy to not care too much about your performance or rank, at least in my personal experience. This makes for a chill, fun, easygoing experience. You don’t need to sweat too hard in matches either, due to the game’s simple controls. No need to sprint, no need to lean, no need to jump. Simply walking forward and left-clicking is good enough. This makes for a very low skill floor, but an astronomically high skill ceiling due to the heightened complexity added by the agents and their gadgets. Not to mention, the game is completely free to play and harbors no pay-to-win mechanics.

In conclusion, Valorant is a great game for anyone to play on the side or competitively. You don’t need any prior experience in FPS games to become a decent player and it’s a fantastic experience with friends.