The bane of any competitive FPS title is balance. If maps feel biased towards one side or if weapons feel too strong, it can reveal a meta that is unpleasant to partake in while the developers spend months changing

Gen.G, seemingly had the greatest understanding. Despite being arguably outclassed mechanically by Team Brax, Gen.G's defense often seemed impregnable and their offense would steam roll through teams caught off guard. Michael "MkaeL" De Luca's Cypher play was masterful, and the information he gained allowed Gen.G's defense to become a brick w

The matches right now are quite long, and not everyone has time to sit and play these long games. If Riot added shorter matches, it would take the gameplay to the next level as more casual players and newcomers would be enticed to sit through losing ga

The biggest thing that kills FPS games is the addition of overpowered weapons and, in the case of VALORANT , Agents. A single gun that can wipe out a player in one shot or an Agent with abilities that best every other in the map would be an instant death sentence for this up and coming ti

Taking the competitive online market by storm, Riot's Valorant _ has emerged seemingly out of nowhere. Being hidden behind the "drops" of _Valorant beta keys hidden behind Twitch channels, the title has taken over the streaming platform and established itself as the new big game. Combining the realistic qualities of Counter-Strike with the hero-shooter genre of titles such as Overwatch and Rainbow Six Siege there is no surprise Valorant is as popular as it is. Combining two of the most addicting games ever created into one game, Valorant has a stranglehold on both the Twitch market and will certainly be a major player in the context of E-Spo

Closed beta footage has shown many reasons to get excited about Riot's next major title. It seems fans of Counter-Strike , Overwatch , or even 2008's Shadowrun have a new title to sink their teeth into. At the same time, the closed beta has shown a few flaws ranging from key drops to game issues. Here are 5 reasons we are excited for Valorant and 5 why we're worr

As for what to buy, that’s going to take some trial and error. Many weapons are strikingly similar to CS:GO , so it’s best to experiment to find the best weapons for your own skill set. Don’t skimp out on shields each round, but again, experiment to see if light or heavy are adequate for your playst

The tournament was chock-full of excitement, with no shortage of head clicks and insane clutches that kept viewers on the edge of their seats the whole way through. But it wasn't just the crazy plays that made T1's tournament so significant. The community learned a lot about VALORANT as an esport through watching the game's top talent square off. Here are five of those things that we lear

Omen's ability to through his Dark Cover through walls and cover allows Omen to cover choke-points from insanely far away. However, similar to Shadow Step, using Dark Cover in combination with his Ultimate, from the Shadow provides the character an insane amount of map control. Be sure to master this ability in order to control space and perform some powerful flanking maneuv

Because each Agent has a theme to their abilities, it’s again best to learn a few different characters and become proficient in what they have to offer a team. Trying to main a single Agent will be problematic unless playing on a five-person premade team; The best solo ranked players will be flexible enough to provide their teammates with what is needed. There also has been no official plans to ban Agents in ranked play, however this is something players should expect in the future as Riot Games ramps up its esports presence for VALORA

One complaint many players have with the beta is how many cheaters are already making an appearance. This (unfortunately) always comes with the territory of online games, but Riot should put a greater focus on keeping them at

Objective-based modes are a smash hit in any competitive FPS title, but most revolve around planting or defusing a bomb. It's a common trend for good reason, but Valorant has the potential to stand above the r

Viper is fantastic for a brutal 9th rating, but hear me out. Her abilities, while useful, can be functionally replicated by those of other agents. Her Toxic Screen and Snake Bite abilities are very similar to Phoenix's; Her smokes can be replaced by Jett's, Omen's, or Brimstone's. Her Viper Pit is useful for spike plants, but can work against your team easily too. It is also impossible for enemies to die to the gas, leaving them at 1HP; If they see you first, you still may go d

Initially, many fans and analysts gave the edge to Sentinels, who recently constructed a roster of former CS:GO pros Shahzeeb "ShahZaM" Khan, Hunter "SicK" Mims, former Overwatch MVP Jay "sinatraa" Won and former Apex Legends pro for Sentinels Jared "zombs" Gitlin. Popular streamer Coby "Dizzy" Meadows stood in for the team's fifth spot. Even with Sentinels' stacked roster, they were taken down by Team Brax in the second round of the winner's bracket and zywoo performance were defeated for good by Team Shroud in the loser's bracket. Despite their struggles this tournament, Sentinels flashed their potential multiple times, and the organization's willingness to go out and sign big name players is a positive sign for the team's fut