The multiplayer, too, is a high watermark for Halo, which impressed us as a welcome return the classic arena shooting of the mid-2000s. And beyond just the novelty of sandbox exploration paired with classic Halo gunplay (which is absolutely as good as it sounds), the story that binds everything together feels tonally more mature and is perhaps the series’ best yet. Halo Infinite is the step forward the franchise has so badly needed for years, introducing an entirely new open-world design to its single-player that offers a big point of difference to the linearity of previous entries. Read our full Valorant review impressions for more on the game. Don’t let that put you off, though, as the matchmaking system is designed to accommodate new players, and there are more casual game modes such as Spike Rush and Escalation to learn the ropes. Each round is intense, demanding precise aim, teamwork, strategy, and a solid grasp of how to use each Agent. If you’ve not yet played Valorant then initially you’ll probably find it a bit tricky. The hardcore enthusiast scene is equally thriving, with an explosive esports scene seemingly destined to become one of the industry’s hottest. It’s very much a gameplay experience that rewards precision and skill, but it’s more accessible than Counter-Strike and its more modern design also helps make it more inclusive to a wider audience. Since its launch in 2020, Valorant has quickly risen to the forefront of the multiplayer FPS scene, and it now supports a huge community of players to the extent that it’s among the most popular shooters right now. A hybrid of tactical shooting and hero play, Valorant fuses elements from both genres to create a familiar experience but one that is at the same time totally unique. Riot Games’ plan to launch a shooter to muscle its way between the likes of Counter-Strike: GO and Overwatch was an ambitious one given just how popular those franchises are, but with Valorant it has absolutely delivered on that vision.

Top pc games for 2017