Valorant is a free-to-play first-person tactical hero shooter released on 2nd June 2020. The game was developed and published by Riot Games. Those familiar with the gameplay of CS: GO can be thrilled with this game. The game features similar gameplay to Counter-Strike: Global Offensive with the addition of abilities.
The game offers 20 agents as of now. Agents are playable characters with a wide range of abilities. Combining abilities with the gun game is the main USP of this game. Valorant is a challenging game where most players require grinding and skills to master the game and outsmart opponents.
If you have played CS: GO, it will be easier for you to get the hang of it, but if not, there is nothing to worry about.
In this game, two teams of five go up against each other. The game is divided into multiple attacker and defender rounds. A team must either plant Spike, diffuse it according to the objective, or kill the entire enemy squad. The team that can win 13 rounds wins the match.
The players get only one life per round. The gameplay is slow-paced and tactical compared to other FPS games. You must know the abilities of each agent to make the most out of them or counter them.
Where you can download the game
You can download this game on your PC by clicking on the link given below:
Or you can get from Epic Games Store:
Table of contents: 13 Important Tips for Valorant
Adjust settings
Though Valorant is tempting to play, starting the game without checking the settings is a huge mistake. Shooting games can be played with different styles; hence, finding the settings you are comfortable with is essential. You should practice in different settings and adjust according to your preference.
a. General settings
If you are new to FPS games, you must adjust your mouse sensitivity. While there is no perfect DPI or sensitivity, you need to lower or higher the sensitivity in the firing range and choose the best sensitivity according to your comfort.
b. Controls
The default key to planting or diffusing Spike in this game is Numpad4. Counter-strike: Global Offensive players do not spam ‘E’ and get confused. You can adjust key binds as required or learn to use this key.
Each of the agents has unique types of abilities and attributes. It would help if you found the proper keys to maintain your comfort and fast pace.
c. Crosshair
Crosshair is a critical aspect of every FPS game. There are no ideal crosshair settings, but you can adjust according to your preference to see if you want a different crosshair color or change the crosshair size to smaller or bigger according to your comfort.
Understand your role
Riot Games offers four roles allotted to the agents available in the game. Here is a list of roles and names of the agents to assist you better. Some agents can fit into any role due to their versatility.
Duelist: According to the Riot Games’ description, Duelists are ‘Self-sufficient fraggers’. They are capable of getting quick frags with their offensive abilities.
- Jett
- Phoenix
- Yoru
- Neon
- Reyna
- Raze
Initiator: Initiators initiate the fight and provide the team an advantage in the team fight. They can break open sites or zone opponents. These agents focus on an offensive approach, setting up a stage for the teammates’ success.
- Breach
- Skye
- Sova
- KAY/O
- Fade
Sentinel: Sentinels focus on holding zones and reinforcing territories. They can lock down the areas. In a game like planting or diffusing Spike, Sentinel has an important position in the game.
- Cypher
- Chamber
- Killjoy
- Sage
Controller: Controllers take charge and dictate the fight. Controllers assist the team in executing the strategies by blocking areas with throwables and disrupting the enemies’ vision.
- Astra
- Omen
- Viper
- Brimstone
- Harbor
It would be best if you practiced with each role to bring flexibility to your gameplay and help your team when required.
Play to the agent’s strength
Every agent of Valorant has unique abilities and strengths that provide an edge over opponents. Practicing with different agents and learning to utilize the full potential of the capabilities can be beneficial in matches. You should also know every agent’s ability to find a way to counter them. As an example, Raze’s Boom Bot is annoying for the enemies.
Boom Bot travels along the ground to scout enemies and deal damage on impact. Some agents also can create cool combos together with abilities. You and your teammate can combine abilities with weapons and get an advantage over your opponents.
Using ability makes you vulnerable
Beginners make a common mistake. They are highly dependent on their abilities. Please do not presume from League of Legends, Dota 2, Overwatch, and spam abilities. Abilities exist to enhance your gunplay, but it is not the primary weapon.
Using skills makes you vulnerable as it delays the switching of weapons. You have to be alert and make sure that you are in a safe place, as abilities have a long delay.
Focus on objectives
Valorant is a five-versus-five team game, but you must focus on staying alive. It is more critical than roaming around and getting killed while trying to knock off your opponent. Play slowly and remain alive to assist your team.
Taking down enemies also wins you the round, but a rushed decision can backfire against you and ruin your team’s chances of winning that round. Even if you are playing aggressively, focus on the primary objectives.
Stand still for better aim in the beginning
As a beginner, do not move around while aiming. Shooting while moving impacts the accuracy of the fire. The slightest movement also can cause miss-taps and your elimination. Running here and there can also cause problems as it creates noise and allows your opponents to track you.
It is tough to maintain the balance between movement and shooting. The controlling gun’s recoil can also be problematic at first. Hence, in the beginning, it is safest not to move while shooting and try to hit your opponent’s head.
Use a knife while running
You can run faster with a knife instead of with a gun. When you want to move more quickly across the map, you can equip yourself with a knife.
Guns and their recoils
Though the agents have several types of abilities, the gun is the primary weapon in the game. No matter which gun you choose, stick with the gun until you get used to the recoil and fire rate. Once you master these, you will dominate your enemies.
Controlling a gun’s recoil can be challenging, but it can be managed with a decent amount of practice. You can have a favorite weapon but try to pick guns according to the situation. The Phantom and Vandal are the most popular guns in the game, but you can choose from
- Sidearms
- SMGs
- Rifles
- Snipers
- Heavy weapons
- Shotguns
Each map is different in Valorant. Thus, you may not be getting your favorite weapon in every match. Therefore, try to practice with multiple guns and be comfortable with them.
Calculative spending
You should be careful with how much you spend at the beginning of every game because if you die or lose in multiple rounds, you will be forced to stick with low-graded weapons. Hence, stick to your team and try to win the pistol round. This round can determine the next few games.
Try to spend less while your team is struggling. The team and tactical gameplay can recover the game’s round difference. You can even make risky decisions to spend all in that round if you are confident you will win.
You can even pick up weapons from dead enemies and allies. Several strategies can be formed according to your and your team’s approach toward the game.
Adaptability
You should be flexible to the strategy of the enemy team and adapt to different play styles all the time. The same play style will not work in every match, and a rigid mentality can cost you the game. So the gamers need to focus on each match situation differently.
Sound and audio queues
It is mandatory to have a good-quality headset to play FPS games like Valorant. Hearing the sound of the movement and abilities is the best to know the enemy’s position. Though it will take time to practice by trying to remember the sounds, with this, you will be able to figure out when the enemies use abilities or teleporters.
You should listen carefully to the audio queues used by specific agents to react accordingly. You can confuse the enemies by faking diffuse or plant to lure them from hiding spots. Learning audio cues may take time, but once you master it, you’ll be able to follow enemies’ movements and hunt them down.
You can purchase a quality headset from the link given below:
Communicating with teammates
Riot Games encourages communication between you and your teammates. The game is not meant to be played solo. You can connect with your teammates and consult strategies and tactics before the match. During the match, communication is crucial to call out the locations of the enemies, item drop locations, and in-game movements.
Riot Games has offered a ping system to communicate with each other swiftly without using voice chat. You can even convey information after getting eliminated in a round by using pings on the maps and assisting your surviving teammates in taking the correct steps. But miscommunication can cause problems for the team. So, try to be specific during communication.
Practice
Valorant is an ‘easy to play, hard to master’ game where you must practice to be effective. Regular practice is essential for any FPS game, as good aim can be acquired through muscle memory. You can set a benchmark for yourself while practicing to improve your game. You can also read and watch guides and use the knowledge in your practice sessions to be more flexible.
Valorant has a practice map called Range, where you will get unlocked agents, unlimited ammo, and abilities to sharpen your skills against bots. It is recommended that beginners spend at least 20 minutes daily before playing a match.
Conclusion
These tips may help you to get an edge over opponents. But FPS games like Valorant require constant practicing to get better in the game and climb the rank ladder. Playing with reliable teammates is also recommended to perform well in matches because it is a team game.
Games like Valorant require accurate aiming and a faster response rate from the mouse. Therefore, Playing an intense FPS game requires a good quality mouse like Logitech G PRO X Superlight Wireless USB Gaming Mouse to demolish your opponents.
You can purchase Logitech G PRO X Superlight Wireless USB Gaming Mouse from the link given below:
