https://thegamepadreview.com/contact daily 0.75 2022-08-11 https://thegamepadreview.com/tech-features daily 0.75 2022-08-08 https://thegamepadreview.com/game-features daily 0.75 2022-08-11 https://thegamepadreview.com/home daily 1.0 2022-08-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1605382939586-RG2E8POVVF73JZSIG18K/Razer%2BRaion%2BFightpad%2B10.jpg home Brilliant D-Pad and Face Buttons; badly needs a QC check. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1605371391877-X64VXCYVKMLTYWSLPFKI/xbox_elite_series2_001.jpg home The Best Gamepad for PC https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1605371606252-8WA0VOWP0EQ8WG317DDH/Nacon_Revolution_Unlimited_V3%2B10.jpg home Near God-tier. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/6a8b4fac-9ca8-4134-b5d0-678f2dca95e0/IMG_1480.jpeg home Coming soon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1ae2bed2-26ef-43bc-ac4e-cbe573307ce8/IMG_1542.jpg home Coming soon https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/bfdbfac5-9678-44d8-ae10-b69fb4fd11a2/logitech_f310+%281%29.jpg home Coming soon https://thegamepadreview.com/game-review-index daily 0.75 2022-08-11 https://thegamepadreview.com/gears-tactics-review daily 0.75 2022-08-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1605379074270-83UPF9E364EM7T5XF00C/Gears%2BTactics%2B03.jpg Gears Tactics Review I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I played my first campaign on beginner difficulty. In my defense, I was (am?) a beginner at tactics games. I’d played five hours or so in XCOM, that hardly makes me anything other than a beginner when it comes to turn-based tactics games. But beginner mode or not, everything about this game was just so engrossing. Like I said before, I had little knowledge of the Gears universe prior to this game (and let’s be honest, all I really know now is that there are aliens, and they came from underground or something?), and yet this game had me wrapped around its finger. It’s definitely the game I’ve been most unable to put down in the last year. It even drew me away from my true love, Street Fighter V. (I’m not blaming anyone but myself, but I started losing some major League Points in SFV right around the time this game was released.) Look at me, here I am almost halfway into this review and all I’ve done is talk about other games. Gears Tactics is one of the most beautiful games I’ve ever played. If you have the hardware to run it at high resolution and high settings, this game is absolutely stunning. Even more impressive is that the it looks so stunning from such a zoomed-out, top-down viewpoint. You never get any actual gameplay with the camera focused on your characters. Even more impressive is how good this games looks on mid-range hardware. I ran this on a variety of configurations, and it looked pretty on a Ryzen 3750H and 1660ti-maxq laptop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1605378281324-CKKZJH8E1NP66B1BDASZ/Gears%2BTactics%2B01.jpg Gears Tactics Review Despite my fraying relationship with Microsoft, I cannot deny that Gears Tactics is one of the best games I have ever played. I came into this genre and this game without knowing anything about either. I knew nothing of the Gears franchise, except that I had a vague recollection of some badass-looking guns with chainsaw bayonets. And I wasn’t even aware of this type of game, well…existing. I suppose I have Steam, Humble Bundle and 2K games to thank for exposing me to this game. First of all, Steam and 2K were running a play for free promotion on XCOM 2. I never play demos or temporarily free-to-play games, but something compelled me to do so for XCOM 2. And what do you know, it turned out that I loved it. I loved it so much, in fact, that I decided I owed the franchise the respect of going back and playing the first game before I finished the second. Luckily, Humble was running a 2K sale, which included XCOM and a whole host of other awesome games. After ten hours or so, I loved XCOM as much as I had hoped, probably more. But then I saw a notification in the Steam store: if you like XCOM, you might also enjoy Gears Tactics. Boy, were they ever right. It’s like someone at Valve, or Microsoft, or the Coalition, knew my exact thoughts. And basically, my thoughts were: I wish this game had way better graphics and bad guys that didn’t seem so lame. Also, how the hell do you make stuff? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1605371431285-E9Q7OVZIM168PUICEPH6/Gears+Tactics+Cover.jpg Gears Tactics Review - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1605379364632-7L430CLUZ4M9XQR3MSRV/Gears%2BTactics%2B04.jpg Gears Tactics Review Like any game, it’s not without its drawbacks. One flaw, that you may or may not wish was different, is that your own explosive weapons are far too powerful to keep most fights fair. If grenades and similar weapon types did perhaps two-thirds of their existing damage they could still be effective tools, but not so powerful as to encourage thoughtless or careless gameplay. A multiplayer mode is curiously missing. This game would be a blast against another human controlling a squad of grubs, but I can see the challenges to implementing it. A match has potential to take quite a while, even if both players were controlling squads of opposing gears. One other thing I don’t particularly care for is that each time you start a new campaign, you’ll have to go through the tutorial mission. It’s an unnecessary barrier to replaying the game on a higher difficulty, or going back to tryout ironman mode. I could also see where this game might be too easy for experienced players of similar tactics games. In my rookie hands, the challenge of even beginner mode was sufficient. At the time of this review, I’m now stuck at 46% on Insane mode, and I’m wondering if I’ll ever be able to play through the whole game on the hardest difficulty. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1605379211810-9YZEGAFT79U6GDGMTG21/Gears%2BTactics%2B02.jpg Gears Tactics Review The sound effects and voice acting are perfect compliments to the outstanding graphics. The storyline more than held my interest over the campaign, and I was sorry when I learned these characters were not part of any other Gears game. I would have jumped on Gears 5 in a heartbeat if Gabe Diaz or Makayla were featured in the newest game. So what’s the gameplay like? You mostly point and click on stuff, so a rousing action game it is not. But a big part of this game is thinking about the best ways to get out of certain scenarios, strategizing how to complete various missions. Throughout the campaign you acquire new skills and weapon upgrades, in addition to some new recruits. You play across five different mission types: Control Mission, in which you protect a cache of supplies from filthy aliens; scavenger run missions, in which you have to pick up supplies while escaping enemy bombing runs; Rescue missions, in which you rescue captured Gears; Sabotage missions, in which you have to destroy key pieces of enemy equipment or technology; and Incursion missions, in which you have to destroy all enemies. Each mission has a main objective, which you must achieve in order to complete the mission, and side objectives, which reward you with equipment upgrades if you complete them. In addition to the different mission types, there are also different classes of soldiers for you to control. Experimenting with different loadouts and squad compositions is a big part of this game, and it’s where it derives a lot of its fun. Should you take a scout for this mission? All scouts? Will you need a heavy weapon or a sniper? And there are some really fun Achievements to chase after, if that’s your thing (it’s mine). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1605379693244-9M1LVU1TA0QRNDWXFGE6/Gears%2BTactics%2B05.jpg Gears Tactics Review But these are small gripes. It takes a great game to make you realize that you like a whole genre of game that you’d never even tried before. Though I dipped my toes into the turn-based tactics genre with XCOM, Gears Tactics did exactly that for me. The only gripe I have with the game is that I wish there was more. More enemies, more weapons, more maps, more bosses…more everything. Once you beat the campaign there are some fun Veteran mode missions to play, but eventually everything can get a bit repetitive. The superb AV production go a long way toward remedying that, but there’s not a whole lot to Gears Tactics outside the campaign. On the other hand, I was compelled to run through the campaign several times: Once on Beginner Mode, once on Intermediate, again on Insane, and then a final run with Ironman Mode enabled. This lasted me well over a hundred hours. And if you’re chasing achievements you’ll need to grind through Veteran mode for a long time before you hit 20 missions. Fighting games have drawn me away again, but Gear Tactics is still one of only four games to earn a spot on my revered Shelf of Favorites in my Steam Library. It could use some more variety, but even as it is, it’s one my favorite, most-enjoyed gaming experiences, well…ever. https://thegamepadreview.com/tomb-raider-2013-review daily 0.75 2020-11-14 https://thegamepadreview.com/blazing-chrome-review daily 0.75 2020-11-14 https://thegamepadreview.com/limbo-review daily 0.75 2022-08-08 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/4331e806-453c-4589-a4f2-99f361569a11/Limbo+Screenshot+05.jpg Limbo Review This award-winning puzzle-platformer from 2010 provides a singularly unique gaming experience. In Limbo, just about everything can kill: gravity, water, bear traps, saw blades, other children, electric rails, giant spiders, and too many others to list here. The deadliest thing of all, however, is probably you, the player. The level layout of this game looks a lot like a traditional platformer, and it can inspire some typical platformer decision making: run fast, jump far. Except those types of decisions will get you killed in a plethora of gory ways because in Limbo you can neither run fast nor jump far. At best, your speed can be described as a light jog. You can only jump between knee- and waist-high, but you can jump longer than you might expect. You can also survive a fall from higher than you might expect, (not too high, though, or those legs will shatter), but your character is not a nimble ninja or action hero. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/47f28dea-a8d4-4948-981c-f39694633651/Limbo+Screenshot+02.png Limbo Review You will die in this game. A lot. First, you die while trying to figure out the solution to the puzzles. Then, you die while trying to execute that solution. At times, it is maddening. But with careful eyes and ears, you’ll notice that the game does quite a good job of preparing you for each challenge to come. Everything on the screen is important, whether you can interact it with it or not. What might at first seem like a grim detail or eerie sound effect might offer the solution to an upcoming puzzle. Limbo can quickly inspire accusations of “this game’s not fair,” but if you take your time, the ever-increasing challenge of each puzzle will only make them more satisfying when you solve them. There is no clear distinction between levels in Limbo. Each puzzle more or less just flows into the next, but there are some that feel more boss-like than others. These “boss” puzzles sometimes signify a change in the setting’s theme, from say, creepy forest to derelict city. Structing the games narrative as a single linear experience without any interruptions was a wise decision on the developer’s part. The way the game is presented really keeps you in the shoes of the nameless protagonist. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/ab8a0d14-d96c-4856-ba33-fd203fb26d68/Limbo+Screenshot+03.png Limbo Review The graphics in this game are beautiful and unsettling. The whole thing occurs on a palette of white, black, and every shade between. Somehow its lack of color seems to bring out more detail, and while I can’t quite put my finger on it, something would definitely be lost if color were to be added. Perhaps that thing would be the sense of unease and dread which Limbo is so good at evoking. In color, our eyes could see all the wondrous horror of Limbo in more detail, but it’s the very obscuring of those details that make the game so horrifying. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/7481b138-f340-49d4-a065-644a481b49ec/Limbo+Screenshot+04.png Limbo Review If you’re just looking to beat the game and move on, Limbo is pretty short. But you’re hunting achievements, it will take significantly longer. It took me 30 hours to earn all the achievements. By far the hardest is the one in which you have to beat the whole game in one sitting without dying more than five times. While the game is a relatively slow-paced puzzle-platformer, there are plenty of puzzles where you just have to practice and “git gud.” Once you’ve figured out all of the puzzles and have practiced the most challenging parts, a near-perfect run of Limbo will take about an hour. Limbo, which is often on sale on Steam, is easily worth its meager ten-dollar price tag. It is a powerful and affecting gaming experience and one I think every one should try. https://thegamepadreview.com/testing daily 0.75 2022-08-08 https://thegamepadreview.com/gamepad-review-index daily 0.75 2022-08-13 https://thegamepadreview.com/razer-raion-fightpad-review daily 0.75 2022-08-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1605382939586-RG2E8POVVF73JZSIG18K/Razer%2BRaion%2BFightpad%2B10.jpg Razer Raion Fightpad Review I’ve owned a lot of Razer products, probably enough to be considered a fanboy. But I’m not a Razer fanboy. When warranted, I like Razer’s products a normal, rational amount. A fanboy-amount of liking is not a normal nor rational amount. It’s blind to flaws. And while I have liked (sometimes a lot) the Razer products I have owned, I’m not blind to their flaws. Which brings us to the Razer Raion Fightpad. I’ll just get it out of the way from get-go: this gamepad has the poorest build-quality of any other I’ve tested, including some budget, sub-$30 offerings. The top and bottom panels are not flush with each other. The angular design on the top and bottom of the front panel, and the bezels around the triggers and bumpers, are also sharp and uncomfortable to hold. There are large gaps between panels in some places, and in others the panels overlap each other. It’s a mess. It is uncomfortable and almost painful to use for prolonged periods. It’s so bad that I submitted a support ticket to Razer. Surely this particular unit was bad? This couldn’t possibly be the intended final product? I sent them pictures and described what I was experiencing. After looking at the pictures, they informed me that nothing was wrong and that it was the intentional design of the controller. Undeterred, I submitted a replacement ticket through Amazon. The replacement unit was marred by the same issues. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1605388349595-VWHKF6AW90SP0OZ3WLP1/Razer+Raion+Fightpad+06.png Razer Raion Fightpad Review - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1605384070314-3LDV5PGM15CWMDEDTFLN/Razer%2BRaion%2BFightpad%2B11.jpg Razer Raion Fightpad Review This really had me scratching my head, because I haven’t seen this mentioned in any other review of the controller. Youtuber Tevron mentioned the comfort in his hand, but didn’t elaborate on the specific issue I’m describing here. I also found this strange because Razer is a brand known for their build-quality. Every other product I’ve owned from them has had excellent build quality, including this mouse and keyboard I have here next to me, which seem to be made of the same type of plastic. Part of me is still wondering if I just got unlucky…twice. But enough about that. Besides the disappointing build-quality, there is plenty more to consider about the Raion. (Some of it’s even good!) The Raion isn’t anything to write home about in the looks department. It’s a chunk of black plastic. There’s nothing glaringly awful about it, but personally I don’t care for its appearance. It’s black, so at least it has that going for it. And the muted pastels on the face buttons are always welcome. But the Raion has two main flaws to my eyes. One is those knobby little handles that look like feet stuck on as an after thought. They don’t aid in gripping the controller all that much, and their shape doesn’t match the Raion’s overall design style. The other is all that empty space below the D-Pad. Lowering it a tad so it’s more in align with the Triangle Button would balance out the left side a bit more, and might even make it more comfortable to hold. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1605384910727-6AODPAUT39BSW0DQEHSD/Razer+Raion+Fightpad+09.png Razer Raion Fightpad Review Yeah, about that whole “comfort” thing. As I’m sure you gathered from the introduction, the Raion does not win any ergonomics awards. But build quality and sharp corners and edges aside, the stubby handles make this exceptionally uncomfortable for players who prefer a claw grip. (Claw grip is a method of holding the gamepad, adopted by some fighting game players, so that you’re activating the face buttons with your fingers rather than your thumb). I have pretty large hands, but it’s difficult for me to maintain grip on the pad with my left hand and keep my thumb on the D-Pad at the same time when using the claw grip. Luckily for me, that’s not how I hold my controller. But if you play with claw grip, this may not be the pad for you. Moving on to the D-Pad, we arrive at the one of the Raion’s first and best strengths. The tactile feedback is sublime. Whirling your thumb over the pad in all manner of quarter-circles, half-circles, zig-zags…it’s just plain fun. Clickety clickety clickety click, it says. Floating D-Pads are not normally my first choice, but I’ve concluded that they are the best type for one my favorite game franchises (The King of Fighters series). It’s much easier to execute the many different methods of movement in those games with a floating D-Pad. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1605388349595-VWHKF6AW90SP0OZ3WLP1/Razer+Raion+Fightpad+06.png Razer Raion Fightpad Review As good as they are, though, the face buttons are not perfect. Their low tension and large size means that it’s easy to unintentionally press two at the same time. They are also aligned at a steeper angle than other pads. It’s a bit awkward at first. Even after extensive testing, including a week of exclusive use, the odd angle of the buttons’ alignment never went unnoticed. Holding it here in my hands right now, it’s clear that the buttons are aligned at this angle to accommodate claw-grip players. Ironic, given the lack of grip mentioned early. The shoulder buttons, with their shallow travel and clicky feedback are excellent for fighting games. It’s easy to press them both at the same time, an important input for some characters in some fighting games. The triggers wouldn’t excel in any other kind of game, such as racing or shooting games. You wouldn’t be able to control acceleration with the on-off nature of the Raion’s triggers, and they would lead to finger fatigue in a shooter. Of course, with its lack of thumbsticks, you wouldn’t use this pad for those types of games anyway. Overall, the Raion’s shoulder buttons are excellent for their intended purpose. Features-wise, the Razer Raion is missing a lot of extras that you would expect from a hundred-dollar controller. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/fec14cd0-8236-4856-95df-e6040d876055/Razer+Raion+Fightpad+05.png Razer Raion Fightpad Review My first impression of the size of the Raion’s D-Pad was positive. With a diameter of 27.6 mm, it’s the biggest of any I’ve tested. It feels almost luxurious at first, but after a while I came to feel that it is too big. It’s too easy to miss directions 1 and 3 in complicated directional inputs, common in fighting games like Street Fighter and King of Fighters. The only other drawback is that it’s very loud. Certainly it’s louder than my mouse. It has the potential to be obnoxious, especially to anyone who’s in earshot but not playing. That volume has a benefit though: more than once throughout testing, I was able to avoid a mistaken input because I could tell from the sound of the D-Pad that I had missed something. That has the potential to save your life in a round of the fighting game du jour. Despite being a bit too big and tad too loud, the Raion’s D-Pad is excellent overall. It approaches the pinnacle of what a floating D-Pad should be. In addition to the awesome D-Pad, the Raion has superb face buttons. I’ve seen others taking issue with their lack of feedback, but it’s something I prefer. These buttons are extremely easy to press, with very low tension. My main character in Street Fighter V has a bread and butter combo that is quite difficult to execute on a traditional (4-button) gamepad. On the Raion, I’m able to perform that combo reliably, sometimes with one-hundred percent accuracy. This combo is easier on any six-button fightpad, but it’s by far the easiest on the Raion. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/f877c392-b676-4f8a-862b-e0f5c8740738/Razer+Raion+Fightpad+08.png Razer Raion Fightpad Review - The Gamepad Review always prefers wired controllers over wireless, so the fact the Raion doesn’t offer wireless connectivity is unimportant (though that might be different for you). However, it’s unforgiveable that the Raion’s chord is not only rubber-coated, but permanently attached. You know what other gamepad has a rubber-coated, non-removable chord? The $15 Logitech F310. At least the Raion has a switches to toggle the input of the D-Pad and shoulder buttons. If necessary, you can tell the Raion to treat the D-Pad as either left or right Thumbsticks. Likewise, you can forego R1 and R2 and tell it to it treat the left shoulder buttons as L3 and R3. This can be important for some menu actions. It’s nice that you can switch back and forth quickly. Of all the fightpads I had yet to try, I was most excited to try this one. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. Even though I was able to attain a high-level of performance with it, consistently inputting button strings that usually give me trouble, it’s too uncomfortable to use regularly. This could be a great fightpad with some significant refinement. But until that refinement arrives, the Gamepad Review cannot recommend the Razer Raion. If for some reason you still want to buy it anyway, you can support GPR by using the link below: https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1605383789659-NXW3TNQWNPBR53DXDPC8/Razer+Raion+Fightpad+01.png Razer Raion Fightpad Review https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1605384023919-HPBWKX64XTL3ZECZZ2GQ/Razer+Raion+Fightpad+11.png Razer Raion Fightpad Review https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/36dd011f-c6db-4dc5-99db-21c5680c696f/Razer+Raion+Fightpad+04.png Razer Raion Fightpad Review https://thegamepadreview.com/astro-tr-c40 daily 0.75 2022-08-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/80c4480c-58c4-4324-b360-594fd1def0a5/IMG_1483.jpeg Astro TR C40 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/6a8b4fac-9ca8-4134-b5d0-678f2dca95e0/IMG_1480.jpeg Astro TR C40 I’ve owned a lot of Razer products, probably enough to be considered a fanboy. But I’m not a Razer fanboy. When they deserve it, I like Razer’s products a normal, rational amount. A fanboy-amount of liking is not a normal nor rational amount. It’s blind to flaws. And while I have liked (sometimes a lot) the Razer products I have owned, I’m not blind to their flaws. Which brings us to the Razer Raion Fightpad. I’ll just get it out of the way from get-go: this gamepad has the poorest build-quality of any other I’ve tested, including some budget, sub-$30 offerings. The top and bottom panels are not flush with each other, leaving sharp edges all over. The angular design on the top and bottom of the front panel, and the bezels around the triggers and bumpers, are also sharp and uncomfortable to hold. There are large gaps between panels in some places, and in others the panels overlap each other. It’s just a mess. It is uncomfortable and actively painful to use for prolonged periods. It’s so bad that I submitted a support ticket to Razer. Surely this particular unit was bad? This couldn’t possibly be the intended final product? I sent them pictures and described what I was experiencing. After looking at the pictures, they informed me that nothing was wrong and that it was the intentional design of the controller. Undeterred, I submitted a replacement ticket through Amazon. The replacement unit was marred by the same issues. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/5621c842-3eda-4e14-b834-a0f230e9e73e/IMG_1482.jpeg Astro TR C40 This really had me scratching my head, because I haven’t seen this mentioned in any other review of the controller. Youtuber Tevron mentioned the comfort in his hand, but didn’t elaborate on the specific issue I’m describing here. I also found this strange because Razer is a brand known for their build-quality. Every other product I’ve owned from them has had excellent build quality, including this mouse and keyboard I have here next to me, which seem to be made of the same type of plastic. So, part of me is still wondering if I just got unlucky…twice. But enough about that. Besides the atrocious build-quality, there is a lot to like about the Raion. First of all, the D-Pad is excellent. I’m not a fan of floating D-Pads, but the tactile clickiness of the Raion’s D-Pad is extremely satisfying. It’s very loud, and it’s as clicky as any mouse you might have used before. More than once throughout testing, I was able to avoid a mistaken input because I could tell from the sound of the D-Pad that I had missed something. That has the potential to save your life in a round of Street Fighter V. I also like the shallow, clicky travel of the triggers and bumpers. It’s easy to push R1 and R2 at the same time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/096d34b6-5172-442d-a9ff-c2b0ee733ec0/IMG_1483.jpeg Astro TR C40 But by far my favorite part of the Raion is the face buttons. I’ve seen others taking issue with their lack of feedback, but it’s something I prefer. These buttons are extremely easy to press, with very low tension. This controller excelled in all of the mashing tests, and I suspect it will be difficult for any other controller, fightpad or not, to match the results I was able to attain with the Raion. So a great D-Pad, nice shoulder buttons, and responsive face buttons…sound pretty good, right? Unfortunately there are some issues with this controller other than the build-quality. While I just praised the face buttons, it’s easy to accidentally press two buttons at once on this controller. They’re so responsive that even the slightest glance will activate them. In Street Fighter V this can cause issues with unintentionally performing an EX Special Move (those are like special special moves, if you’re unfamiliar with the game). A more troubling issue with the face buttons is their alignment. They are angled vertically more than I would like, and they are quite far from the controller’s shoulders. After a week of exclusive use, I was still unable to completely adjust to their position. I was constantly dropping combos due to fishing for buttons, and I wasn’t confident enough with it to take this controller into a ranked match. The medium punch and kick buttons feel like they are in the light punch and kick buttons place. I’m sure I could eventually overcome this, but a week of exclusive use was not enough to do so. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/5940b2a9-e031-4a3f-a92c-59b4f272b5a3/IMG_1484.jpeg Astro TR C40 Also, whoever the famous fighting game player on the webpage for this controller is using the face buttons with his…fingers. Apparently that’s far more common than I thought, but I don’t see how this controller would facilitate that method of play. It has nubby little handles on each, side small even than the standard Dual-Shock 4. I don’t mind that this controller is wired-only, but that may matter more to you. I would have preferred that the cable was removable, however, as in the PowerA Fightpad Pro. And a rubber-coated cable feels out of place on a hundred-dollar controller, especially if you’re used to the nice braided cables of many of Razer’s other peripherals. A small issue I encountered with the otherwise-amazing D-Pad was its size. It’s quite large, and I was frequently missing jump inputs in side scrollers like Blazing Chrome and Cuphead. Of all the fightpads I had yet to try, I was most excited to try this one. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. However, even though it didn’t live up to my expectations in some respects, I was still able to attain a high level of performance with it. Scroll down for a detailed analysis of the tests. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/2057b9fe-6795-44c4-b85f-5cc194740860/IMG_1475.jpeg Astro TR C40 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/5411563a-b2ec-4fce-97d0-0b71905a0ce8/IMG_1477.jpeg Astro TR C40 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1660015540968-DAAUJL731B35U6BPG49D/IMG_1479.jpg Astro TR C40 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/f8286a87-abb6-49e9-ab25-22b1b61d21ab/IMG_1481.jpeg Astro TR C40 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/685dc75a-c848-460e-8a06-4b40c7d2a968/IMG_1485.jpeg Astro TR C40 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/36129094-14d1-41c3-a2de-b893515be4bc/IMG_1486.jpeg Astro TR C40 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/e21323ee-1b04-4fd0-b976-e6a8bf7d7a7d/IMG_1489.jpeg Astro TR C40 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/63d01457-0c55-4fc8-958c-855485547274/IMG_1490.jpeg Astro TR C40 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/a227d2b1-9f65-495f-9554-1651f3c18322/IMG_1491.jpeg Astro TR C40 https://thegamepadreview.com/nacon-revolution-unlimited-v3 daily 0.75 2022-08-21 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1605371226957-H1GRA87E8SRXYEO8XAZD/Nacon_Revolution_Unlimited_V3+%2810%29.JPEG Nacon Revolution Unlimited V3 The Nacon Revolution Unlimited V3 is a high-end gamepad for PS4 and PC. It competes in price and features with other premium controllers like the Microsoft Xbox Elite Series 2, the Astro TR C40, and the Scuf Vantage 2. After extensive testing and exclusive use for more than a week, I discovered that there is a lot to like about the Revolution. Aesthetically, it is near perfect. I mean, just check out those photos – this is a handsome controller. The matte black faceplate and back panel, with their soft-touch finish, are sublime. The lightly textured, rubber grip on the back of each side likewise looks great, and it’s quite effective. It hasn’t become slippery like the grip on the Xbox Elite Series 2 controller. The graphite-gray D-pad, buttons, triggers, and bumpers are also a great choice. They perfectly compliment the black of the base, offering just enough contrast to break up the design a bit. I also prefer the grayed-out Face Button symbols over the typical muted pastels on most PlayStation pads. Overall, the looks of this controller are top notch, except for two hideous issues. First, just look at that awful, tinny, cheap-looking silver on the rear buttons and Thumbsticks. How could that have been on purpose? The perfect color for those pieces – graphite gray – is already prevalent on the controller. Why Nacon wouldn’t have just used the same color found on the D-Pad and other buttons is beyond me. My other complaint is the blindingly bright and saturated ring of light around the right thumbstick. You can turn this off with the software (which was an interesting exercise), but I would prefer it not to even be an option. At the very least, the default could have been for the light to be off. It’s also oddly asymmetrical. Why have RGB around the right stick, but not the left? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/45bac2c7-2e8d-4a96-a1d5-019c79bc887c/Nacon_Revolution_Unlimited_V3+%285%29.JPEG Nacon Revolution Unlimited V3 Fortunately for the Revolution, you can turn the light off and it’s plenty easy to not look at the back of the controller. But what could have been an absolute homerun of gamepad design is tarnished by these two odd decisions. There are no such tradeoffs when it comes to the Nacon Revolution’s comfort. It is consistently a pleasure to hold and to use. I wasn’t an immediate fan of the soft touch texture, but I’ve come to prefer it to the metal of something like the Xbox Elite Series 2. It doesn’t feel quite as premium, but it’s more comfortable, almost soothing. And the rubberized grip on the back of each handle is perfect. The overall shape also makes the controller exceptionally comfortable to hold. It follows the same basic shape of a typical asymmetrical, Xbox controller, but the subtle softening of the angles make it even more comfortable. Those soft curves also unify the pads overall design style, giving the Revolution a pleasing shape. The build quality is about what you’d expect from a gamepad at this price point, which is to say that it’s excellent. The panels are flush with each other where they’re meant to be, and most of the edges are slightly rounded. The materials feel premium, and the controller overall feels sturdy despite its relatively light weight. A few inelegant design choices regarding some of the Revolution’s extra features call into question the build quality, but more on that later. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1597521435464-H0C18ZJFQ03IR2WARS9P/Nacon_Revolution_Unlimited_V3+%287%29.JPEG Nacon Revolution Unlimited V3 - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/81873bb6-4042-40cb-b6dd-b066cc3ac010/Nacon_Revolution_Unlimited_V3+%287%29.JPEG Nacon Revolution Unlimited V3 The Revolution continues its roll with an outstanding D-Pad. There’s a bit more surface area in the center of the D-Pad, with each of the four arms extending outward in a slight taper. Even at their most narrow, each arm on the D-Pad is slightly wider than on other controllers. This design makes some inputs easier to achieve, but also results in increased accidental inputs for others. The quarter circle motion is a breeze on this D-Pad, and it pretty much solves one of the most common errors with this input (missing 1 or 3). On the other hand, I found I was more likely to get accidental forward and backward jump inputs in Street Fighter V, especially when attempting vertical charge motions. This is definitely something the user can correct. I noticed that I made these accidental jumps less as the week progressed, but it’s still noteworthy. The Face Buttons present even more to love. The convex face buttons are larger than those of other 4-Face Button pads. They’re also a bit closer to each other than on the stock Dual Shock 4. They are the ideal mix of size and distance to make pushing two buttons simultaneously with one thumb as easy as possible (but be mindful of doing so on accident). The face buttons are also relatively tall, and the convex curve of their surface starts rather abruptly from their bases. They feel great in isolation, but it can be tricky to slide your finger over them rapidly. Moving on to the top side of the controller, The Revolution’s shoulder buttons are yet another point of praise. The bumpers have a tactile click to them that’s so satisfying you’ll have to try it to believe it. The triggers also feel good, but they have a fixed range of motion and high tension. I didn’t have any issues with them while playing Doom in arcade mode, but they may not be the best for rapid and continuous trigger pulls. They offer superb control for racing games. Despite the significantly different travel distance between the bumpers and the triggers, it remains quite easy to push both L1 and L2 and the same time, an important function for some fighting games. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/ddfc1424-41df-4769-a50a-2907f405d2dc/Nacon_Revolution_Unlimited_V3+%2812%29.JPEG Nacon Revolution Unlimited V3 You can also change the thumbstick pads if you prefer convex over concave, though both options have the same diameter. Unlike the subtle but powerful magnets of the Xbox Elite Series 2 controller, however, the Revolution Unlimited adopts an inelegant, brute force mechanism: yank them off and shove them on until they click. It’s quite worrying actually; it feels as if you may break something. It’s this process that will make you question the build quality of the Revolution Unlimited. I swapped Thumbstick stems and pads often throughout my time with this controller, and even though I never experienced a problem, it always felt risky. Nacon seems to be aware of this, because they warn you about removing the stick heads in bold red print in the user manual. The controller also includes 3 sets of weights: 10g, 14g, and 16g. I quite like this detail and it’s something I wish more controller manufacturers would adopt. The controller is relatively light, so I went straight for the heaviest weights. This gave the controller the perfect heft and feel for my hands, but of course your mileage may vary. Nacon provides an app, cleverly called Revolution Unlimited Software, that allows you to customize various aspects of the controller, such as the light color or button assignments. It is as frustrating to use as any other peripheral app I’ve tried. It is not intuitive, but if you poke around long enough, you can probably figure it out, with or without some help from the manual. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/c0aba68e-9a43-4ad6-8fff-fd3c01375a58/Nacon_Revolution_Unlimited_V3+%289%29.JPEG Nacon Revolution Unlimited V3 The Revolution’s Thumbsticks are excellent as well, but they are quite loose. I didn’t like this at first, but I eventually got used to it and came to prefer it. The L3 and R3 buttons are also tactile and feel nice to activate. R3 is used to Glory Kill in Doom, and it was reliable every time. I never had to worry about missing the input or aiming erratically while trying to press R3, which sometimes happens with mushier Thumbstick buttons. These are definitely a marked improvement over the Dual Shock 4 stock controller, which sometimes leave you wondering if you really pushed the button or not. I did end up assigning R3 to one of the rear buttons through the software for testing purposes, and while I stand by my initial assessment of the Right Stick’s satisfying click, I preferred the rear button for Glory Kills in Doom. The Revolution Unlimited offers the features you would expect from a high-end gamepad, but it doesn’t execute some of these extra features as well as its competitors. You can change the Thumbstick diameter, for example, but not the tension. This just changes the range of motion of the stick and doesn’t impact their sensitivity. Using the fattest stem in Doom would barely allow me to move. Perhaps there is some other utility or preference here that I’m missing, but I just put the skinniest stems in place and left it at that. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/f1a52634-f54a-4401-afe5-841c1e65177c/Nacon_Revolution_Unlimited_V3+%288%29.JPEG Nacon Revolution Unlimited V3 The Revolution Unlimited V3 has four rear buttons, two on each handle. You can assign different inputs to these in the companion app. This works fine, provided you can find your way around the app. Rear buttons have significant utility in FPS games because they allow you to perform secondary actions without taking your thumb off the right stick. I remapped these buttons for jumping in Call of Duty, Fortnite, and Doom, and for Glory Kills in Doom. This functionality is exceptional. I won’t pretend to know anything about Call of Duty, but being able to jump in an FPS with taking your thumb off the right stick is valuable. I’m good enough to know that, at least. Yet, while these buttons are extremely useful in many popular games, the Revolution Unlimited’s rear buttons are probably the least comfortable iteration. Paddles, as found on the Microsoft Xbox Elite Series, Scuf Vantage 2, and PowerA Elite, are much more comfortable and easier to engage. I mostly tested this gamepad on my PC, not my PS4. If you plan to use this with a Playstation, you should be aware that you can’t wake your system using the Playstation button on the Revolution. That has the potential to be a significant inconvenience. Despite those last two minor points of contention, the Nacon Revolution Unlimited V3 is one of the best controllers you can buy. If you’re locked into the Playstation ecosystem, it’s a huge improvement over the already-good Dual Shock 4. With large, easy-to-use face buttons, an accurate and comfortable D-Pad, and hugely satisfying shoulder buttons, the Revolution Unlimited is easy to recommend to anyone looking for a high-end pad. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/dea5d49c-a7d0-4aac-93a2-3daeaf77e3c9/Nacon_Revolution_Unlimited_V3+%281%29.JPEG Nacon Revolution Unlimited V3 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/4d9976a9-e377-4cd2-b6bc-043167b9097c/Nacon_Revolution_Unlimited_V3+%283%29.JPEG Nacon Revolution Unlimited V3 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/7c8dfbd9-cd65-4022-8613-d5eff8609bdb/Nacon_Revolution_Unlimited_V3+%284%29.JPEG Nacon Revolution Unlimited V3 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/d2712639-d16a-40eb-a272-762469931feb/Nacon_Revolution_Unlimited_V3+%286%29.JPEG Nacon Revolution Unlimited V3 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/c0aba68e-9a43-4ad6-8fff-fd3c01375a58/Nacon_Revolution_Unlimited_V3+%289%29.JPEG Nacon Revolution Unlimited V3 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/ddfc1424-41df-4769-a50a-2907f405d2dc/Nacon_Revolution_Unlimited_V3+%2812%29.JPEG Nacon Revolution Unlimited V3 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/a6ee5657-5132-40e0-98e0-140f3dedfeb0/Nacon_Revolution_Unlimited_V3+%2813%29.JPEG Nacon Revolution Unlimited V3 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/ce661993-188b-417c-8791-896693de2f9f/Nacon_Revolution_Unlimited_V3+%281%29.jpg Nacon Revolution Unlimited V3 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/94f16eba-05b0-421f-bbcd-51142440aba3/Nacon_Revolution_Unlimited_V3+%2811%29.JPEG Nacon Revolution Unlimited V3 https://thegamepadreview.com/scuf-vantage-2-review daily 0.75 2022-08-09 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/65f0b337-1047-455b-9a7c-817720b96b63/IMG_1556.jpeg Scuf Vantage 2 Review - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/eefee8f2-4bb6-4711-a9bf-4d0d145e382f/IMG_1553.jpeg Scuf Vantage 2 Review This really had me scratching my head, because I haven’t seen this mentioned in any other review of the controller. Youtuber Tevron mentioned the comfort in his hand, but didn’t elaborate on the specific issue I’m describing here. I also found this strange because Razer is a brand known for their build-quality. Every other product I’ve owned from them has had excellent build quality, including this mouse and keyboard I have here next to me, which seem to be made of the same type of plastic. So, part of me is still wondering if I just got unlucky…twice. But enough about that. Besides the atrocious build-quality, there is a lot to like about the Raion. First of all, the D-Pad is excellent. I’m not a fan of floating D-Pads, but the tactile clickiness of the Raion’s D-Pad is extremely satisfying. It’s very loud, and it’s as clicky as any mouse you might have used before. More than once throughout testing, I was able to avoid a mistaken input because I could tell from the sound of the D-Pad that I had missed something. That has the potential to save your life in a round of Street Fighter V. I also like the shallow, clicky travel of the triggers and bumpers. It’s easy to push R1 and R2 at the same time. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/2d5cfc98-6202-4da6-b499-8979aa74339b/IMG_1542.jpeg Scuf Vantage 2 Review I’ve owned a lot of Razer products, probably enough to be considered a fanboy. But I’m not a Razer fanboy. When they deserve it, I like Razer’s products a normal, rational amount. A fanboy-amount of liking is not a normal nor rational amount. It’s blind to flaws. And while I have liked (sometimes a lot) the Razer products I have owned, I’m not blind to their flaws. Which brings us to the Razer Raion Fightpad. I’ll just get it out of the way from get-go: this gamepad has the poorest build-quality of any other I’ve tested, including some budget, sub-$30 offerings. The top and bottom panels are not flush with each other, leaving sharp edges all over. The angular design on the top and bottom of the front panel, and the bezels around the triggers and bumpers, are also sharp and uncomfortable to hold. There are large gaps between panels in some places, and in others the panels overlap each other. It’s just a mess. It is uncomfortable and actively painful to use for prolonged periods. It’s so bad that I submitted a support ticket to Razer. Surely this particular unit was bad? This couldn’t possibly be the intended final product? I sent them pictures and described what I was experiencing. After looking at the pictures, they informed me that nothing was wrong and that it was the intentional design of the controller. Undeterred, I submitted a replacement ticket through Amazon. The replacement unit was marred by the same issues. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/64ff02fd-1779-4cf1-be69-b6fcbcabec0a/IMG_1559.jpeg Scuf Vantage 2 Review Also, whoever the famous fighting game player on the webpage for this controller is using the face buttons with his…fingers. Apparently that’s far more common than I thought, but I don’t see how this controller would facilitate that method of play. It has nubby little handles on each, side small even than the standard Dual-Shock 4. I don’t mind that this controller is wired-only, but that may matter more to you. I would have preferred that the cable was removable, however, as in the PowerA Fightpad Pro. And a rubber-coated cable feels out of place on a hundred-dollar controller, especially if you’re used to the nice braided cables of many of Razer’s other peripherals. A small issue I encountered with the otherwise-amazing D-Pad was its size. It’s quite large, and I was frequently missing jump inputs in side scrollers like Blazing Chrome and Cuphead. Of all the fightpads I had yet to try, I was most excited to try this one. Unfortunately, it didn’t live up to my expectations. However, even though it didn’t live up to my expectations in some respects, I was still able to attain a high level of performance with it. Scroll down for a detailed analysis of the tests. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/bb6d05df-bbbd-46aa-a568-1a04c84a8ed7/IMG_1554.jpeg Scuf Vantage 2 Review But by far my favorite part of the Raion is the face buttons. I’ve seen others taking issue with their lack of feedback, but it’s something I prefer. These buttons are extremely easy to press, with very low tension. This controller excelled in all of the mashing tests, and I suspect it will be difficult for any other controller, fightpad or not, to match the results I was able to attain with the Raion. So a great D-Pad, nice shoulder buttons, and responsive face buttons…sound pretty good, right? Unfortunately there are some issues with this controller other than the build-quality. While I just praised the face buttons, it’s easy to accidentally press two buttons at once on this controller. They’re so responsive that even the slightest glance will activate them. In Street Fighter V this can cause issues with unintentionally performing an EX Special Move (those are like special special moves, if you’re unfamiliar with the game). A more troubling issue with the face buttons is their alignment. They are angled vertically more than I would like, and they are quite far from the controller’s shoulders. After a week of exclusive use, I was still unable to completely adjust to their position. I was constantly dropping combos due to fishing for buttons, and I wasn’t confident enough with it to take this controller into a ranked match. The medium punch and kick buttons feel like they are in the light punch and kick buttons place. I’m sure I could eventually overcome this, but a week of exclusive use was not enough to do so. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/c1badf20-9858-4925-a73b-1d7aec984f39/IMG_1543.jpeg Scuf Vantage 2 Review https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/54d99aa4-7bad-4dac-882e-884209ead664/IMG_1544.jpeg Scuf Vantage 2 Review https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/8d851b6c-647c-4703-9839-80d1d10abf0d/IMG_1550.jpeg Scuf Vantage 2 Review https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/3ef817f0-bbf3-4699-91fc-8d8aa5d778ac/IMG_1551.jpeg Scuf Vantage 2 Review https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/0efdd69b-5d1d-4ba3-8926-dbdd52922c06/IMG_1561.jpeg Scuf Vantage 2 Review https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/a458823f-e463-4512-883e-6601ad724c85/IMG_1557.jpeg Scuf Vantage 2 Review https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/990f9892-ccb0-4229-be00-3a2d596f36ff/IMG_1562.jpeg Scuf Vantage 2 Review https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/6c8fcb8a-cd64-4dac-a606-7d9f4d4e6615/IMG_1558.jpeg Scuf Vantage 2 Review https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/e3797288-4a4a-456a-a07b-025856b50823/IMG_1560.jpeg Scuf Vantage 2 Review https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/e323d39a-be28-4a0d-ab54-61e18657e392/IMG_1563.jpeg Scuf Vantage 2 Review https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/4e58c6ca-cfe7-4e39-8772-0b09859e5491/IMG_1556.jpeg Scuf Vantage 2 Review https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/0f30a27d-ee2a-4669-ae7e-83ee569f7ed7/IMG_1548.jpeg Scuf Vantage 2 Review https://thegamepadreview.com/gears-tactics-review-copy daily 0.75 2022-08-11 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/e1d44085-64b9-4715-959a-e6378a05a6ad/Limbo+Screenshot+01.png Gears Tactics Review (Copy) - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/ab8a0d14-d96c-4856-ba33-fd203fb26d68/Limbo+Screenshot+03.png Gears Tactics Review (Copy) I’m embarrassed to admit it, but I played my first campaign on beginner difficulty. In my defense, I was (am?) a beginner at tactics games. I’d played five hours or so in XCOM, that hardly makes me anything other than a beginner when it comes to turn-based tactics games. But beginner mode or not, everything about this game was just so engrossing. Like I said before, I had little knowledge of the Gears universe prior to this game (and let’s be honest, all I really know now is that there are aliens, and they came from underground or something?), and yet this game had me wrapped around its finger. It’s definitely the game I’ve been most unable to put down in the last year. It even drew me away from my true love, Street Fighter V. (I’m not blaming anyone but myself, but I started losing some major League Points in SFV right around the time this game was released.) Look at me, here I am almost halfway into this review and all I’ve done is talk about other games. Gears Tactics is one of the most beautiful games I’ve ever played. If you have the hardware to run it at high resolution and high settings, this game is absolutely stunning. Even more impressive is that the it looks so stunning from such a zoomed-out, top-down viewpoint. You never get any actual gameplay with the camera focused on your characters. Even more impressive is how good this games looks on mid-range hardware. I ran this on a variety of configurations, and it looked pretty on a Ryzen 3750H and 1660ti-maxq laptop. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/47f28dea-a8d4-4948-981c-f39694633651/Limbo+Screenshot+02.png Gears Tactics Review (Copy) Despite my fraying relationship with Microsoft, I cannot deny that Gears Tactics is one of the best games I have ever played. I came into this genre and this game without knowing anything about either. I knew nothing of the Gears franchise, except that I had a vague recollection of some badass-looking guns with chainsaw bayonets. And I wasn’t even aware of this type of game, well…existing. I suppose I have Steam, Humble Bundle and 2K games to thank for exposing me to this game. First of all, Steam and 2K were running a play for free promotion on XCOM 2. I never play demos or temporarily free-to-play games, but something compelled me to do so for XCOM 2. And what do you know, it turned out that I loved it. I loved it so much, in fact, that I decided I owed the franchise the respect of going back and playing the first game before I finished the second. Luckily, Humble was running a 2K sale, which included XCOM and a whole host of other awesome games. After ten hours or so, I loved XCOM as much as I had hoped, probably more. But then I saw a notification in the Steam store: if you like XCOM, you might also enjoy Gears Tactics. Boy, were they ever right. It’s like someone at Valve, or Microsoft, or the Coalition, knew my exact thoughts. And basically, my thoughts were: I wish this game had way better graphics and bad guys that didn’t seem so lame. Also, how the hell do you make stuff? https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/7481b138-f340-49d4-a065-644a481b49ec/Limbo+Screenshot+04.png Gears Tactics Review (Copy) The sound effects and voice acting are perfect compliments to the outstanding graphics. The storyline more than held my interest over the campaign, and I was sorry when I learned these characters were not part of any other Gears game. I would have jumped on Gears 5 in a heartbeat if Gabe Diaz or Makayla were featured in the newest game. So what’s the gameplay like? You mostly point and click on stuff, so a rousing action game it is not. But a big part of this game is thinking about the best ways to get out of certain scenarios, strategizing how to complete various missions. Throughout the campaign you acquire new skills and weapon upgrades, in addition to some new recruits. You play across five different mission types: Control Mission, in which you protect a cache of supplies from filthy aliens; scavenger run missions, in which you have to pick up supplies while escaping enemy bombing runs; Rescue missions, in which you rescue captured Gears; Sabotage missions, in which you have to destroy key pieces of enemy equipment or technology; and Incursion missions, in which you have to destroy all enemies. Each mission has a main objective, which you must achieve in order to complete the mission, and side objectives, which reward you with equipment upgrades if you complete them. In addition to the different mission types, there are also different classes of soldiers for you to control. Experimenting with different loadouts and squad compositions is a big part of this game, and it’s where it derives a lot of its fun. Should you take a scout for this mission? All scouts? Will you need a heavy weapon or a sniper? And there are some really fun Achievements to chase after, if that’s your thing (it’s mine). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/5781d38f-59d5-4103-abd7-4960d665bd23/Limbo+Screenshot+05.png Gears Tactics Review (Copy) Like any game, it’s not without its drawbacks. One flaw, that you may or may not wish was different, is that your own explosive weapons are far too powerful to keep most fights fair. If grenades and similar weapon types did perhaps two-thirds of their existing damage they could still be effective tools, but not so powerful as to encourage thoughtless or careless gameplay. A multiplayer mode is curiously missing. This game would be a blast against another human controlling a squad of grubs, but I can see the challenges to implementing it. A match has potential to take quite a while, even if both players were controlling squads of opposing gears. One other thing I don’t particularly care for is that each time you start a new campaign, you’ll have to go through the tutorial mission. It’s an unnecessary barrier to replaying the game on a higher difficulty, or going back to tryout ironman mode. I could also see where this game might be too easy for experienced players of similar tactics games. In my rookie hands, the challenge of even beginner mode was sufficient. At the time of this review, I’m now stuck at 46% on Insane mode, and I’m wondering if I’ll ever be able to play through the whole game on the hardest difficulty. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/b43f9dc3-efc4-498b-b3ee-1620c44ab20f/Limbo+Screenshot+01.png Gears Tactics Review (Copy) But these are small gripes. It takes a great game to make you realize that you like a whole genre of game that you’d never even tried before. Though I dipped my toes into the turn-based tactics genre with XCOM, Gears Tactics did exactly that for me. The only gripe I have with the game is that I wish there was more. More enemies, more weapons, more maps, more bosses…more everything. Once you beat the campaign there are some fun Veteran mode missions to play, but eventually everything can get a bit repetitive. The superb AV production go a long way toward remedying that, but there’s not a whole lot to Gears Tactics outside the campaign. On the other hand, I was compelled to run through the campaign several times: Once on Beginner Mode, once on Intermediate, again on Insane, and then a final run with Ironman Mode enabled. This lasted me well over a hundred hours. And if you’re chasing achievements you’ll need to grind through Veteran mode for a long time before you hit 20 missions. Fighting games have drawn me away again, but Gear Tactics is still one of only four games to earn a spot on my revered Shelf of Favorites in my Steam Library. It could use some more variety, but even as it is, it’s one my favorite, most-enjoyed gaming experiences, well…ever. https://thegamepadreview.com/xbox-elite-series-2-review daily 0.75 2022-08-13 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1596760354953-5BPBWERV7TIG86KGP19C/xbox_elite_series2_002.jpg Xbox Elite Series 2 Review This controller also has the build-quality and premium feel that you would expect for nearly two hundred dollars. It feels sturdy, durable, and just plain luxurious. The panels are all flush with each other. The Face Buttons feel durable, with a glossy protective coating that isn’t too slippery. The metal chassis turns up the luxury feel even more. The high build quality extends to many of the Elite Series 2’s numerous extra features: a braided Type-C cable and an outstanding carrying case, just to name a couple. As you’d expect, the extra features don’t end there. Like many other premium controllers, the Elite Series 2 offers several methods of customization. Unlike many other premium controllers, however, the Elite Series 2 implements this customization with elegance and precision. Changing Stick heads is common at this price point (and even well below it in some cases), but the Elite makes this process smooth and worry-free with some simple magnets. Other controllers require you to yank and jam (I’m looking at you Nacon Revolution Unlimited V3). Other notable features include being able to store three different profiles on the device (perhaps you want one button setup for a fighting game and a different one for a shooter) and being able to adjust the trigger travel. You also have the option to install four rear paddles for additional functionality. This has a lot of utility in first- or third-person action games because you can reassign common Face Button actions to a rear paddle, freeing your thumb to operate the camera or aim. That they are so easily removable is a huge bonus. Other controllers at this price point have either two or four rear buttons or paddles, but none of them are so easily removable. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1596680883572-OJB3QC3LZ0P1ILG21O5C/xbox_elite_series2_009.jpg Xbox Elite Series 2 Review - Make it stand out Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1605371391877-X64VXCYVKMLTYWSLPFKI/xbox_elite_series2_001.jpg Xbox Elite Series 2 Review Released in 2019, the Microsoft Xbox Elite Series 2 set the standard for what a premium gamepad should be. Though many other excellent high-end controllers have come to market in its wake, it remains the best Windows controller. Like many of its direct competitors, the Elite Series 2 offers numerous extra features that you won’t find on a regular gamepad. But the Elite Series 2 executes these features better than any of its competitors. Even accounting for a worrying quality-control issue I encountered, which Microsoft has rectified, the Xbox Elite Series 2 is the best in a crowded field of excellent, premium PC-based controllers. In the eyes of this old-head, the Elite Series 2 is the best looking controller currently on the market. It is understated and mature, no flashing lights needed, not even an accent color. Its combination of black and gray is perfect: just enough gray, and in just the right places, to break up the design. Of course, one person’s “beautifully minimalistic,” is another’s “boring.” Aesthetics are subjective, but from GPR’s perspective, no other gamepad is as attractive as this one. The Elite Series 2 is almost as comfortable to hold and to use as it is to look at. Microsoft builds off the already-perfect shape of the regular Xbox controller by improving the weight, balance, and grip of the Elite Series 2. At 328 grams, it’s on the heavy side, but that’s true for most premium controllers. Premium materials, denser plastics, and metal will do that. Despite its heft, however, the Elite Series 2 is delicately balanced. It never feels top-heavy or unwieldy. The rubberized wrap-around grip on each handle is outstanding, for a while. For several months, it really did a great job of helping me maintain my grip on the controller. However, over time the grip became slippery and less effective. I will revisit that part of the controller after a thorough cleaning at some point, but no other pad had this issue. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1596688136434-O6HQGFT4OFHRL3QM9UTO/xbox_elite_series2_008.jpg Xbox Elite Series 2 Review The Face Buttons on the Elite Series 2 match the excellence of its D-Pad. With a diameter of 10 mm, there is nothing especially notable about their size. The distance between the Face Buttons is perfect. You can easily push two at the same time if you need to, but they aren’t so close or large that you will do so on accident. They jut out from the controller’s deck just slightly, so it’s easy to slide you thumb across them rapidly when you need to, say if you need to whip out a quick Hundred Hand Slap. There’s also a satisfying click on rebound. Though I wish they were a millimeter or so larger in diameter, the Face Buttons on the Elite Series 2 are the best of any four-button controller. The Shoulder Buttons – with the clicky and responsive Bumpers and their adjustable Triggers – bring even more to love. The Triggers have three settings, deep, medium, and shallow. The shallow setting is hair-trigger-like, offering less than 1 mm of travel. Changing this setting is as easy as flipping a switch. I preferred the medium and deep settings. The shallow setting was too sensitive for me and I would often get unintentional inputs or mistime others. The Triggers allowed for superb control in racing games such as Project Cars 2. The Bumpers are as good as every other aspect of the controller, but this is where I ran into the quality control issue I mentioned in the introduction. Less than a year into owning this controller (hundreds of hours of use though), I started experiencing a problem with the Right Bumper. It took me a while to notice it. The degradation happened over time, and at first I had just assumed my inputs were getting sloppy. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1596688288746-KYNLW8RVRR7R3LQ6KNOX/xbox_elite_series2_005.jpg Xbox Elite Series 2 Review A key game mechanic in Street Fighter 5, “V-Trigger Activation,” requires pushing the Right Bumper and Right Shoulder at the same time, and that’s even more important for my chosen main character. But I started missing my V-Trigger Activation and dropping combos left and right. It wasn’t until trying to shoot some rope arrows in Tomb Raider (2013) that I noticed the problem. The Right Bumper inputs simply weren’t being read. I would push the button, and nothing would happen. I submitted a support ticket but it wasn’t until Microsoft updated their warranty that I was able to get a replacement. I described the issue in the online form and it was approved. I sent the old chassis but kept all of the extra pieces, sticks, D-Pads, paddles, and case, as Microsoft instructed me. However, they sent me a new, complete controller. I haven’t encountered the same issue with the new one. This accounts for the asterisk in the Shoulder Button score up top. I will update this review should that change. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/1596760324459-UFJB04CP1Z6T0D75Q057/xbox_elite_series2_014.jpg Xbox Elite Series 2 Review So far, we have a beautiful, well-built controller with a ton of extra features, but that won’t do much good if it doesn’t work. Fortunately, the Elite Series 2 has D-Pads, Face Buttons, and Shoulder Buttons to match its high pedigree. The Elite offers two D-Pad choices, which is one more than almost all other gamepads. You can choose from a typical cross-shaped pad with four directional arms, or an octagonal shape with no distinct arms. The latter is similar to the D-Pads on newer Xbox One controllers. Each D-Pad is a simple piece of metal that easily swaps into place. Magnets hold either option firmly in place. No amount of quarter circle shenanigans ever came close to jostling either D-Pad loose. I preferred the traditional D-Pad. It made jumps more precise in platformers like Cuphead and Celeste. I found that the octagonal pad would sometimes give me unexpected forward or backward jumps, especially in Street Fighter V, where my main character often uses vertical charging inputs. Obviously, this is user error. And infrequent though they were, I made more of these errors with the octagonal pad. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/b2a6206f-7585-4636-b5ff-dcc4f0621b43/xbox_elite_series2_009.jpg Xbox Elite Series 2 Review The Sticks on the Elite Series have spoiled me. Not only are they extremely comfortable, but there are three different tension settings. Changing Stick tension is done easily: remove the head, insert the included key, twist, and put the head back on. This is an excellent feature because you might not always want the same level of tension in every game. It all comes down to the player’s preferences, of course, but higher tension in racing games can really help steering accuracy. Or maybe you’re controlling a character that constantly needs to change direction, so lower tension might be better. Regular Sticks can achieve either of these goals, of course, but having the option to change tension – and to be able to do so easily – is one of the best and most unique features of the Elite Series 2. Without it, though, the Stick would still be excellent. L3 and R3 are easy enough to engage and give a satisfying thump. Flick them and they pop right back into place. I’ve also never encountered any stick drift in my long time owning this controller. With a premium feel all-around, outstanding style, and highly functional, comfortable buttons, the Microsoft Xbox Elite Series 2 is the best controller you can get for PC gaming. Many other controllers do most or all the extra things that the Elite Series 2 does, but the Elite does them better. However, a more important consideration might be, “Do I all need or want all those extra features?” The stock Xbox and Dual Shock 4 controllers are already outstanding, albeit basic, controllers. And you could buy three of them for the price of an Elite Series 2. Only you can decide that. But if you’re set on spending $180 on a controller for your PC or Xbox, you won’t find one better than the Elite Series 2. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/0169fd1c-5970-4163-a614-8d0f89ce1129/xbox_elite_series2_013.jpg Xbox Elite Series 2 Review https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/76c539e9-fb7e-40d5-be0c-f9b147ccb3bc/xbox_elite_series2_007.jpg Xbox Elite Series 2 Review https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/c9043949-e153-475b-8428-fcbbe02c4a89/xbox_elite_series2_012.jpg Xbox Elite Series 2 Review https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/ab8f60fc-4dff-4ea6-8f82-65818d6d72e2/xbox_elite_series2_004.jpg Xbox Elite Series 2 Review https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/d8f5e9f5-d14b-474e-8bb6-bc0e8dfb075e/xbox_elite_series2_006.jpg Xbox Elite Series 2 Review https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5edac4ff75ea16698d50d211/349eea41-182b-4c6e-953a-c2e69d7dbf08/xbox_elite_series2_003.jpg Xbox Elite Series 2 Review