Update!
I'm updating this review because the directional pad gets stiff after mild use and the stick itself registers motions that I never inputted (when I tap up.. it registers, then goes down). I've since gotten a replacement, but only to sell it online (couldn't get a refund, just an exchange). Don't have faith in the long-term durability of this controller. Was great when it worked, but I'm sticking to first party controllers from now on.
My old review is below for when it does work properly.
Here are the games I've tested this on to get a wide range of various button/control uses:
* Battlefield: Bad Company 2
* Crysis 2
* Super Street Fighter IV
* Dragon Age 2
I'll cut to the chase since other people have already commented on the great build quality, ergos, and not being able to use the FPS Freek on this.
Here are some of my observations:
Of the games I've tested, it was painfully apparent that fighting games would not do well with the directional pad. Earlier reviews on other sites have already mentioned this, but being the skeptic, I had to test for myself. Verdict is in.. its really lacking for fighting games. The separation of each direction, and the amount you have to push makes for quick combos really difficult. I may dare even say that the original 360 directional pad might be better for this purpose. That said.. if you played fighting games with the analog, then this is where the strength of the controller shines. The adjustable tension on the analogs really help tailor it to your liking. Also, being able to remap your buttons on the extra shoulder allows you to avoid using the triggers.
On the topic of remapping buttons...
this is my number one complaint about the controller... YOU CAN'T REMAP LEFT SHOULDER BUTTON OR TRIGGER TO THE RIGHT RE-MAP BUTTON, and vice versa. I'm guessing this was done on purpose because they still had the Major League Gaming or other professional gaming leagues in mind. From what I understand, they're not accepting this control pad to be legal in those tourneys (subject to change), so I really wish there was full re-mappability. Perhaps it might cause some abuse down the lines, but in Crysis 2, it would have come in really handy if I could remap my shield (usually left bumper) to the right re-map. This would allow me to activate shield on the fly when I'm aiming down the iron sights (holding down the left trigger). Unfortunately this is a no go.
New placement of "Back" and "Start/Play" buttons...
is a mixed bag for me. The reason Razer moved them is to avoid accidental pushes of those buttons. I've never done so myself and I have medium to large hands. To me, the new placement is more of a negative because now its harder to push the Select/Back button on Bad Company 2 to spot your enemies. Luckily this can be re-mapped to any of the remappable buttons and actually works better than its original implementation. Just something to look out for. I can see it helping those who had issues before.
New directional pad...
is again a mixed bag. As mentioned before, it didn't perform too hot for fighting games. It does make it easier for FPS games though to not select the wrong direction. However, I found the button themselves to be clunky and feel like they "stick" a little. Not as responsive as the other buttons on this controller. They work though and work better than the original 360 directional pad for FPS games. Worked fine in Dragon Age 2 when trying to select targeted enemies, but had slight trouble selecting skills during level up with skills that were placed very strangely in the tree. I blame that more on BioWare though for their awkward placement as I had the same issue with the original 360 control pad too.
On the topic of the other buttons...
I like them, but still not 100% sold on them. They are responsive, but admittedly I miss the tactile feedback the original 360 controller had. Don't get me wrong, there is a "click" that assures you that you're pressing the button much like a mouse button, but I actually missed how much the buttons are raised on the original 360 and the amount of force needed to push them - maybe I'm just heavy handed.
One very minor gripe of the design...
is that the "face" of the control pad has this sharp taper at the top near the shoulder buttons. It does make the controller aesthetically pleasing, but it looks like that area can easily chip or dent in the future after prolonged use or aggressive handling. Running your finger along it is sharp, but I've never really done it in a way that it was detrimental in my gameplay. I only noticed it when I was fondling the controller outside of actual gameplay.
I'll keep updated postings on new findings and possibly on the topic of long-term durability.
