Valorant, the shooter of Riot Games, was officially released in June 2020. Since then, numerous players from CS:GO decided to leave Valve’s FPS to try their luck at Riot’s. The style and gameplay immediately drew parallels to CS:GO. One of the most interesting debates among new fans is the comparison between these two shooters. At first glance, they may seem very different but share many things.
In this article, we will take a look at this debate and try to assess the differences and similarities between the two titles that can help you decide which one is for you.
Different Aspects
Let’s first look at what the Riot game does differently from its extremely successful Valve’s predecessor.
Agents
The biggest difference in terms of gambling is Valorant agents. In CS:GO, all players can buy the same items, and there are no different skills or characters. In Valorant, each player chooses from a group of agents with different skills that they can buy and use. Having different characters to play has its pros and cons. While it adds a lot of variety and unique game elements, it also creates some balance problems.
Competitive Scene
As for a professional competitive ecosystem, Valorant has a lot of online competition and the LANs are less and more separated, something that makes them more important and impactful. In CS:GO, there is a great focus on premier S-Tier events that are held everywhere around the world.
These tournaments are considered very prestigious in the community, while offering large amounts of cash. If you are interested to check out all the upcoming and current CS:GO events for 2022, visit the https://cover.gg/ webpage. During this weekend, the best six teams compete against each other for a prize of $1,000,000 in the Playoffs of IEM Cologne.
Simplicity
There is also a difference in simplicity between CS:GO and Valorant. While in Valve’s shooter the basics are much more difficult to master, in Valorant global learning requires greater attention to everything that the different agents can do in the game and the coordination that their skills can have with each other. The latter complicates the experience, especially from the start.
Maps and Updates
Another big difference is the maps. CS:GO tends to have large and spacious maps. On the other hand, Valorant offers smaller maps with more corridors and small spaces. This is purely preferential since none of the options is objectively better.
Finally, you should consider whether the updates are important to you. Riot releases updates more recently, every two weeks, to be precise. CS:GO rarely receives any updates, but this means that it remains more consistent.
Similar Aspects
Now, it is time to consider the similarities between these two online FPS shooters. Below, we have listed the main aspects to show what keeps them similar.
Gameplay
When you see Valorant gameplay, the first thing that comes to mind is CS:GO but with skills. Despite this, the 5vs5 mode makes both FPS shooters competitive online formats. Additionally, the fact of having the two bomb sites on the map triggers adrenaline-rush gaming experience.
Economy and Weapons
Both titles apply a win-to-earn format. The more rounds you secure, the more cash you have to buy all needed armor, weapons, and utilities. Along with this, the weapon and ability purchasing system in Valorant is similar to CS:GO.
Tactical Depth
Both games are highly tactical and require a spectacular level of planning. Furthermore, both are difficult games in their own way. The strategy in Valorant is similar to CS:GO in terms of map control, but the way you get that control is totally different and is not always a guarantee.
Final Decision
If you are still undecided, CS:GO is a more balanced game with a dedicated fan base. However, if you are into a new game that is still in its early stages with plenty of room to grow, you should look into Valorant. It is also worth noting that your skills in one game should translate well into the other if you ever want to make the change.