If there’s one thing Valorant players agree on, it’s that Breeze is the worst map in the game. Here’s why all Valorant players think Breeze is a dodge-worthy map.
From comm issues to trashing insta-lock Jett players, Valorant players seem to have varying opinions about their well-loved game. However, if there’s one thing that can unite us, it’s our shared disdain for the Breeze map. It’s a map we all struggle with, which we can all relate to.
I’m certain you’ve seen the social media posts, whether on X or Reddit, that constantly trash Breeze as the worst map. More often than not, players would say they would gladly swap out-of-rotation maps like Fracture and Pearl (which also have their fair share of haters) in Breeze’s place.
While I have never wondered why Breeze is such a mutually hated map, I have never pondered the actual reasons why I always let out a guttural groan whenever I queue this map on ranked. Here are a few reasons I think Breeze is the worst Valorant map, and so does most of the player community.
It has the most open sites
Whether you’re on the defending or attacking side, both sites on Breeze are a pain to defend. Unlike Ascent, where the “default” planting sites are fairly safe, even the most common planting spots on Breeze could have you shot from the right angle.
Let’s take the A site as an example. If you’re an attacker, you must first clear the right pyramid, a prevalent OP spot, the bricks, the nook beside the pyramid, the mid doors, the bridge, the yellow box – and you probably get what I’m pointing out now.
It seems like an endless game of whack-a-mole where enemies could pop out from nowhere and everywhere.
Even on the defending side, Breeze is a NIGHTMARE. The fact that your team has to guard the two sites, mid nest, mid door, and halls, seems like a herculean task for a team of five. Either way, Breeze’s wide-open sites are a nightmare for everyone.
Breeze is the real battleground for aim
I know what you’re saying, “Valorant is a first-person shooter. Of course, it’s about aim!” But if you ask me what sets CS2 and Valorant apart, my answer would be that Valorant has progressed to be more of a good balance between mechanical aiming and strategic ability timing.
This meta of Valorant now is why we see pro players like TenZ move from the duelist role to more ability-based agents like Omen. Valorant has set itself apart from its previous “direct competitor,” CS2, by pivoting the focus from an aim-based game to being tricky with your Agent’s abilities.
With that being said, Breeze’s long vantage points and open spaces call for a more aim-dependent gameplay that lower-ranked and first-time shooter players won’t enjoy.
Let’s go back to our example of attacking through A main. It is nearly impossible to outsmart a good operator player on the end of the side unless you have an insane aim and reaction time yourself.
This also happens in all possible attacking points of the map. There could be an OP in mid-nest and an OP in B back site, which all calls for an Aspas-level aim and a Tenz-level reaction time on your end.
While Viper is a strong candidate to eliminate these OP angles, you’d likely need to re-clear them once the smoke screen is down.
Rotating is nearly impossible
With Pearl out of the map rotation, I can safely say that Breeze is Valorant’s biggest map. Even three-site maps like Haven and Lotus do not come close to Breeze’s expanse.
It takes about 30 seconds to rotate from one site to another, making it easy for attackers to flood a site without the fear of being outnumbered, even if one of their players is lurking on mid. Unless your Jett or Reyna is carrying an op on one of the sites, your defending game will likely be a retake situation.
Breeze has a “standard” team comp
If you’re a VCT fan like me, Breeze is the top map with “mirror comps” in pro play. Given this trend in the top-tier scene, you’ll likely see Jett, Viper, Sova, and a second duelist or a secondary initiator for this map.
This is why many fans were shocked when Paper Rex ran an entirely out-of-meta comp during the VCT Masters Copenhagen finals against FPX in 2022. Aside from not running a Viper, which was nearly unheard of before Harbor, they also ran the map with Breach and Fade – both unpopular picks for this map.
If you compare the top picks for Platinum and Immortal lobbies for Breeze, you’ll still see the same three faces, which could be a little boring for Valorant players.
Most Valorant players don’t know how to play Breeze
Given the widespread bias against Breeze, most players just grunt and frown whenever they queue up Breeze instead of enjoying the map. This leaves only a handful of players trying to learn the map instead of hoping someone will dodge whenever Breeze is up.
One of the most common mistakes players make when playing on Breeze is the lack of variety in attack strategy. Most of the time, especially in lower elos, the attack call for this map is to go “Spartan” and just rush to the site by the main chokepoints.
Aside from the aforementioned issues of clearing the site, going “A, then B, then back to A” if one attack strategy fails rarely works for most teams. Even in pro play, the mid-map is rarely utilized for attacking besides the usual mid-lurk.