Where do you draw the line with the DualSense?

[Kittenz]

I really like the DualSense controller - feels nice, handles well, good weight. Easily my favorite PS controller to hold.

But if the default mode is going to be SO heavy on the haptics and triggers, I'll be way less likely, not more likely, to ever pick up current gen games for PS vs X or Switch. I can not be the only one.

For the excellent Ratchet, the rumbling starts on the "save select" screen, and it vibrates with EVERY footstep the entire game? I really struggled to get into the game for several hours before I stumbled on the lesser "only when practical" (I forget the actual term they used) mode for haptics and triggers, and I turned off the speaker. Then I loved every minute all the way to the platinum and beyond.

I launched Returnal for the first time just now and shut it off before taking 10 steps, as I was so irritated by the severity of the haptics in the opening cutscene. It didn't feel immersive. It felt distracting. The point is to emphasize KEY actions, not EVERY action. Like that sentence. IF I CAPITALIZE EVERY WORD FOR EMPHASIS, I EMPHASIZE NOTHING. It's just screaming. When rumbling through an opening cutscene, I'm not engaged yet, so emphasizing every bump and raindrop just pulls my focus instead of me taking in what's happening.

Found Astro exhausting too, but I forgave that as it was trying to show possibilities. But if every game is just running at 100….

I don't want to have to turn everything off, because that sucks too. Insomniac, like in so many areas, nailed it, by giving a perfect (much better!) alternate setting. So where is the line? Or is it just me?

 

[Shining Star]

I want the controller to be rumbling at all times and it it isn't vibrating it should be glowing and making noises.

 

[xxracerxx]

Aren't there system level controls for how much resistance and haptics there are?

 

[Heliex]

I turned down the vibration, triggers and haptics to the lowest without turning them off setting, and honestly, it's really good. I agree that default is WAY too strong.

edit: OP, seems like you don't know that you can change how strong they are. Check your controller settings and adjust to your preference.

 

[zoltek]

Most people like it. If you don't, you can turn them off. Perhaps in the future Sony can introduce a system-wide setting for limited haptics that translate into multiple games upon loading.

 

[Kittenz]

I turned down the vibration, triggers and haptics to the lowest without turning them off setting, and honestly, it's really good. I agree that default is WAY too strong.

Click to shrink...

I did too, but then I feel like I'm missing something. Like the Ratchet lower setting via the game menu was perfect, but it was indeed higher than if I set everything super low at system level. I don't want to assume that every game is gonna go (what I feel is) overboard, but it seems like that's the trend.

 

[Musubi]

I mean that's what haptics are for providing feedback.... I loved the feedback Control on PS5 gave with Jesse's footsteps and the different guns and power ups. I want more games to use haptics. I genuinely don't understand how people are annoyed by them. I've already opted to buy several games on PS5 over my XSX simply because of haptics.

 

[HououinKyouma]

Other than competitive multiplayer titles, I have all DualSense options turned on all the time. One of the true "next gen" features.

 

[Overdrive]

I mean that's what haptics are for providing feedback.... I loved the feedback Control on PS5 gave with Jesse's footsteps and the different guns and power ups. I want more games to use haptics. I genuinely don't understand how people are annoyed by them. I've already opted to buy several games on PS5 over my XSX simply because of haptics.

Click to shrink...

This is interesting because the feedback in Control specifically made me turn all that stuff off. Lining up headshots, squeezing the trigger and missing the shot because you have to fight the controller to push extra hard was no fun for me.

 

[Lord Error]

I absolutely love it in Returnal and Astro. To me, that's a phenomenal feature of PS5, and I think vast majority of people want haptics like in those two games - so that's what developers are striving for. In Returnal you even get positional clues for the enemies off screen based on haptic, it's really great. You can of course turn them down a bit system wide, and hope that more developers provide reduced feedback like in Ratchet. It wouldn't surprise me if more developers offer options of that kind.

 

[whassupbun]

I'm fine with everything except the trigger resistance. It just gets in the way, sometimes it's not clear whether the resistance is there to stop you from pressing any further, or you're meant to fight with it and force down the triggers, and if I do force it, I worry about snapping whatever mechanisms inside.

 

[Papercuts]

Yeah I really don't need it on footsteps, but the gun trigger stuff can be good (in SP games). Though I turned it off with a quickness in RE8 since it just felt like it made it harder to aim.

I do agree the rumble can seem like it's doing too much when it's feedback on EVERYTHING, when it isn't even contextual to the character and just happens to random stuff in cutscenes.

 

[DanteSparda504]

I turn every thing off. I don't want rumble or haptics. It's incredibly distracting and the rumble in particular makes my hands ache. Ratchet was awful with the rumble.

 

[coolasj19]

I want the controller to be rumbling at all times and it it isn't vibrating it should be glowing and making noises.

Click to shrink...

Same. I want to be annoyed. I'm literally not joking. Overuse the controller, I beg of y'all. I'll just tune down the intensity myself from there if need be.

 

[JigglesBunny]

I'm in the minority here, I'm sure, but I want that damn thing going crazy. As long as it's not a competitive shooter or something, I want to be going ten rounds in the ring with those triggers and I want every damn sensation in the game world to have a unique vibration. This is some of the coolest controller tech in history and the games that have used it so far have blown my mind, I just want more.

 

[NightShift]

I love the haptics! Gimme all the sensations! Footsteps, menu navigation, all of it!

The triggers are where all the problems are for me. Like I swear nobody who implemented the trigger effects in RE Village actually used them. It shouldn't be that hard to hold up a rifle.

 

[BanditoMac]

I can't stop playing Returnal and been loving the controller so far. The rain drops, even idle animation, all coming through the controller is pretty dope

 

[StrappingYoungLance]

I fucking LOVE the haptics, give me all of them! I want this shit on every system in every game.

The Dual Sense implementation in stuff like Ratchet, Astro, Control, even Dirt 5 etc is probably my favourite thing about this gen so far. I look forward to experiencing Returnal with it too.

Straight up, I want this to be the new standard for controller feedback across the industry.

 

[Septimus]

Switch Pro controller feels pretty lacking after using DualSense so much. Used to love it but now I think DualSense is the best controller ever. Love all the subtle and strong vibrations, the weight. Literally a perfect controller for me.

 

[Tyaren]

I had no idea you could turn the intensity down! That's what I am going to do, because in Ratchet & Clank the controller goes nuts at points. Last time the rumble went so wild it even made a screechy noise, which scared me, lol.

 

[Digital Savior]

I don't care for the haptics myself. It sucks because every game is different and swapping sensitivity settings becomes annoying. Haven't really played much PS5 lately, but Astro's Playroom almost made me disable it. Love the game; don't love the incessant shaking.

 

[KartuneDX]

It's awesome I need to feel my footsteps in every game now.

 

[Musubi]

This is interesting because the feedback in Control specifically made me turn all that stuff off. Lining up headshots, squeezing the trigger and missing the shot because you have to fight the controller to push extra hard was no fun for me.

Click to shrink...

I love it. I keep it on even in competitive games I play like Fortnite and still do just fine. I think its just a case of you have to get past the initial phase of getting use to it.

 

[m4st4]

I draw the line when I shutdown the game. Love the haptics. Made Returnal for me, along with 3D audio.

It's weird seeing my brother play it with headset though.

'So that' s how it sounds when you're just hearing it from afar?!' Just weird... buzzings. WROOM-WOM-WOM-BRRrrr... xD

 

[Aladan]

Love the haptics and hope there will be much more. It is so good to feel every step and other moves ingame.

The adaptive triggers are just awesome and one of the best inventions ever on a mainstream Controller.

 

[Lobster Roll]

I turn off rumble on my controllers, so you can only imagine how I feel about haptics and triggers haha

 

[My Blue Heaven]

the resistance on the triggers is honestly just annoying and i turned it off 1/4 of the way through ratchet and clank

 

[PaulloDEC]

I've never turned any of the haptics options off or down. They don't bother me at all.

 

[njean777]

I instantly turned off adaptive triggers the first day on launch, I do not like them. Everything else is fine for me. I really like the controller, and feel of it, the adaptive triggers though are not for me.

 

[Ikarus]

I love it on everything. More effects the better.

 

[Forkball]

I want the controller to be rumbling at all times and it it isn't vibrating it should be glowing and making noises.

Click to shrink...

It should hover above me as I sleep like a mini UFO.

It really depends on the game. I thought the haptic was awesome in Astro's Playroom... but my hands felt a bit numb after play sessions because it was constantly vibrating. I couldn't imagine playing something like Assassin's Creed with that intensity of feedback.

 

[HiLife]

If it's a multiplayer game I'd rather it be without the haptic/adaptive. It can be more distracting than anything. Gimme rumble similar to Series X for those instances.

Single player? I want that going crazy with all the dual sense features.

 

[Super Mega Man]

Your loss OP. As far as I'm concerned the only change I'd want in the Dualsense is to bring back the iconic colored shapes in the face buttons. Keep the button white for all I care but give me the green, red, blue, and pink of the 4 shapes, dammit.

 

[VanWinkle]

There's something I just love about heavy haptics use (when done well). I'm not going to say it's more IMMERSIVE, but it's more fun to play. It increases the tactile sensation. Sackboy, Returnal, Ratchet, and Astro's Playroom are all better games because of their haptics/adaptive triggers. I truly believe that.

I launched Returnal for the first time just now and shut it off before taking 10 steps, as I was so irritated by the severity of the haptics in the opening cutscene. It didn't feel immersive. It felt distracting. The point is to emphasize KEY actions, not EVERY action. Like that sentence. IF I CAPITALIZE EVERY WORD FOR EMPHASIS, I EMPHASIZE NOTHING. It's just screaming. When rumbling through an opening cutscene, I'm not engaged yet, so emphasizing every bump and raindrop just pulls my focus instead of me taking in what's happening.

Click to shrink...

But the problem is you see every use of haptics as an EMPHASIS. It's not. Little taps as you're scrolling aren't emphasizing the scrolling. They're just giving you tactile feedback for the action.

 

[J_ToSaveTheDay]

OP's examples are the examples that I actually love. Ratchet, Returnal, and Astrobot all get a nice layer of engagement because of the haptics and triggers, in my experience.

That said, as much as I enjoy it, the Dual Sense haptics have not yet become a big enough draw to pull me toward the PS5 version over the Series X version of a game. It's nice-to-have but doesn't feel must-have to me yet. Unlike OP though, I do not find it actively off-putting or annoying.

 

[Arklite]

Rumble has never been worth a damn for anything outside of racing games. I'd have those haptics full blast on any racer.

 

[Neuromancer]

I like it, I don't always have time to hit the gym so it's nice playing games instead. Every CoD match is like 15 reps but with my fingers instead of my biceps.

 

[jonboi24]

I like it. Dpad sucks for fighting games tho.

 

[HardRojo]

I like it a lot, but then again I've always enjoyed rumble in my controllers and it feels weird when it's not there, so haptic feedback, basically a much better version of rumble, is right up my alley.
I also enjoy haptic feedback on my Apple Watch, maybe that kind of got me ready for haptics on PS5 lol.

 

[Tobor]

I did too, but then I feel like I'm missing something. Like the Ratchet lower setting via the game menu was perfect, but it was indeed higher than if I set everything super low at system level. I don't want to assume that every game is gonna go (what I feel is) overboard, but it seems like that's the trend.

Click to shrink...

Lol, just turn it down. It's like volume. If the tv was too loud, would you not turn it down for fear of missing something?

They include options in the settings for a reason.

 

[Benzychenz]

I fucking love it. Give it all to me. Ratchet having the controller constantly vibrating and making noises is incredible and immersive.

 

[Scruffy8642]

For all of Astro's amazing uses, it did feel overkill and my hands kinda went numb in some sections lol. Ratchet wasn't an issue though. That said, Ratchet has a "functional" mode for its haptics that mean they're not a constant thing and happen with the frequency you'd expect from like DS4 vibration. Not sure if the others have these options.

 

[Hybrid Rainbow]

I'm in the minority here, I'm sure, but I want that damn thing going crazy. As long as it's not a competitive shooter or something, I want to be going ten rounds in the ring with those triggers and I want every damn sensation in the game world to have a unique vibration. This is some of the coolest controller tech in history and the games that have used it so far have blown my mind, I just want more.

Click to shrink...

This is where I'm at. I just started Scarlet Nexus and in the tutorial as soon as I felt the trigger fight my fingers, I got excited. 😅

 

[Mecha]

Yesterday I played Mass Effect 2 after playing Returnal and it felt a bit jarring not having all that response and activity from the controller. I'm at the point that I'm starting to actually notice when the haptics aren't there, so I'm very happy on how the DualSense augments my gaming experience.

 

[xir]

Used a PS3,4 and 5 controller today actually and it's the best even without the rumble. Love the weight. Anyone have launch ps3 controller? Weighed like two feathers

 

[jwk94]

Other than competitive multiplayer titles, I have all DualSense options turned on all the time. One of the true "next gen" features.

Click to shrink...

This right here. Triggers screw me up in competitive mp games, but otherwise, I love the thing

 

[TaySan]

I love the controller, but i hate the battery life on it so I had to buy a second one and a charging station.

 

[defaltoption]

I love the controller it's my second favorite ever only behind Elite 2 and I hope both Nintendo and Microsoft quickly adopt its features so we get real support for them.

That said the next gen ness of it is waaaay over hyped and in certain games it also bothers me and even causes slight pain like with Call of Duty Cold War. Plus my triggers on my original and most used dual sense are already failing and I probably have way less game time then the average ps5 player.

Battery hasn't been an issue for me since I have two in use and a charging dock plus I don't play long enough to kill it in one session. At least not till god of war.

 

[Trigonometrize]

The footsteps are a bit much.

 

[RavenK92]

I love the haptics, especially for footsteps. I want as much of it as possible. If you don't like it, you're welcome to turn them lower/off, it's not an all or nothing thing. My only problem with the DualSense is that playing for a while makes my ringfinger and pinky on my left hand fall asleep. But controllers aren't a one size fits all thing, a better experience for me means a worse one for someone else so I'm willing to qccept that this time I'm just unlucky with the form factor