14/01/2021
Daks Casts
MY TOP VALORANT PH TEAMS AT THE END OF EPISODE 1
With the new year already kicking off, the Valorant Philippine scene is gearing up to be even more exciting with the upcoming year's official circuit alongside community tournaments. To get back into the rhythm of the things, I've looked back from the official release till the end of the first competitive episode, Episode 1: Ignition, to give notice to teams to watch out for in 2021. To keep it from going too long, I will only be tackling the teams in a general sense in terms of their style of play and accomplishments rather than singling out specific players or roster changes. With this, here are my top 10 teams:
1. Bren Esports
No surprise to anyone, Bren takes the top spot of the Philippine scene. Composed of well-renowned players in a career renaissance within the tactical shooter genre, they rarely miss a beat and dominate when they play. Boasting an over 90%-win rate in the local scene, they bring a level of flexibility unparalleled by anyone else in the scene. Incredible in mechanical skill, adjustments on the fly, intelligent coaching, trust in one another, and game knowledge: they've represented the country multiple times for a good reason- and are hungry for more international success after a sample of a championship in the region.
2. ArkAngel
Filled to the brim with experience, ArkAngel finds ways to soar past the competition and always contend in tournaments. Known as TMT (Tito Mo To) for a good part of the last year, they made history in the local scene being the first-ever team to eliminate Bren Esports in a tournament bracket. With a good number of championships and runner-up spots under their belt, they are a constant force to be reckoned with in the local scene. The sky is the limit for this squad, and it seems that they’re looking to take the fight for the top local spot even further this year.
3. Atlas Esports
Showing off that the competition extends past the Metro Manila area, Atlas Esports is one of the latest additions to the scene. This roster has made the biggest splash in the limited time they’ve shown up in, performing exceptionally well in the big tournaments. A good mix of experience within the roster, they show up to surprise the other teams with their strength and perform way beyond initial expectations. While we haven’t seen them as much as the other teams, this is a team that is always there to watch out for in the biggest and brightest stages. They come up big when they show up, and it’s only a matter of time till they achieve that renowned crown.
4. Oasis Gaming Chimaera
If you need to find a self-made setup in the local Valorant scene, look first at Oasis Gaming. Built from the ground up by passionate members of the community, the organization boasts a squadron as scrappy and resilient- Chimaera. From the start of the roster formed together, they immediately made an impact in the scene with their performances. This team can put up a fight against absolutely anyone and have shown their strength time and time again. While there are times that they fall short in the results when they’re not in the zone, they always keep it as close as possible. Besides having the highest skill potential in the scene, they also have a solid support structure behind them to reign them in. When you see this team play there’s always a chance that they can get in the zone and destroy any opponent.
5. Empire Esports
Known formerly as AG.Nefarious, Empire Esports has to be one of the craftiest teams in the scene. They can come up with the most incredible plans for specific matchups and opponents. Whenever a mistake is made in-game, they are the ones who can pounce and adjust on it immediately, and work to keep chipping away at those openings. Always seen as a strong team, their biggest folly is that there are times that they lose out to newer opponents. Despite that, never count this team out as they can strike back in full force and attain the biggest victories.
6. Kadiliman
From "stream team" to real threat, Kadiliman has grown to become a real force in the Valorant scene. They’ve grown a heavy fan base from their streams, and upon coming together they brought in the hype to every single match. Initially, a team who styled their hyper-aggressive play based on their experience in the competitive ladder, they have found it in them to round-off their game and roster. While there are concerns about their discipline, priorities, and time balance, Kadiliman proves that those who can handle the limelight can shine even brighter, as proven by their immense strides in the last half of the year.
7. Third Chapter Esports
Elite from the beginning, the squad that was ANBU Elite Gaming has been a squad synonymous with strength. The ANBU name has been a strong entity in multiple shooter titles local scene, and in Valorant it has been no different. Constantly a threat and carving out Bind as their territory during the first few months upon release, they have been a stable squadron who have stuck together and worked to adjust with one another. Playing a style that puts a stranglehold on the opponent’s space and good orb control, they found a good balance of gunplay and ability usage early on. While they have slipped in terms of the results recently, it’s only a matter of time till the now Third Chapter Esports squad find their footing and standard again.
8. Hashira
A bit different from the rest of the entries, but the old Hashira squadron was a team that you could look up to. Built from scratch and banding together, they found trust in one another as members of different teams came together as one to find their way. That way came in the form of unparalleled ability usage and setups. Ever creative with every step and breath they took, they found ways to surprise and innovate, giving them a top spot for a good while in the early months of the scene. However, after a set of last hoorah placings and championships, they found it in them to take a break that led to a major disband, saying goodbye to a solid roster. It seems like there was a point at the end of the year that a wall was hit, and they couldn’t get past it. Now, this write-up is more of a testament to the impact they had on the scene and will be the shoes that the new roster will have to fill. Only time will tell if we can see the Hashira name at the top again.
9. Affinity Esports
Affinity Esports is a team that has found itself in situations of success, and for good reason. This team has been grinding throughout the year, making strides in varying tournaments in the local scene and finding themselves against the other top teams after deep runs in tournament brackets. Their affinity for victory comes as they have found their team identity within the latter half of the year. Running a style that has the right mix of reliable aggression in multiple choices of Duelists and a reliable pair of utility to boot, it just clicks for this squad. The pieces of Affinity Esports just fit together well, and this new-found playstyle has propelled them even further to get notable wins in the scene. This team makes each player look and play better than their initial capabilities, which adds even more credit to their success together. The main concern of this roster though is the struggle to perform against the best teams consistently, however it does look like that more time and experience will be the best teacher for this squad.
10. 5peaks Valorant
When there’s a will, there’s a way: that's how the former Walkure squad does things. An absolute machine as a team with the capacity to perform, this team can put anyone on notice with how they can eradicate the competition round by round. It’s sudden impact whenever you face off against this team and the pressure is on in every single matchup and duel. Their surge in performance at late this year propels them to the last entry of this list for good reason, as they’ve barely scratched the surface of what they can achieve as a squadron. They’re vanquishing their demons and avenging their past defeats one by one, and it looks like they are the team to watch out for. They’re climbing to the top with the 5Peaks banner behind them, and they look ready for the journey.
Honorable Mentions
Dreamz Valorant- Mechanically gifted squad finding their groove in roles and compositions. Barely edged out in the list, they can put up a fight and face-off against the best.
NXP.Aether- Results matter as this team finds ways to make it far in the biggest tournaments in the local scene. However, struggles to go even further and a small sample size compared to every other team makes me want to see this team more this year.
Oasis Gaming CTNx- A strong team time and time again, they had good results and victories at the start of the scene but fell off and disbanded. Recently, they’ve reformed to high potential with a new roster while keeping their dynamic duo intact. However, the struggles of closing out matches still plague the team.
Subversive- One of the pioneers of the local scene, and an established as a flexible and creative threat early on. Finding solutions through innovation, they thought outside the box in trying times to attain wins. Unfortunately, roster stability hampered them constantly and a struggle to find results in the latter half of the year have seen them tumble down the board.
Samurice- Showing up when they show up, this team of veterans in the genre with established chemistry. Strong in their play, they can set up footholds that few can replicate. A treat to watch but they do struggle to get results by the latter stages of brackets, I’m looking forward to see them more consistently in tournaments.
I'd love to hear if you guys agree or disagree with this list, which teams would you put at the top? Are there more teams up and coming this year? I hope this can help newcomers to the local Valorant scene know more about the teams. I can't wait for more this 2021!
