Valorant is a tactical, first-person shooter created by Riot Games. The game typically sees teams of five players go against each other in a rush to either plant a bomb (the spike) on a site, or to defend that site. The game can be difficult to get used to initially, but here are some handy tips and tricks that will improve your experience with Valorant right away.
Read More: How To Get Better at Valorant
Find The Right Crosshair and Sensitivity Settings
Valorant features an on-board crosshair customizer, and it is one of the most in-depth ones we have seen in any game. You have full range to customize every aspect of your crosshair, whether you want a simple one, or an elaborate one that fluctuates whenever you move.
Additionally, ensuring you have the perfect mouse sensitivity for you is going to ensure you get those successful flicks and nice headshots. So be sure to take some time to experiment, whether it's in game or in the firing range, and adjust the sensitivity to suit you.
You will be grateful you have the right crosshair and sensitivity once you get into the game, so spending some time on it straight away is a good idea.
Try Out Different Agents and Abilities
Right off the bat, there are five agents already unlocked for you to try:
Once you play a few games, you will be able to start contracts and unlock other agents by playing games and earning XP. All the agents play differently, as they all have their own unique abilities for use on the battlefield.
Taking a few matches to find which agents suit your play style is going to be vital. If you are an aggressive player who likes to get kills, Duelists like Jett and Pheonix would be best suited for you! However, if you prefer to be a healer and take your teammate's lead, a Sentinel like Sage is the way to go.
Find the agent that you want to main in Valorant as soon as possible. However, don't limit yourself to a single agent. Always have a couple of other agents that you like to play at hand too, just in case your favourite gets snapped up in a lobby! Ultimately, also knowing how various agents play will help you to counter them too, so we certainly recommend trying everyone at least once.
Practice and Improve Your Aim
Aiming is perhaps the biggest component of Valorant. The aiming system can be compared to CS:GO, but there is more of an emphasis on headshots and tapping rather than spraying your bullets. For the most part, a lot of the weapons are going to one-shot your opponent in the head — particular the likes of the Phantom or Vandal.
Spraying is still a viable option in some scenarios, but you should focus a lot on perfecting your crosshair placement and getting used to swinging wide and close to peek opponents. You will find yourself getting a lot more eliminations once you can get used to the crosshair placement and acquiring headshots in Valorant!
That's all you need to know when it comes to starting out your time playing Valorant. For more beginner tips, we have guides on how to change your language settings, the best FPS settings, and the best guns to be using too.
This article was updated on 15th November 2021 by Kelsey Raynor.