The bitter-sweet relationship between Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Valorant isn’t as vague as it may seem. Both shooters are highly similar and Valorant players can teach a lot of things to the common FPS player base.
Valorant dropped with a bang in 2020, triggering an incessant comparison with Valve’s classic shooter. During the beta phase, CSGO’s highly skilled player base found the game comparatively easier to play due to years of practice in shooting. While CSGO players may have an edge over others skill-wise, there are still tons that they can learn from newer Valorant players.
Utility usage in Valorant is top-notch
Abilities and agent powers are the cornerstone of Riot’s shooter. They set the game apart from traditional FPS games with aim and gunplay as their bedrock. CSGO players at higher rank treat utility with more respect but most players forget to buy essential equipment.
In Valorant, you can barely make it through a round without throwing a flashbang or two. All agents have some utility on them at all times, which proves that smokes, flashes, and other tools are a major part of shooter games. The power of post-plant lineups in Valorant also proves that your gun may not always be the answer in a game with a defusal concept.
Most CS players, even at higher elo, heavily rely on their aim. The impeccable gunplay of CSGO automatically works in favor of a good aimer. But if you’re a new player, using utility the Valorant way may help you gain an edge over enemies.
CSGO versus Valorant post-plants
Each player in CSGO can shop for an incendiary for the hefty price of $600. Mostly, players use the princely fire to slow down hard pushes or burn enemies out of predictable corners. All in all, a molotov has tons of uses in CSGO, but post-plant lineups aren’t usually one of them. You may see professional players burning off defusers in tournaments but casual players are adamant that guns are enough.
In Valorant, post-plant meta has become so strong that the developer had to create a whole new agent to supress it. Fortunately, CSGO already has smokes that defuse off the fire, but players still don’t pay much mind to post-plant molotov lineups. Incendiaries can effectively bag round wins on the Counter-Terrorist side while making sure you take your weapon into the next round.
Team play and coordination
It’s challenging to win a game of Counter-Strike without the assistance of teammates and proper communication. Despite that, solo queue players barely use their microphone, which often makes winning a tall order. Conversely, team communication in Valorant starts from the outset when players are picking agents. In Valorant, every agent is equipped with a distinct power, which forces players to use their mics and chat.
CSGO players in lower ranks could learn that communication can be a gamechanger. While it creates a better team environment and helps garner intel, it also heavily impacts team economy. You won’t have to spend big cash on useless utility when you’re in contact with a rich teammate who could afford a full toolkit.
