One of the benefits of being at the Electronics Entertainment Expo this year is literally getting a hands-on preview of the PlayStation 4 console that's coming out later this year. Everyone's intrigued about some of the new design choices on the DualShock 4, and more importantly, how does it actually feel?
At first glance, a huge touchscreen in the middle of the controller is the obvious difference, and the grips on both sides seem a little more spread apart and longer than the DualShock 3.
Looking further at the device, there's plenty of improvement from its predecessor. The directional pad and buttons are now in a concave, providing a better feel going around the d-pad and selecting the four buttons. Both L2 and R2 triggers have more of a springing action that could make shooters like Call of Duty flip the top trigger-button layout.
Both analog sticks seem to be a little closer providing a split-second faster response to the other buttons. The touchscreen also can click into the controller, and a "share" and "option" button on the sides of the touchscreen replace the traditional "start" and "select" buttons.
Unfortunately I won't be able to get a feel for one until a kiosk opens up in a local store, but here is plenty of reaction from other journalists that made the trip to Los Angeles. It's generally favorable, with some gripes about the newly-designed thumbsticks.
Kotaku (video impressions):
Engadget: "...the DualShock 4 felt great. It's light, responsive, and comfortable -- the new thumbsticks with convex tops cradle your thumbs, and the triggers easily hold your pointer fingers. As for the face buttons, things are nigh identical with previous DualShock iterations. The standard ex / triangle / circle / square combo remains, and looks just about the same as on the DualShock 3. Though the touchpad didn't have any in-game effect in DriveClub, the pad is easily clickable and not too far from your thumbs to quickly jump from face buttons to it."
VG 24/7: "The shoulder buttons have been reshaped, and they’re made from hard plastic. The triggers are significantly better than DS3’s. My biggest gripe with the current pad is the lack of lip on the triggers: my fingers always feel as though they’re about to slip off, especially in driving games where you’re constantly using the 'gas,' as they say in America. This has been changed with DS4, so the trigger feels like a trigger. It has a hooked lip. It’s much better.
"I’m not convinced by the rims on the analog sticks. The current versions are rounded with a bubbled grip, but the new sticks have a ringed indentation which I found irritating after only a few games of Driveclub. It just felt 'there'. You’ll get used to it over time, I guess."
Dvice: "The DualShock 4 controller is a complete redesign from the DualShock 3. The controller is less cramped and more comfortable to hold thanks to rounder grips and analogs that sit wider apart. The new convex edges on the analogs did a good job keeping my thumbs in place, but I still think the Xbox One's micro-texturized grip edges on the thumb sticks feel more superior. ...Overall, the DualShock 4 is a huge improvement, and with a built-in mono speaker and headset socket, Sony's finally caught up to both the Wii Remote and the Xbox 360 gamepad."
[Image credit: Flickr/faseextra]
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