Review: “Valorant” fizzles out against competition

“Valorant” is a 2020 competitive shooter game that places two teams of five “agents” against each other. The attacking team has to plant a “spike” at a designated site, while the defending team has to stop it from detonating. The game blew up almost instantly, thanks to its developer, Riot Games, the same company that created the overwhelmingly popular game  “League of Legends.” At its peak, “Valorant” reached 1.7 million concurrent viewers on Twitch.

The game’s main selling point is in its character system, where different characters harness different abilities such as raising an ice wall or throwing a grenade. Team composition is extremely important in this game, as characters usually need to play off each other’s strengths and weaknesses. This adds another layer of strategy to the game. A downside of this system, however, is that one- on- one gunfights do not feel as fair as they should be. Some characters can heal themselves after battle, allowing them to survive multiple gunfights.

Although the game can run on lower-end systems, the game’s graphics resemble that of any mobile game launched in 2014. The maps and characters are all colored with drab, sandy pastels. One map in particular, Bind, looks especially unpleasant because the map is set in a desert. Outside of a few rooms, the entire map is different shades of brown, presenting a bleak appearance. In addition, it becomes difficult to play, especially since players must complete at least 13 rounds on the same map. “Valorant ” has no actual lighting on any of its maps, and all the shadows are pre-drawn. This means that players and gadgets do not cast shadows, giving the game an artificial feeling.

“Valorant” initially came out with four maps and failed to feature any new maps since then. Compared to other games like “Counter Strike,” which has dozens of maps, this is a huge disadvantage for “Valorant” players. I often had to play a 45-minute match on the same map a few times in a row, which became exhausting. These maps are not quality maps either. They all follow the same basic design element, with a long spawn, a middle, and objectives fanning out on either side. Every map tries to make themselves unique, like teleporters on Bind and three sites on Haven, but these attempts are shabby as the changes often feel gimmicky.

Despite its massive popularity, “Valorant” still has miles to go before becoming a quality game. With increasing attention directed to the game and its developers, I expect more updates for extra content and to smooth out the rough edges. As for now, “Valorant” is only worth the pick-up if you are able to get a few people to play with you.