Got my Steam controller this morning.
It's not bad so far, only having tried a couple games using default/official settings. Works reasonably well for Cities Skylines. Trackpad will never be as good as a mouse and this is painfully obvious when using it, but it'll do since regular controller support isn't there.
Also played The Talos Principle and it was ok. Not great, and honestly I'd prefer a regular controller, but my alternatives for living room gaming are either a wired 360 controller(which I'd rather not have a long wire running across the living room especially with a rabbit running around) or my Sony DS4, which has absolutely pitiful battery life. So again, Steam controller will do.
The controller itself isn't massively comfortable. Not uncomfortable, but the ergonomics of the Xbox and DS4 are a lot better. Face buttons are too much of a stretch. You have to really arch your thumbs to get as much of a pintpoint-like touch on the touchpads, which isn't ideal, but that is the only way to use them precisely.
I've been tinkering with gyro controls for racing games for the past few days, I've seen other people attempt it but so far I haven't seen a video of anyone actually get anywhere near wheel functionality.
If the gyro controls resemble joystick controls then this is just a gimmick with no real benefit, but if you remove the deadzone and get the sensitivity and dampening right then this is one application where I believe the Steam Controller easily outperforms a standard controller in every way.
This sounded interesting til I got mine. Reasons why I think X360/X1/DS4 would still be better:
- To use the gyro steering, you have to hold the controller up in the air. You cant just lie the controller in your lap.
- Very short triggers on the Steam controller. Way too short for ideal throttle and brake modulation.
Ryse has always intrigued me mainly as a graphics fest! Is the game good?
I would still say it's largely a graphics showcase, but it was surprisingly engaging. The characters and story are actually well done(honestly). The combat is fluid and brutal. It's a fairly shallow system mechanically, but I found it was more enjoyable than I was expecting. Different enemies require different tactics and moves which will keep you on your toes.
So yea, it's short, it's shallow, but it's also beautiful and fun for the time it lasts. Wouldn't pay more than £20 for it, but if you find it cheaper than that and want something shiny and fun to blast through in a few days(or less if you play longer periods of time), it's worth picking up.
