Among the bounty of Modern Warfare 2-themed Mad Catz accessories are new controllers for the Playstation 3.
The wireless Playstation 3 controllers include assignable macro buttons, LED lighting and a digital camo design, but are they worth picking up?
Loved
Triggers: The controllers buttons feel like they push in a bit more and the d-pad feels much more responsive, but the biggest win for me on this controller are the thinner, slightly curved triggers. They feel like gun triggers and seem to be a touch more responsive. They also spring back much faster than the R2 and L2 triggers on the traditional PS3 controller. I love these things.
Macro and LED Buttons: Being able to assign the always-awkward thumbstick buttons to macro buttons located on the back of the controller is fantastic. If pushing in the thumbstick to do stuff isn't as annoying to you as it is to me, you can also choose to assign those tiny twin, back of controller buttons to by the X, Y, A or B buttons. And unlike the Xbox 360 controller, the PS3 controller lets you turn the LED lighting around the thumbsticks on and off. A nice little addition.
Wireless: As I said in the review of the Xbox 360 version of this controller, I'm not a big fan of wired controllers. I've never noticed any difference in lag and the annoyance of having something strung across my room, usually something not long enough to reach my couch, is a pretty big deal for me. Fortunately, the PS3 controller uses a tiny USB receiver that pops into one of the front ports on the console. It's slightly annoying that the controller doesn't use Bluetooth, but you forget about the dongle pretty quickly. Because the controller is wireless, it enters sleep mode after ten minutes of inactivity. There's also an on/off switch on it.
There are a lot of things to like about the USB chargeable Playstation 3 Modern Warfare 2 controllers. The grey on black camo design is a nice, subtle touch. The LED light thumbstick sockets add a bit of flair to the controllers, and the textured grips help it stay put in your hand. My only minor reservation is that the original Playstation 3 controller's grips are a bit thinner, making holding it that controller for long periods of time more pleasant.
If you're looking for a controller upgrade to go with your new gaming obsession, and don't mind the dongle, the Combat Controller is a nice option.
Modern Warfare 2 Combat Controller Camo was developed and produced by Mad Catz for the Playstation 3 on Nov. 10. Retails for $49.99 USD. A black controller was given to us by Mad Catz for reviewing purposes. Played several games for several hours with the controller.
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