Valorant is a free-to-play first-person shooter that has taken the scene by storm since its debut in 2020. The tactical title was created and published by Riot Games, and has an incredibly active community who have supported the game since it being in beta. With the game being fast-paced, each hero having unique abilities, and the mechanics being relatively straight-forward, Valorant has been attracting attention from both veterans and newcomers to the genre.
Valorant’s colourful, simple nature combined with the fast pace and satisfying gun play is what makes it so fun. That being said, we all need a change of pace from time to time, or a break from how gruelling competitive matches of Valorant can often be if things don’t go according to plan. With this in mind, we’ve recommended five games like Valorant for you to try out whenever you fancy a change.
Read More: Valorant Rank Distribution Explained
Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
This list of games like Valorant would not be complete without making mention of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. CS:GO is arguably the title that inspired Valorant, and this is plain to see given the incredibly similar tactical gameplay that is required in both shooters.
CS:GO actually first launched nineteen years ago, and was not initially free-to-play, so now is a better time than ever to install the game for free. It is another team-based title where one team is on the attack, trying to plant a bomb, while the other must attempt to defend and defuse the bomb if needed. This will feel very familiar to standard Valorant gameplay, as the premise is exactly the same. However, CS:GO has a much more ‘realistic’ feel to it, to an extent, as players do not have special abilities to employ.
Additionally, CS:GO has one of the largest player bases on Steam and shorter competitive matches to try out too. So, if it’s the length of Valorant matches and waiting for lobbies that is one of your qualms, CS:GO will be perfect for you to try.
Overwatch
Overwatch is fantastic for some fast-paced fun in the hero-shooter genre. The game is filled to the brim with colourful maps and vibrant heroes to mess around with, and gives players the chance to try various abilities and weapons. Even during matches, players can regularly switch between memorable characters, so you can find out who works for you very quickly. Or, you can just have a whole host of fun taking enemies out with a sniper, before respawning and then trying to take them out as a tank.
Overwatch is even more high-speed than Valorant, but the ability to openly experiment with your gameplay makes this feel incredibly entertaining, albeit very chaotic. Overwatch 2 is on the horizon, promising more of a story, however there is no sign of the popularity of Overwatch ceasing anytime soon. If you’re looking for a vivid team-based shooter with creative characters you’ll probably become attached to, such as Winston the gorilla or Hammond the hamster, then Overwatch is the perfect game for you to pick up.
