Valorant Review

 

The principles of Valorant include nail-biting bomb plants, hip fire headshots, and supernatural wrist flips. Riot Games, the company behind League of Legends, created a 5v5 tactical hero shooter that had a strong hold on me from the moment I won my first well-planned match. Ninety hours have passed since the closed beta and the official release, and I'm still completely in awe of how brilliantly its superpowered cast and outstanding gunplay are implemented. The learning curve is difficult, but once the mastery cogs started turning, it was nearly hard for me to stop using Valorant.

Screenshots of Valorant's gameplay from the closed beta
 

Though thunderous, Overwatch-style ultimate abilities in a restrained tactical shooter may draw criticism, Valorant's time-to-kill is still incredibly low—just one well-placed bullet can end your life. It produces an amazing atmosphere of suspense, promoting situations in which the sound of distant gunfire chills your spine while impressive powers are being used. Hellfire raining down from the sky indicates that Brimstone is not far behind, so no matter how pinned down you may be, you'd better get out of the way.

Valorant's minimalist art style is tailored for combat readability.

The fact that Valorant's simplistic artwork is specifically designed to be combat readable during matches is also helpful. Because of the well defined artwork, every visual cue—from a straightforward muzzle flash to a complex ult—is readily recognizable. The vivid blue shine of Sage's slow orb makes a striking contrast to the brown cobblestone walls seen on most maps as it floats through the air. An orb's shine will not be diminished by chaotic firefights, especially with their concentration on a less-is-more color scheme. Even while I don't like the bland particle effects and uninspiring character designs on their own, everything works together to make engagements visually simple to grasp, which is something I really appreciate.

The Verdict

It may not be the prettiest modern first-person shooter around, but its visual simplicity enables excellent clarity in every fight. With its teeth sunk this deep, Valorant makes me want to keep playing until there's nothing left to master. This is the most fun I've had with a multiplayer first-person shooter since Valve's Team Fortress 2. The variety of its magically-infused cast paired with a deep arsenal makes for a magnificent competitive canvas, if a tricky one to initially pick up.