Have you noticed Ares spam in your recent ranked games? The new meta was nudged by the weapon buff in patch 4.0.
Valorant players are pretty happy with the Episode 4 changes that brought Neon into the roster. However, this episode has turned over the game meta for the worst. The Ares buff isn’t precisely helping Valorant’s strange gunplay that was
recently stabilized.
Players are furious at the Ares changes that have turned the cheap gun into a deadly cannon. The machine gun has become insanely accurate with a fire rate that could outplay a Phantom user.
Why is Ares too OP?
Ares used to work like any other machine gun with hundreds of bullets but poor impact.
Patch 4.0
in Valorant increased the weapon’s fire rate, making it one of the deadliest weapons in the game.
If you’re seeing all five enemies equipping Ares, it’s due to the brand new update. The latest Valorant patch has removed Ares’ spin-up and increased the firing rate from 10 to 13. This allows players to land crisp headshots with a machine gun. Unlike before, random spray downs aren’t a necessity. Players can out aim at enemies with the Ares’ accurate burst spray and tapping.
Is Ares better than Phantom?
Ares is currently the most potent weapon in Valorant and maybe even more viable than Phantom and Vandal due to the price tag.
For just 1,550 creds, the weapon renders heavy damage in both long and short ranges. On its ADS, the gun becomes a complete menace. The price factor makes it a good pick for casual players who may not always want to play Phantom. Considering its power over the primary rifles, it’s safe to say Ares has once again broken Valorant’s gunplay.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMPvxMTH8JY
Primary rifles are pricey for a reason. In the current patch, Ares players are outplaying those who invest creds on Vandal and Phantom, which is not a good sign. The developer buffed the weapon with an intention to shine a light on underrated guns, but this tweak seems to have backfired.
If Ares meta continues to shred Valorant’s gunplay, Riot Games might roll out another patch to balance it all out. Players should expect a price hike for Ares if gun mechanics remain the same in upcoming patches.
Fariha Bhatti
About Fariha Bhatti
Fariha Bhatti is a long-time gaming writer who loves competitive FPS games and slots with particularly fun themes. She got her start playing classic games developed by SNK, from legendary fighting game series The King of Fighters to challenging platform franchise Metal Slug. She now spends most of her time playing Valorant and Counter-Strike 2 while working her way through new slot releases to find her next favorite. Fariha has been published at PCGamesN, TalkEsport and ONE Esports.
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