PRX f0rsakeN: “I can play every agent so easily”

VCT Pacific side Paper Rex booked their spot in the Masters Madrid bracket stage with a thrilling 2-1 win over EMEA’s Karmine Corp. The team haven’t been their best so far this season and looked likely to exit the competition as KC had then on the ropes during the series. However, an overtime win in game three saw PRX cling on and knock out the European hopefuls.

After the win, we spoke to their in-game leader Jason “f0rsakeN” Susanto.

Lee Jones (Esports.net): Your team started map 1 strongly, but during the rest of the series, it felt like KC had all the momentum.

How were you able to turn it around?

f0rsakeN: I’d say it’s all about mentality. Because on the third map, I feel like, even though our score was far from KC, we just still believed in each other, you know? And no matter what the score was, we just played our games as usual, brought the happy vibes, happy mood, so we could win the games.

Lee Jones: That sets up a rematch with Gen.G then…

Are you hopeful of a better result after the loss in the VCT Pacific Kick-OFF Final?

f0rsakeN: Well, hopefully, yeah. I don’t expect anything, but hopefully, this time we can win against Gen.G to take our revenge. We will try our best.

Lee Jones:Before the tournament, you said Paper Rex had been playing at a six or seven out of ten.

Where do you think you’re at now?

Actually, it was 6 out of 10, but then every time we played a match, we won, and I think we keep improving, I would say. So maybe now I will say 8 out of 10.

What do you need to do to reach ten?

f0rsakeN: Maybe some of the maps, because now we have a shaky map pool. Like 50-50. But I think we have three break days so hopefully we can get everything done, every comp done, and we can hopefully make new strategies to prepare against Gen.G and hopefully we win.

Lee Jones: There was quite a bit of controversy over the trash talking in your series with Team Heretics, some finding it unsporting while others enjoyed the extra spice it added to the series.

What do you make of that debate?

In my opinion, I think it’s part of entertaining. I really like to trash talk the opponent. To be honest, I just do this [*lifts hand*] to the opponent and stand up, you know, and it was really cool, I think. And for me, I think it doesn’t matter if the opponent trash talks or whatever, because this is competition, right?

Do you feel that you benefit from playing in that environment then?

f0rsakeN: Everyone is different, right? For me, in my team, personally, I’m the guy who will try to talk for the team, you know. Because every time I talk, it can build my confidence. And especially if they started first, I will trash talk even more.

Lee Jones: You’re famed for your flexing ability and your agent pool gives PRX a unique edge.

How have you managed to make that work so well?

I was playing Duelist, and the moment ‘something’ joined our team everything just changed and I decided to try flex. I played this game for so long and I tried every agent, and the way I tried the agent — I think it’s very easy. I can play every agent so easily because I think I’m creative. Maybe that’s the key factor that means I can become more flexible.

Do you think more players will go the flex route then as the game gets older, given that they’ll eventually have plenty of time to properly learn all agents?

For sure. In my opinion, if you have one team that plays five flexible roles, I think that team is gonna be insane.

Somehow I think if everyone can do all flex, like how I did — just try to play more agents, become more creative — and then I think you can become even stronger.

Is that something we’ll see from Paper Rex eventually?

Maybe. Maybe they will keep up with me. They can play maybe Yoru, smokers, or whatever.

How have you found Madrid? Have you had much of a chance to explore?

Well, we only went one time to the Plaza Mayor. Then we just like, saw the statue there, took a picture, and then ate some food together. We ate steak near the Plaza and it was really nice.