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          Valorant reveals Phoenix, agent's abilities

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          Project A gets named Valorant, big takeaways (1:53)

          Arda Ocal gives his three big takeaways from this weekend after Riot Games shed more light on their new FPS, Valorant. (1:53)

          • Tyler Erzberger, ESPN EsportsMar 5, 2020, 08:50 PM
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            • Staff writer for ESPN.com
            • Covered esports since 2011
            • Worked with biggest teams across titles like League of Legends and StarCraft II
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          "Oh, you wanna play? Let's play." -- Phoenix

          Riot Games released a short trailer on Thursday profiling the first agent from the studio's upcoming tactical first-person shooter Valorant. Hailing from the United Kingdom, Phoenix is one of the eight agents confirmed to be playable in the game, his fiery aesthetic going hand-in-hand with his gameplay.

          Here is what we know so far about Valorant's resident firestarter:

          Curveball: The first ability shown in the trailer is Phoenix's signature ability, Curveball. With a snap of his fingers, the UK operative can create a flare and weave it around walls. After a short delay, the flare bursts, blinding all that look at the fireworks show. I'm sure Counter-Strike fans will be amused by this literal flashbang.

          Blaze: After Curveball and a solo kill on the enemy Jett, Phoenix shows off another one of his unique abilities, Blaze, where he can cast a curving wall that blocks vision from the opposing side and damages anyone who passes through the flames.

          Hot Hands: Hot Hands is of Phoenix's abilities not shown in the trailer. His own personal Hadouken from Street Fighter, Phoenix throws out a fireball that detonates following a short delay, or explodes on impact. The fire zone left behind deals damage to enemies but will heal Phoenix.

          Run it Back: For a cocky character, there is no better ultimate than Run it Back. While not shown in the short trailer, Run it Back is your chance to go for the big play without the fear of your team flaming you if you don't get the job done. When Phoenix has enough points to activate his ultimate, you can press "X," marking your current location on the map. If you perish during your ultimate's time limit, like the mythical firebird itself, Phoenix will rise from the ashes at your marked location, ready to have another chance at winning the round.

          More: What to expect from Valorant | Faker cracks 2,000 kills in the LCK | Winners and losers of Overwatch League's first hero pool bans

          Overall, Phoenix is a straightforward character. An aggressive damage dealer, expect this agent to be highly coveted when the game releases and a staple for top fraggers when the game transitions into a full-blown esport.

          In the hands of good players, Phoenix is going to be a showstopper, his ultimate a chance for a one-on-five to be actually doable if the player can pilot the agent correctly.

          In the hands of first-timers and not-so-great players, get ready for a lot of wasted ultimates and Leeroy Jenkins moments with this aggro agent.