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The latest addition to Valorant is a cold and frosty affair that can be punishing if you don't know its layout. Read on to learn everything you need to know about Valorant's Icebox
Riot Games has been putting in a lot of work since Valorant launched, introducing some new characters, continually tweaking the gun meta, and now introducing another new map to the mix: Ice Box. This guide will let you know some basics about how Ice Box operates, what special tricks it has up its sleeve, and how best to attack and defend each spike site.
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Valorant mixes the hero shooter appeal of Overwatch with the tight gunplay of Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, so getting to know Ice Box – as with the other maps – relies on a mix of solid tactical foundations and understanding when an ability could make all the difference. With that in mind, here's everything you need to know about this frigid new map.
General
Icebox feels a lot like Riot Games has tried to make a composite of the other maps which currently exist in the game. It leans more towards the tactical side of Valorant, with sight lines and rotation blocking being the most important factors here. Icebox features a basic, two spike site design, with the three-lane set up which is common in competitive FPS games these days. It is quite wide, but very short, meaning there will be a lot of close-quarters play in Ice Box.
It’s the only map in the game which has Spike Site A in an enclosed location, and features a good mix indoor and outdoor areas to boot. Ice Box doesn’t instantly dazzle you with a host of new features – but then that seems to suit Valorant’s growth, with the game leaning further away from the zaniness that hero shooters can bring and becoming a more grounded shooter with abilities to complement the play. Ice Box, then, is the perfect map for that... and could even suggest the path Valorant will tread in the future.
Gimmick
All the maps in Valorant have at least one unique element. The teleporters in Bind are the most obvious, but other maps add an extra spike site, lockable doors, or other similar mechanics in that vein.
Ice Box has a zipline, which is probably the single best example of 'risk vs reward' the game has to offer across any map. Using the zipline will take you to the high ground of Spike Site A, which can give you almost absolute control over the area. However, the zipline is hideously exposed; mot just exposed as in ‘players can shoot you’, but in ‘players will definitely shoot you, several times, and even if they’re trash they’ll almost definitely kill you’.
Because of the inherent risk that comes with the zipline, only use it when there are no enemies around. Being on the zipline is arguably the most exposed you can ever be in the game, ever, but reaching the summit is one of Valorant’s best vantage points.
Spike Site A
Spike Site A is a huge enclosed space, and so it favours explosive weapons and explosive abilities. Spike Site B has longer ranged fights, but Spike Site A is likely to feature close quarters combat more often. Defenders will find several hiding spots around corners in Spike Site A too, which can be useful for ambushing attackers.
Mid-lane is a lot closer to B, and therefore easier to defend, and without it A is a straight-up firefight. Defenders enter one end, attackers the other. The aforementioned zipline can take you to a great spot in A, but the chances of you being able to use it without being killed are close to nil. With that in mind, any blinding abilities are useful when rushing A too, but explosives should be your go-to – you can really benefit from that splash damage.
Spike Site B
The defender spawn is much closer to Spike Site B than the attackers are, and so defenders should look not only to claim Spike Site B, but also the mid-lane to stop rotation. Having a long-range player help hold mid-lane can be effective in forcing the attackers to be wherever the defending team wants them.
B has a lot of different approach options though, so defenders should be careful of corners. It’s easier to claim than Spike Site A, but probably harder to hold. One of the main reasons for this is the Kitchen, which has several pathways through and can be more useful for luring defenders out than getting the drop on them.
B has many places to hide, which means both attackers and defenders are best served taking their time and trying not to give away their position. Any abilities which cause damage to a wider area and don’t need precise aiming can help when you know the enemy is there but just can’t see them. Again though, the importance of the mid-lane cannot be overstated here. Defenders have the upper hand in getting it, but if the attackers can control it, they can divide and conquer with relative ease.
