eh.

The game is okay but I do not like the combination of "cool abilities/tech/magic bullshit" and tactical FPS. Wish that every character wasn't just a snarky asshole who doesn't shut the fuck up. That would be nice too. Guns are kind of split between feeling good and feeling like a toy, and random spread patterns is not whats in guys why the hell would you do that. Game also struggles to really have any "fun" way to play other than just winning or losing, and games kind of just blend together.

Valorant is the first game that I'd think about when I hear the word "corporate-designed".

Yes, it's an amalgamation of your popular first-person shooters, particularly Counter Strike's mechanics with a side of modern hero-shooter sprinkled in. Yet, there's nothing really that stands out from Valorant's design; map-wise and mechanics-wise, Valorant is muddy and lacks any confidence. Even worse? It seems that the game lacks any trust for its playerbase, continuously streamlining and pigeonholing player experience into very specific playstyles instead of encouraging creativity.

The game's poor design choices are thankfully hidden by its aesthetic. A thin-veil that holds the game together, yet polluting the game in every sense. Skills are flashy, yet uninteresting, regurgitated and overloaded. Maps are overly-designed, each and every one of them is almost unreadable with the clutter decorating every corner. Every single map is also required to bring a gimmick in the table too, promoting style over substance, something that Riot seems to love invocating in their games. How can I forget the obnoxious cosmetics too? After all, they are all that matters anyway.

If it's unclear, I don't like Valorant. Unlike my past reviews, I'd rather not give it any score or rating. I believe that giving scores, may it be 1 or 5, means that I value something, even if it's the slightest, from that particular game.

Bad games are memorable because they're either funny or completely disfigured that every bone in your body clinks every time you engage with them. Good games are memorable because, well, they're good and standout amongst the crowd. Boring games are forgettable, bring nothing to the table, and lacks any remarkable impression to be discussed. Valorant? Definitely unmemorable.

i love quake, but i can't help feeling like it tainted the shooter scene. if it weren't for the genre-defining quakeworld update, maybe we wouldn't have to deal with an endless barrage of esports titles designed to drive their players into a maddened frenzy (though i could just as easily blame warcraft).

as for valorant? fuck anyone who supports this beyond soulless game. massive red flag! avoid the fans at all costs. every single friendship i have had with a valorant player has gone down in flames.

edit: i did not realize until today that this was by the league of legends people. that explains lmao