I'm a lifelong console player, and I've been using dual analog for probably around 14 years. I figured, hey, I'll go ahead and try this. If I don't like it, I'll just use it for KB+M only games and use my Xbone controller for others. So I turn on Fallout 4 and after playing with settings, find a config that really works. Honestly, about 7 hours into using the Steam Controller, and I'm already better with it than I was with the Xbone controller, which is almost exactly the layout I've been using for damn near a decade (360 controller, anyone?). Needless to say, it works, and it works well. Gyro aiming is also nice for fine tuning your shots, as it works remarkably well. One of the features I expected to be a gimmick is actually very useful. Very pleasantly surprising.
Hardware quality is solid. It's plastic, but it doesn't feel cheap. The only cheap plastic that's used is on the grips, and on the part that you aren't actually touching. It's definitely a quality plastic throughout the controller, and it feels nice in the hand. The upward arches of the grips may feel a little odd at first, but it's quite comfortable, and was obviously designed to place your thumbs on the pads. The thumbstick is nice, the buttons work, though I would prefer it if they were clicky instead of squishy, the d-pad is... odd, and the right pad works great. The hyped-up haptic feedback is present, and as a skeptic, I have to say that it works really well. I can tell where my thumb is, what direction I'm moving, and how fast I'm moving. For some reason, the haptic feedback sounds like a geiger counter. Not sure why, but it's not actually distracting. There are 6 buttons on the back; two bumpers, two triggers, and two paddles. It all works very well. The only questionable part is the d-pad. Honestly, Valve should've just put in a physical pad, but I can understand if they were trying to give left-handed users the option to play southpaw like the weirdos they are.
TL;DR: Within 7 hours, I'm doing better at FPS games with this than I was with an Xbone controller, which is a layout I've been using religiously for 10 years, not even mentioning the various dual-analog layouts I used before the famous 360/Xbone layout. It's comfy, the trackpad works well, the haptic feedback is amazing, gyroscopic controls are surprisingly good, and plenty of buttons on the back. All buttons are also customizable, which is a huge advantage over other controllers. Literally the only questionable part about this controller is the d-pad. Unless they decided on a touch d-pad for the lefties, it was a poor design choice. That said, it works well enough. I can't imagine myself playing a platformer or a fighting game with it though.
9.5/10 I'm a lifelong console player, and I've been using dual analog for probably around 14 years. I figured, hey, I'll go ahead and try this. If I don't like it, I'll just use it for KB+M only games and use my Xbone controller for others. So I turn on Fallout 4 and after playing with settings, find a config that really works. Honestly, about 7 hours into using the Steam Controller, and I'm already better with it than I was with the Xbone controller, which is almost exactly the layout I've been using for damn near a decade (360 controller, anyone?). Needless to say, it works, and it works well. Gyro aiming is also nice for fine tuning your shots, as it works remarkably well. One of the features I expected to be a gimmick is actually very useful. Very pleasantly surprising.
Hardware quality is solid. It's plastic, but it doesn't feel cheap. The only cheap plastic that's used is on the grips, and on the part that you aren't actually touching. It's definitely a quality plastic throughout the controller, and it feels nice in the hand. The upward arches of the grips may feel a little odd at first, but it's quite comfortable, and was obviously designed to place your thumbs on the pads. The thumbstick is nice, the buttons work, though I would prefer it if they were clicky instead of squishy, the d-pad is... odd, and the right pad works great. The hyped-up haptic feedback is present, and as a skeptic, I have to say that it works really well. I can tell where my thumb is, what direction I'm moving, and how fast I'm moving. For some reason, the haptic feedback sounds like a geiger counter. Not sure why, but it's not actually distracting. There are 6 buttons on the back; two bumpers, two triggers, and two paddles. It all works very well. The only questionable part is the d-pad. Honestly, Valve should've just put in a physical pad, but I can understand if they were trying to give left-handed users the option to play southpaw like the weirdos they are.
TL;DR: Within 7 hours, I'm doing better at FPS games with this than I was with an Xbone controller, which is a layout I've been using religiously for 10 years, not even mentioning the various dual-analog layouts I used before the famous 360/Xbone layout. It's comfy, the trackpad works well, the haptic feedback is amazing, gyroscopic controls are surprisingly good, and plenty of buttons on the back. All buttons are also customizable, which is a huge advantage over other controllers. Literally the only questionable part about this controller is the d-pad. Unless they decided on a touch d-pad for the lefties, it was a poor design choice. That said, it works well enough. I can't imagine myself playing a platformer or a fighting game with it though.
9.5/10 |