Riot Games, the developer of a tactical hero shooter game that is free-to-play, hinted at the game’s existence in 2019 under the working title Project A. The game was available to a limited number of players in a closed beta in April 2020 before being released globally on June 2nd, 2020. Ascent was the first map that was introduced alongside the game’s launch. According to Riot Games developers, Ascent was one of the earliest maps created for Valorant and served as the primary location where the game’s core mechanics were designed and improved.
Let’s have a look at the things you need to know about the Ascent Valorant map.
When was the Ascent map released?
Ascent was the initial map that the developers released alongside the official launch of Valorant, coinciding with the introduction of Reyna. It has been almost three years since its release on June 2nd, 2020. Interestingly, The Range, which is a map dedicated to players practicing their gun skills, is also situated on the floating island of Ascent, albeit on a smaller scale. Riot Games stated that Ascent’s creation process took approximately five years and underwent continuous improvements in line with the evolution of the game.
Where is Ascent located?
According to the lore of Valorant, Ascent is set in San Marco, Venice, Italy, in Alpha Earth. The story further explains that an agent from Omega Earth planted and exploded a spike on Ascent. Despite the efforts of the Valorant Protocol to prevent the explosion, it was unsuccessful, leading to a catastrophic event. The resulting explosion caused the city to be ripped from the ground and suspended permanently in the sky, creating an airborne island. This occurrence is considered the most destructive radianite-related incident known to Alpha by the game’s creators. Although Venice is divided into numerous fragments, Ascent is set on one of the most extensive pieces of land.
What is the philosophy behind the Ascent map? How to get the best out of Ascent?
To excel at playing and dominating the Ascent map in Valorant, it is essential to understand its unique characteristics. Firstly, Ascent boasts a spacious mid-area that both attackers and defenders can contest. This area provides opportunities for diverse ability usage and precise gunplay. Securing control of this section can allow teams to dominate both the A and B sites. The map’s distinctive feature is the mechanical doors located on both plant sites, which can be opened or closed using switches on the site’s side. However, these doors are indestructible while closed, and players can shoot through them. Once destroyed, the doors remain open for the remainder of the round.
Similarly, the A site Heaven has a glass panel that players can break to access the garden area of the map.
Ascent is a map that is typically favorable to defenders, so winning as many rounds as the defense is crucial to gain an advantage. Additionally, there are advantageous post-plant lineups for several agents such as Sova and Viper.
Which agents can help you dominate the game on this map?
Jett:
On the map Ascent, which is focused on the middle area, it is crucial to have an agent such as Jett who can move around rapidly and dominate mid. Jett’s proficiency in using the Operator on both attack and defense allows her to secure quick kills and control the middle of the map. Her ability to reposition herself using her dash and updrafts add an additional advantage, making Jett a game-changing agent when played on Ascent.
Killjoy:
Killjoy is an excellent choice for defending the B-site on Ascent as she is capable of maintaining it alone using her techniques and allowing her team to focus on defending the A-site. By positioning her turret to guard the entrance of the B-site, the attackers will struggle to enter without incurring significant damage. Killjoy’s use of the Alarm Bot and Nanoswarms at the B entrance and B-lane also creates additional obstacles for the attackers, making it challenging to infiltrate the site.
Omen:
Because Killjoy is commonly selected by players on Ascent, it is crucial to have an agent who possesses a smoke ability in their kit. Despite Omen’s repeated nerfs, his smoke ability is still valuable in obscuring Killjoy’s defenses and allowing for successful site entries on Ascent. Omen’s teleport ability can also be used to gain control of the middle area or the enemy spawn, facilitating opportunities for his team to secure kills and infiltrate sites.
Sova:
Sova’s recon darts are extremely useful on the map Ascent. The information provided by the darts about the number of players on each side of the map enables players to rotate and secure control over the middle area. A common strategy involves using Sova’s recon dart on B-main and subsequently using an Odin to shoot through the wall at the entrance of B from B lane, resulting in easy kills.