The DualSense PS5 controller is an innovative and comfortable gamepad – and we can’t wait to see how developers use it.
The DualSense is not only the best controller Sony has ever put its name to, but that rare gaming input device that manages to feel genuinely innovative. A pleasingly sturdier beast than its predecessor, the DualSense outshines the PS4’s DualShock 4 in every conceivable way, finally giving PlayStation owners a controller that rivals Xbox’s offerings. It would, of course, be remiss to talk about the PS5 controller without mentioning its killer app – the haptic feedback. Created by the company behind Nintendo’s Joycon HD Rumble, DualSense’s haptic feedback utilizes incredibly precise vibrations to help simulate on-screen happenings by sending intricate reverberations jolting across your hands. From the trickle of water droplets gently pitter-pattering across your palms to the new adaptive triggers’ tangible resistance as you pull back a bowstring, the aptly named DualSense enhances immersion in a pleasingly tactile way. If this sounds like exactly what you want from a controller, then you could make the most of Black Friday 2021 and Cyber Monday by shopping around for tempting PS5 Black Friday bundles —you’ll get the DualSense with the console as standard. If, however, you already have the PS5 and you’re just looking for another DualSense because you already know how good it is, then it’s worth looking out for specific DualSense Black Friday deals. Deep discounts are rare but you might make a small saving. It’s hard to overstate the importance of Sony’s new immersive tech, really, and while the packed in Astro’s Playroom software goes some way to demonstrating its potential, we have no doubt that PS5’s launch games only scratch the surface of what haptic feedback will bring to the table. In an age where most controllers offer iteration rather than innovation, Sony’s DualSense is the rarest of input devices – one that feels genuinely exciting. The PS5 DualSense controller is $69.99/£59.99/ AU$109.95, but as you’d expect, every PS5 comes with a controller in the box. If, however, you want to indulge in some local co-op (or need to buy a replacement) you can always nab yourself an extra DualSense.
