VALORANT REVIEW

Thanks to our players and fans, VALORANT is today's fastest growing esport. Between the nail-biter overtimes, the ever-evolving meta, and the Brimstone-crumbling anime-fight-scene music videos, we're off to an exciting start. But we're still just scratching the surface of VALORANT's competitive potential. So in 2023, we are introducing major evolutions to the VALORANT competitive ecosystem that will create an even better player and fan experience and propel VALORANT to become the #1 competitive FPS in the world.

REVIEW It's true that is Riot's best crack at Counter-Strike, but the ways it remixes Valve’s blueprint are what make it excellent. Anonymous gangs of counter-terrorists are replaced by a cast of vibrant agents with talents that match their personalities. In a very Overwatch fashion, agents quip at each other at the start of rounds and break the fourth wall to announce they've eliminated their "imposter" on the other team (the enemy playing the same character). It has the same upbeat vibe of Overwatch that helps every loss feel a little more friendly.

The 5v5 games take place over up to 25 rounds, which can last anywhere from 10 seconds to a couple minutes each. The attackers want to plant the bomb (called the Spike here) and the defenders have to defuse it or die trying. Other games have borrowed Counter-Strike's round-based bomb mode over the years, but far fewer have ever mimicked Counter-Strike's exact shooting style, map design, and weapon economy. Even in 2020, CS still stands out as a shooter that's won with equal parts mechanical skill, strategic frugality, and deep mind games.

walkthroughs Straight from the files of Brimstone, this is the VALORANT Beginner’s Guide. Whether this is your first rotation or you're needing a refresher, we figure it’s best you take it from the Agent who’s seen it all before. Below is what to know before your first game. Pay attention.

Below is what to know before your first game. Pay attention. Might learn something. Before you enter your first round, you get to pick from a group of Agents, each with their own role and special skills designed to work alongside each other toward a win. You can dig into the specifics of each Agent on our Agents page. After everyone selects their Agent (oh, you picked that one), you’ll jump into a random map and formally enter the first round. Start a round as either attacker or defender and switch sides in between. Before you do either, you’ll need to navigate the buy phase, which lets you purchase weapons and abilities.

What you buy shapes how you can win. Let style or matchups guide your choices. No one’s going to tell you how to spend your money, but you’re going to have to pull the trigger at some point. There’s a gun for every situation and you can comb the details of each weapon on our dedicated arsenal page. When in doubt, try buying based on a weapon’s type and see how it fits your style, expertise, and your team’s strategy. Each map is a different stage to style on your enemies. Flex your creative skills and savvy gunplay for different encounters. Below are the basics and you can plot your route using our detailed maps page. Yeah, you might already know how to frag an enemy six ways from Sunday, but Brimstone will tell you, most of those ways are pretty noisy. No more doubts, you’re ready. But like you, we’re just getting started. #gamescorner #gamingisourpassion