Valorant, a tactical FPS shooter game developed by Riot Games, can sometimes end up overwhelming its players, introducing a learning curve that is steeper than a hill. In a surprising turn of events, the game’s director has revealed how this was the goal behind their design anyway.
This revelation is sure to bring back some memories for a few players, especially those who have suffered the wrath of Hidetaka Miyazaki through his popular Souls genre, published under the FromSoftware studio.
How the Mechanics of Valorant Work Towards Giving Its Player the Biggest Thrill Possible
Like in any FromSoftware game, the popular hero shooter title lets the player sit unsure of how a match will end, offering both teams many opportunities to turn the tables and go from losing the game to winning it in an instant.
Turns out, this feeling of uneasiness had always been the the intention all along, making the players walk on the edge of defeat but letting them feel intense joy and thrill by allowing for last-minute comebacks. Commenting on this aspect of the game, the main director for the game, Joe Ziegler, said in an interview via InvenGlobal:
There are many ways to compete and cooperate. Each and every hero in Overwatch has their own abilities, stats, and roles. They’re clearly distinguishable and you have to win by fighting team versus team. In Valorant, we wanted to allow players to create drastic turnarounds through individual skills even if the teamwork didn’t work out. So that they can feel the biggest thrill and catharsis.
Valorant remains a thrilling experience that’s both frustrating and rewarding at the same time, something that keeps the player coming back and asking for more. It is also how the game can be related to the Soulsborne genre, built by Hidetaka Miyazaki, offering a great deal of challenge, but ultimately delivering the feeling of joy and achievement at the end.
Why Valorant Remains a Game Similar to the Soulslike Genre
FromSoftware, a studio that has managed to establish itself as the pioneer of the Soulslike genre. It was able to do so by introducing well-thought-out games, that not only gives its player a hard time but also subtly manipulates you psychologically.
One of the real reasons why every gamer keeps hopping back onto a game like Elden Ring is because it delivers a great sense of achievement to its players as well, a craft that Miyazaki has mastered ever since the release of his first Souls game back in 2009.
Ultimately, this temporary joy is what keeps Valorant and the games made by Hidetaka Miyazaki similar to each other, bringing a few of the players back to their worst nightmare when they turn on the popular shooter game for the first time.
Know any other similarities between the two established franchises in the gaming industry? Make sure to let us know about it in the comments below!
