Valorant’s a fairly new addition to the esports scene, but this first-person shooter has quickly amassed legions of fans since its release in 2020. Currently, game servers welcome more than 2 million active players every day.
However, this is just a fraction of the 22 million users who jump into a game in any given month.
Are you a first-time Valorant player?
Perhaps you’ve been enjoying the action for a while and want to up your game. Read on for 6 great tips on how to take your Valorant play to the next level.
1. Practice Makes Perfect
One of Valorant’s best features is its practice mode. You can take your pick from any agent to get to grips with their unique abilities. What’s more, you can master movement and battle against AI enemies.
If you’re a complete beginner when it comes to first-person shooters, it’s a good idea to spend at least 20 minutes or so warming up in practice mode before delving into each battle. There are four different practice modes to choose from. If you’re looking to experiment with a full range of abilities, give Open Range a try. If it’s firing accuracy you’re looking to work, get stuck in the Shooting Test mode. Spike Planting and Spike Defuse modes are also available.
2. Don’t Overspend
Valorant might be a free-to-play title, but you’ll eventually have to start purchasing Valorant Points if you want to acquire new skins. If you’re looking to bulk out your arsenal, you’ll need to purchase Radiante Points. However, you’ll also need to keep an eye on how you’re spending your in-game currency.
Beginners make the mistake of splurging on overpowered weapons and ammunition at the start of a game. If you don’t have the skills to put these weapons to good use on the battlefield, save your currency until later.
3. Master Movement
Knowing how to move in Valorant makes all the difference when it comes to winning. In fact, movement is arguably just as important as knowing how to handle in-game weaponry. Unlike some other first-person shooters, Valorant’s movement system is pretty advanced. You’ll want to learn things like strafing and counter-strafing techniques to gain the upper hand. Once you’ve got a handle on movement, your accuracy will almost certainly improve.
You can watch professional streamers and learn from them too.
4. Experiment with the Full Arsenal
Valorant’s arsenal might seem modest compared to other first-person shooters, but there’s a lot of variety across the 17 weapons currently available. Weapons range from basic pistols and shotguns to advanced assault rifles and heavy artillery. Some, like the Vandal and Phantom, are notoriously difficult to master,
so you’ll need to spend time getting to grips with spray patterns and recoil. To make life easier, schedule some training time in the Shooting Test practice mode.
5. Communicate with Teammates
As with any team-based game, constant communication is key when playing Valorant. If you want to maintain clear lines of communication, make sure you’ve invested in a high-quality headset. If you’re a complete novice, take the time to study callouts and in-game acronyms.
6. Watch the Pros in Action
Once you’ve mastered the basics of gameplay and bolstered your callout vocabulary, you might find that your performance stalls. Struggling to win against increasingly challenging competitors? Take some inspiration from the professionals and watch S-Tier teams in action. Sentinels, Acend, and BBL Esports are all heavyweights of the pro-level scene.
Need some more pointers? Check out how the pros plays by checking out the Valorant Esports matches!
