New 'Valorant' Agent Iso Can Trap You In A 1v1 Battle Arena - Forbes

Riot Games has revealed that Iso is the new agent coming to Valorant with the launch of Episode 7 Act III, and he can trap opponents in a 1v1 battle arena thanks to his controversial ultimate.

Billed as a Chinese fixer for hire, Iso uses ambient energy around the map to provide himself with shields, cover and giant 1v1 arenas. As a duelist, his abilities are focused on killing opponents with only limited team play utility, and on paper, it seems that he is very adept at doing so.

Iso’s E ability is called Double Tap and it can provide him with a shield that will block one instance of damage. However, to get the shield you’ll need to kill or get an assist on an enemy and then shoot a pop-up that appears above where they were standing. Do this and you get a shield that can even block a Raze ult, so it's a powerful tool in the right situation.

His Q ability is called Undercut and is perhaps the most standard ability in his arsenal. Simply use the ability to fire a blot in a direction that can pass through walls. Any enemies that it hits will become fragile for a limited time, making them easier to take down.

Next up is his C ability, Contingency. This is likely to prove a controversial one, as it generates a massive, moving, wall of energy that both blocks sight and bullets. Pop this out as soon as you see an enemy and they will have to move or wait for it to pass, giving you the upper hand. In the ability videos, it looks massive, which might make it more annoying than something to tactically play around.

Finally his ultimate is Kill Contract and this one is sure to irritate some. Unleashing this ability will pull you and the first enemy it hits into a 1v1 duel, complete with a custom arena that keeps enemies out. It looks impressive and seems to truly create a true 1v1, however, that somewhat goes against the idea of Valorant being a highly tactical team shooter.

“The goal [for Iso] was to create an exciting duelist that emphasized gunplay and excitement,” said Nicholas “Nickwu” Smith, a game designer on Valorant . “We had a few outputs we wanted to avoid, specifically mobility and healing. Since we weren’t doing Mobility or Healing, I wanted Iso to feel distinct and what I'd call a Juggernaut. It’s why we created the shield, and that he’d run a team through and keep on going without mobility or healing.”

As someone who generally dislikes duelists who have abilities that let them play alone, Iso seems more irritating than enjoyable. He no doubt will be fun for those who play him, but to play against him seems to be a bit of a nightmare. Of course, we won’t know for sure until he launches as part of Valorant Episode 7 Act III on October 31.