VALORANT on console is a whole different game, and that's a good thing

It's always a strange feeling when a game hops away from a platform it feels so intrinsically linked to. After all, the whole reason I heard about VALORANT was seeing streamers with brightly-lit PCs showcasing how slick Riot's tactical FPS was, and how quick mouse movement needs to be to succeed.

It launched around the time I got into PC gaming, too. While I've had a rocky road with adjusting to the game's unique pace with mouse and keyboard, I figured the console version would feel like a half-step, serving as a way to introduce Riot's cool roster of characters but still keep the bulk of players on PC.

As so often happens, though, I was wrong - and VALORANT on console is the real deal, albeit not quite the same game as its bigger brother.

Agent of Mayhem

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If you've spent any time on VALORANT's PC version, you'll likely know what to expect here. Tense rounds with only one life to live between attackers and defenders looking to plant or stop a bomb.

It's an unabashed homage to Counter-Strike with some Overwatch thrown in for good measure, and you'll feel right at home if you've played on mouse and keyboard.

If you haven't, there's a whole new tutorial section when you boot up that runs through everything from movement, to gunplay, to planting, ability usage, and more. It's the kind of thing I wish the PC version had a while back instead of the more basic training range, and I'm hopeful it'll come to the original in time.

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For someone who has played the PC version and knows roughly what to expect, it was still invaluable to set the tone for a different style of play.

I'd hesitate to call VALORANT on console more forgiving, but it certainly feels slightly less lethal than its counterpart. The auto aim is subtle, to the point where there’s no way you'd be able to rely on it consistently, while movement with thumbsticks feels good.

I actually prefer sneaking in the console version because you can simply push more gently on the thumbstick, but I think others will likely prefer the modifier key approach.

Focus up

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One of the biggest changes is "Focus aiming" - a sort of halfway step between standard aiming and ADS. It certainly takes some getting used to (you'll need L2 and R3 together to truly ADS), but it feels nicely tuned to mid-range skirmishes, with proper sniping best served with true ADS.

Naturally, moving while aiming in VALORANT still incurs significant accuracy penalties, but Focus aiming just feels like a relatively elegant solution to the lack of pixel-perfect aiming.

I will say I've also flashbanged myself less with Phoenix's Curveball ability now that it's mapped to L2 or R2 for left and right throws, so that's something.

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Still, I’m less impressed by needing to hold the touchbar to access the shop. It just doesn't feel as intuitive as it should be, and while requesting weapons and picking up abilities is nice and simple, it definitely feels a little sluggish right now.

A generous package

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Aside from including all of the Operators and maps added since the PC version debuted, VALORANT on the console also carries over all your cosmetics from your linked Riot account.

That means my modest collection of skins (Reaver for life) was already unlocked, and Xbox Game Pass subscribers get access to every Agent right off the bat.

You can enjoy cross-progression, too, so as you grind out the battle pass or work to unlock additional Agents, you’ll be able to hop between console and PC. On that note, don’t expect crossplay - but that's probably for the best.

Final Thoughts

VALORANT on console is a little more forgiving than its PC predecessor, lending to it feeling like a game that’s somehow slightly slower and yet moves less cautiously. Initial matches with total newcomers have been a blast, and while it remains to be seen where the competitive ceiling is, it’s a great way to improve map knowledge and grind out some objectives while on the sofa.

I’m still likely to stick more closely to the PC version, but for a first draft, Riot is onto something.

Previewed on PS5 and Xbox Series X. Beta access provided by Riot.