CSGO and Valorant are two of the most popular FPS games right now. But players, especially the newbies want to know which one should they play and why. I can already see the controversy this article is going to stir up but there is no denying the fact that Valorant has been heavily inspired by Counter-strike: Global Offensive and despite the countless similarities both possess plenty of diversity which helps them cater to different player bases.
So, if you’re wondering which game to spend your hours grinding and climbing to the top here are a few things that might help.
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CSGO vs Valorant Detailed Comparison
1. Valve vs Riot Games
Counter-strike has been around for over a decade now with various versions of it and anyone who has played the game over the years can attest to the fact that Valve Corporation (Counter-strike Developer) turned a blind eye when it came to keeping the game fresh and dynamic for veteran players.
Valorant on the other hand despite being out in the market for only a year has done and catered more to its players than CSGO did in over a decade.
Within just a year Riot Games has created lore for every single agent and a beautiful evolving storyline that stitches all the agents together in the grand scheme of events.
Adding to that, the cinematics that follows the launch of new seasons or agents and the Spotify playlists, add to the appeal of the game Valorant. Call me a bit biased here but I listened to the original Valorant theme on repeat back in 2020 and I think it’s mind-blowing.
2. Terrorists and Counter-Terrorists Vs Agents
To begin with, we know that CSGO uses conventional terrorists and counter-terrorists as the good guys vs the bad guys. But, Valorant switches things up by using agents, each possessing unique abilities.
In simple words, Valorant created 4 unique subclasses which are – Initiators, Controllers, Dualists, and Sentinels. Each class has a unique role and unique set of abilities.
- Controllers are the class with plenty of utility whether it is the smoke and the blinds or just giving your team a boost of firepower. Their primary objective is to set your team up for success by controlling the flow of battle in your favor.
- Initiators are the master of chaos, their primary role is to disrupt and destroy the enemy defenses and their abilities help them do just that.
- Dualists are self-sufficient agents whose kit enables them to get into the thick of battle and kill the enemy whilst having enough utility to assist their aggression. Think of them as your primary source of the attack.
- Sentinels are the noblest class in Valorant for they fight to protect you. Their primary role is to assist the team and their abilities enable them to gather information on the enemy team, provide plenty of crowd control in the form of slows and stuns, and most importantly provide heals.
3. Maps
Talking about maps in CSGO vs Valorant comparison, undoubtedly, CSGO has an advantage here mostly because the game has been around for over a decade. The original four maps on Valorant are extremely beginner-friendly with their linear design whilst the latest additions IceBox and Breeze add more verticality to the maps.
Even though structurally the maps are almost the same in both the games, there are a few unique aspects when it comes to the maps in Valorant. For example, the map on Bind has two unidirectional teleporters which help both the teams to make quick rotations when needed.
3. Weapons and Utility
Finally coming to gunplay, again both the games function relatively similarly whilst having very subtle differences. For instance, the spray pattern of the automatic weapons though might look similar at first glance but it just isn’t.
In Valorant, the spray pattern is random after the first few shots. You can crouch and control some of the sprays but it’s totally random, which goes to show that the developers intended for the game to be played with a certain mechanical finesse.
But, in CS:GO the weapons have a set spray pattern, and with sufficient hours of grinding it’s not very difficult for the player to exercise some recoil compensation.
Moreover, when it comes to utilities or crowd control, both games have a very different approach. While CounterStrike goes with the conventional options of using flashbangs, grenades, and smoke grenades which are accessible to all players; Valorant spices things up by completely redefining utility and making it a class-specific ability. Though some classes are designed solely to provide the team with utility, all agents have at least one crowd controlling or utility-based ability in Valorant to form the most rudimentary form of team synergy.
Also, Read: 5 Best Valorant Skin Bundles in 2021
4. CSGO Or Valorant?
If you are still scratching your head as to which game to go for, read ahead! If you’re a casual gamer or are a newbie to the FPS genre, Valorant is a perfect place to start.
With its low skill floor, attractive graphics, dynamic gameplay mechanics, and the oh-so-popular ability-based character design, it’s sure to please you and hook you to the game screen for hours.
On the other hand, if you’re a true FPS veteran, you probably have been playing CSGO for years now and if not you should definitely give it a try.
With a high skill ceiling and competitive player base of CounterStrike, if you can tough it out and spend your time grinding the mechanics, it’s one of the most rewarding feelings when you finally frag off.
