Riot’s latest game Valorant is a competitive hero-based shooter that plays something like a mix between Overwatch and CS: GO . Even though it’s only in closed beta at this point, Valorant is already one of the most popular games on Twitch , pulling in incredible viewer numbers in its first week. The fact that watching Twitch streams is the only way for most people to get access to the Valorant agents Guide|https://Valorantcentralhub.com/ beta certainly has something to do with that, but plenty of fans are happy just to spect
(Image: https://p0.pikist.com/photos/574/703/birds-carolina-wren-brown-spring-wildlife-thumbnail.jpg)Of course, all that attention means that Valorant also has a large player base to manage, some of whom are willing to cheat to get a win. Just days after its closed beta started, Valorant banned its first cheaters . This led to interest in how Valorant ’s anti-cheat system worked, and players discovered that it used a kernel driver that starts whenever a player with Valorant installed turns on their computer, not just when they start the game. Players were understandably nervous about the idea, and some took to Reddit to air their concerns about how much access that gave Riot to their systems. In response, Riot’s head of anti-cheat, Paul „Arkem“ Chamberlain clarified that it doesn’t monitor anything except for the game and doesn’t send information back to Riot’s serv
„You have to want to win; You have to want to master it; You have to want to get better.“ Regarding audience, VALORANT 's Product Manager Anna Donlon summed things up quite well . „If that is not you – this might not resonate, and that's okay.“ As polished as the beta already is, the game will certainly not be for everyone. By design, it caters to those who are hellbent on competing at a high le
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Arkem’s explanation didn’t convince everyone that this was the right solution to Valorant ’s cheating problem. Some Reddit users flat-out said that they didn’t believe that Riot isn’t spying on them, while others pointed out potential security flaws that the system driver could open up. Arkem did point out that the anti-cheat can be disabled or uninstalled at any time if players are uncomfortable with it, but doing so will keep them from playing Valora
Hot Hands is Phoenix’s signature ability, giving the player a Molotov Cocktail-like ball of flames to use at their disposal. The fireball will explode and spread either on contact with the ground, or after a certain amount of time in the air, where it will take a nosedive to the floor below. Once detonated, the flames spread, covering the immediate area in a damaging fire. Hot Hands deals damage to both enemies and teammates, but, like Blaze, heals Phoe
As with every _ VALORANT _ agent, Phoenix has two basic abilities that are available for purchase at the start of every round. The agents also have one signature ability that is ready for use every round, and one ultimate ability that must be charged before use. Players can charge their ultimates by getting kills, defusing the spike, or collecting the Ultimate Orbs that are placed around the
Additionally, some agents still require tweaks in order to maintain competitive balance; Raze's grenades are particularly strong right now – not to mention the crazy power of her „Showstopper“ ultimate abil
The second basic ability is Blaze, which gives Phoenix the power to create a wall of flames wherever he sees fit. The firewall can be placed in a straight line or at a curve, depending on which direction the player moves their crosshair. The wall cannot be seen through, though players can move - and shoot - through it. While Blaze deals damage to those walking through it, it actually heals Phoenix. Blaze costs 200 credits at the start of each ro
Even though its delivery is solid, there are still a few minor grievances. Occasionally, I noticed that rounds would freeze before „buy“ phases, though this usually wouldn't last for more than 10 seconds or so. The buy menu and the economy system is decent; Some weapons are overvalued, some underval
Riot Games’ first-person tactical shooter _ VALORANT _ enters a closed beta period on April 7th, available for the lucky few who have been granted access. The game features at least nine playable characters, called agents. Phoenix is _ VALORANT _ ’s resident hot-headed Brit, setting the fighting grounds ablaze with every chance he g
Sova's first ability is called Owl Drone and is a utility that costs 300 credits. When used the player switches to the drones view which is piloted by the player and can be flown around the map. The drone has incredibly low health, and the player is left vulnerable while piloting the drone. However, the drone can scout ahead and can fire an unlimited supply of darts. If an enemy is hit by a dart their silhouette will glow orange for all of your teammates to
It's no secret that a game's longevity will often depend on long-term developer support. Right now, Riot is making a strong impression. They talked a big game leading up to VALORANT 's beta, but they seem to be backing it up. Communication has been on-point every step of the way, which, to be frank, has been lacking with other unnamed develop