Ahead of its next major eFootball announcement, Konami has released some further details surrounding the game – including confirmation that the game will launch without microtransactions in Autumn, but that it will be similar to a demo in scope.
The information came to fans directly from the official eFootball Twitter account which shared a thread of answers to a range of common questions that had arisen over the game.
Surrounding the game’s “free-to-play” nature Konami said “During ‘Early Autumn’, eFootball will have no micro-transactions – so everything will be free-to-play at launch. We will then add more content during ‘Autumn’.” Whilst details around the Autumn follow-up content are yet to be confirmed, it sounds as if this could be the point at which Konami will introduce a form of microtransaction system to the game.
Q: What exactly will be free-to-play at launch?
A: During “Early Autumn”, eFootball™ will have no micro-transactions – so everything will be free-to-play at launch. We will then add more content during “Autumn”. Exact content details to follow.
However, the scope of that launch version seems fairly slim, and one of the questions answered was whether the game would be “basically a demo” at that point. “In many ways, yes,” was the answer. “We want people to get hands-on with eFootball as soon as possible, so we will launch with a limited number of teams and modes.” Konami has said that it will share more details about this in the near future.
Elsewhere in the thread, Konami spoke about the game’s integration on both console and mobile and how this would affect user experience. The company reassured fans in the thread, explaining that eFootball has been developed for “consoles first” but that will be a platform for “everyone to enjoy” with the game taking “full advantage of the hardware capabilities of each supported device”. Whilst the game will include “multiple features for matchmaking based on location and platform,” Konami has said that PC and next-generation console players paired up against mobile users should not see a downgrade in their graphics during gameplay.
Q: Will next-gen graphics be downgraded to play against mobile users?
A: We will make graphical adjustments to the mobile version but the next-generation graphics on consoles and PC will not be downgraded.
Konami announced late last month that it had officially renamed its titular Pro Evolution Soccer series, eFootball. The game will be digital-only and free-to-play when it releases for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC this Autumn – with iOS and Android versions to follow. All versions of the game will receive cross-play features by winter, although it is important to note that mobile players will need to use a controller when playing against console and PC players.
Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter where he is often seen supporting the northern powerhouse known as Merseyside Red.
Marvel’s upcoming show What If…? is officially made up of canon MCU stories, thanks to the newly-minted multiverse.
Speaking to IGN, What If…? head writer AC Bradley made it very clear that, despite its animated style and anthology premise, everything in the show is being considered as canon. “The events of What If…? are canon. It’s part of the MCU multiverse. The multiverse is here. It is real, and it is absolutely fantastic, people.”
Kate Herron, director of Marvel’s Loki, previously confirmed that her show had ushered in a Marvel Cinematic Multiverse. While we all but knew that the likes of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Spider-Man: No Way Home would embrace that development, it remained unclear whether What If…? would be considered part of the MCU (or MCM, I guess) in the same way.
The original What If…? comics saw Uatu the Watcher introducing alternate realities branching off from the established Marvel comic timeline. It seems likely that the What If…? show – which has its own Uatu in the form of Jeffrey Wright – will use the same framing device.
It leaves open the tantalising question of whether the animated characters in What If…? could ever become live-action versions in future MCU projects. With the likes of Peggy Carter as Captain Britain and Gamora in Thanos’ armour, there are some potential fan-favourites in the offing, although Marvel’s understandably not talking about anything that far in advance right now.
There’s one MCU connection that Bradley was less forthright on, however; whether Wright’s Uatu is one of the Watchers we previously saw at the end of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2. As we learned, Bradley accidentally pitched some of the plot of Guardians 3 while coming up with What If…? storylines, and the writer clearly doesn’t want to step on the toes of any other MCU projects.
We also spoke to Bradley and director Bryan Andrews about Chadwick Boseman’s final performance as T’Challa, who becomes an alternate Star-Lord in the course of What If…? This take on T’Challa is lighter, funnier, and fliertier than the Black Panther we know.
What If…? premieres on August 11, exclusively on Disney Plus. It will see the return of multiple MCU actors, who’ll reprise their roles in animated form. That includes Hayley Atwell (Agent Peggy Carter), Sebastian Stan (Bucky Barnes), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Jeff Goldblum (Grandmaster), Tom Hiddleston (Loki), Natalie Portman (Jane Foster), Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Josh Brolin (Thanos), Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury), Mark Ruffalo (The Hulk), Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark, and the late Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa.
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Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to [email protected].
Xolo Maridueña, perhaps best known for his portrayal of Miguel Diaz in Netflix’s Cobra Kai, is in talks to play the lead role in DC’s Blue Beetle for HBO Max and Warner Bros.
Per Hollywood Reporter, Maridueña is apparently in negotiations for the role, which would see him star in DC’s first film with a Latino superhero at its helm. Earlier this year, IGN reported that Charm City Kings director Angel Manuel Soto is set to direct the film, which will focus on Mexican-American teen Jaime Reyes, DC’s third character to take the Blue Beetle name after Dan Garret and Ted Kord. Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer will be writing the script, with Zev Forman on as an executive producer for Warner Bros.
Reyes’ time as the Blue Beetle began in 2006. His origin story begins as a high school student in El Paso, Texas. Unlike his former Blue Beetle counterparts, Reyes discovers the mysterious blue beetle scarab (Khaji Da) in a disused lot before taking it home. The scarab later grafts its self to Reyes’ spine which gives him a powerful battle suit, an energy cannon, and the ability to travel in space, among a range of other abilities. Reyes is later discovered by another DC hero, Booster Gold, who introduces him to the Justice League.
Jared Moore is a freelance writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter where he is currently deciding which superpowers he would choose given the chance.
The intriguing art-style and combat of Boomerang X is what drew me in, but the boomerang itself is what hooked me. The four-sided weapon wielded by your unnamed hero gave me serious Krull vibes, a terrible 1980s fantasy movie I loved dearly in which the main character wields a five-sided version called the Glaive.
As a kid, it captured my imagination – and while that movie doesn’t hold up nearly as well as I wanted it to, the basic premise of flinging a bladed weapon at fantastical baddies is something Boomerang X has finally arced back around to deliver to me. I’m grateful my love of a bad ’80s movie pushed me to give Boomerang X a try, because this stylish twist on a retro FPS is great even without the niche nostalgia trip.
There’s little in the way of story here: you’re sailing along in a wooden boat only to be shipwrecked on a mysterious island, and the only path off the beach is into a cave where you find your magical boomerang weapon. Along the way, Boomerang X tells you the rest of what you need to know mostly through its environments.
You’ll pass through a ruined village, and if you look into the right houses you can spot the remains of the island’s original inhabitants. There are a few friendly creatures who offer context for the current state of the island through text dialogue, as well as explaining a little of the history of your boomerang. But for the most part it’s very “show, don’t tell,” and that compliments the mysterious attitude of Boomerang X perfectly.
Boomerang X’s cell-shaded graphics work with that attitude excellently as well. I played on Nintendo Switch and didn’t notice any major framerate dips, even when the arenas were overrun with enemies. It’s also available on PC, and I have to imagine playing with a mouse and keyboard is the superior way to play (because it always is for FPS games) but with the Pro Controller and a smart auto-aim system, I still had a great time.
Once you get past the brief intro, it’s game on. You’re immediately thrown into a battle with mysterious beasts, their only defining features being their dark shadowy shapes and the occasional colored weak points. They remind me very much of the Shadow Beasts in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, and that’s not the only Nintendo vibe Boomerang X throws off (but more on that later). Some creatures resemble horrible bloated spiders, while others look like nightmare squid who’ve learned to free themselves from the shackles of their oceanfaring lives.
As you move through the world of Boomerang X you’ll discover more kinds of enemies, each with different attacks and powers. Some of them, like the aforementioned spiders, are as simple to kill as aiming your boomerang and letting it fly. Others, like the strange summoning demons a little later on, can only be destroyed with a well-aimed shot at their crystalline weak points. I enjoyed the variety of enemies, and how each new area seemed to bring with it a new challenging foe. Figuring out the best course of attack for some of the tougher creatures added a nice strategic element to Boomerang X beyond just having well-placed throws.
In addition to discovering new, tougher enemies as you progress deeper into the mysterious island, you also unlock more powers for your boomerang. At first, you merely toss the boomerang and it does what you’d expect it to do: hits things then comes back. As you go further, you’ll learn how to instantly recall the boomerang or charge it for longer throws, and soon after that you start unlocking its true potential as a weapon.
That includes more powerful effects like slowing time, using it as a grappling hook, and even stronger attacks. Its power scales up perfectly, and I definitely needed to master almost every different type of attack and unique power to win some of the later, tougher battles. Fights are also incredibly enjoyable because they require constant motion, and the clever powers of your boomerang make it possible to move around the battlefield quickly and smoothly.
Remember how I said it gives off serious Nintendo vibes? The Twilight Princess comparison is apparent from the very first enemy you face, but Boomerang X also gave me a serious Metroid Prime feeling, and that’s a great feeling for a game to give. You start off with nothing, very little in the way of story or context, and become more powerful and learn about your environment as you progress.
It’s not actually a Metroidvania though, as Boomerang X is completely linear and missing their crucial exploration element. There are no branching pathways, no backtracking, no doors or portals you need to return to once you unlock the proper boomerang power. You simply go into one arena, defeat the enemy waves, and move onto the next. Yes, you gain new powers and increase your shield several times over during the course of Boomerang X, but there’s no wandering here.
I still had a lot of fun within its rigid structure, but I would have loved to be able to explore this tiny island world for myself. That’s especially true because Boomerang X is a pretty short game. I was able to beat it in around three hours, and that was a fairly leisurely pace. After beating it, a New Game+ is unlocked (and I immediately started playing through it again), but I was enjoying Boomerang X so much that I was left wanting more than to replay it with my powers intact.
Today for a very limited time you can save 31% off the Bowflex SelectTech 2080 adjustable barbell with curl bar. This is the first time we’ve ever seen a discount for this weight set, and it’s a big one. In fact, the last time we even saw this in stock at retail price from a 3rd party vendor (not Bowflex) was back in February. Other deals today include 21% off the highly recommended Sony WH1000XM4 noise cancelling headphones, 50% off Razer Hammerhead wireless earbuds, newly released Crucial P5 Plus M.2 SSD for your PS5 storage upgrade starting at only $108, free $300 JBL gaming headset when you preorder Samsung’s flagship Odyssey Neo G9 48″ gaming monitor, and more.
The Bowflex SelectTech 2080 Barbell with Curl Bar has been sold out everywhere except at Bowflex direct for months. It’s currently $599.99 at Bowflex direct, but today Woot! is offering the set for over 30% off. Like all the other adjustable weight sets that go on sale at Woot!, this will most likely sell out before it expires at the end of the day. The SelectTech curl bar is adjustable from 20lbs to 80lbs in 10lb increments.
Sony WH1000XM4 Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Bluetooh Headphones
The ever popular and highly rated Sony WH1000XM4 headphones are back down to $278 from its original $350 price point (21% off). This is the newest generation of Sony’s best sounding noise-cancelling headphones and the active noise cancellation and audio quality are equal to that of the best Bose QuietComfort headphones, which is currently $100 more.
The Razer Hammerhead truly wireless earbuds is over 50% off today at Amazon. These gaming-centric earbuds feature 13mm drivers with ample amounts of bass, low latency, IPX4 rating for sweat and water resistance, up to 15 hours of battery life.
This is currently the most popular (and probably the best) SSD to get for your PS5 storage upgrade. This is a blazing fast drive with transfer speeds rated at up to 7,000 MB/s and a PCIe Gen4 interface and it comes preinstalled with a heatsink. It’s also confirmed by Western Digital themselves to be compatible with the PS5.
Crucial has released a brand new PCIe Gen4 x4 M.2 SSD today, and it’s not a coincidence that it’s a perfect match for the PS5’s SSD upgrade requirements. The only caveat is that this SSD comes bare without any heatsink. If you’re going to get one, don’t splurge. Something like this $11 low-profile heatsink will do just fine.
Preorder the Samsung Neo G9 gaming monitor (out on August 23), and get the JBL Quantum One Gaming Headset for free. That’s a $300 headset. This is the first Mini LED gaming monitor we’ve seen and easily the best monitor in Samsung’s “Odyssey” series. Mini LED technology is pretty new. You’ll see them in the highest end Samsung and TCL TVs as well as the newest Apple iPad Pro 12.9″ XDR display. The cost keeps 99% of us gamers at bay, but for those who can afford it, you currently won’t find a better monitor.
Not only is this $1299 laptop equipped with the newest RTX 3060 video card, which performs as well as the RTX 2070, it also boasts a gorgeous 15″ 4K OLED display. Gigabyte states that this display is X-Rite certified, per-unit factory calibrated, and Pantone validated for color accuracy. If you want a more powerful option, a RTX 3070 equipped model is also available, but at a different vendor (Newegg).
This is one of the best pre-built RTX 3080 PC deals out there at the moment. If your going for a prebuilt, Alienware is Dell’s top-of-the-line gaming PCs. Alienware PCs are all built with consistency with the same (and often proprietary) components, unlike many other brands where each PC is piece-mealed together with off-the-shelf components that are current on hand. Dell also has a good at-home warranty service.
This newly released set is a sure winner. The 590-piece Marvel Infinity Gauntlet is comprised of mostly gold pieces (which are pretty hard to find standalone), includes a stand for you to display your finished work, and features articulating fingers. At $69.99, it’s priced at a reasonable 12 cents per brick.
Add five preowned games worth $19.99 or less to your cart and your price will drop to $50 when you check out. That’s only $10 per game. This should work on all preowned games, including games for the PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, Xbox, and Switch consoles. You should also get free shipping on your order.
Actor and former wrestler Dave Bautista, perhaps best known for his role as Drax the Destroyer in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, will not be reprising the part for the upcoming Marvel animated anthology What If….? And it turns out, there’s a simple explanation for his absence–according to Bautista, he was never asked.
Although the animated series doesn’t hit Disney+ until August 11, one eagle-eyed fan noticed that Bautista is not credited with the role, and asked him on Twitter. “Let’s start with I was never asked,” Bautista responded, which prompted a confused response by his own Guardians director, James Gunn, who replied with “What.”
However, Bautista is hardly the only actor who isn’t returning to their famous Marvel roles for the series. The actors who have historically played Tony Stark, Peter Parker, Steve Rogers, Carol Danvers, Ultron, Wanda Maximoff, Natasha Romanoff, Shuri, Pepper Potts, and Dora Milaje are now instead being portrayed by different actors.
Then again, before you get perplexed by this, the series does dive into various Marvel multiverses and the many possibilities for its characters beyond what has happened in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Marvel certainly has some creative license to say that the alternate actors are part of the whole alternate history premise–except for the fact that many major stars are reprising their roles. So, who knows, but while Disney has not yet provided a comment on this–Gunn’s acknowledgment could agitate enough for a response or some future Drax goodness we may not have gotten otherwise. After all, Bautista has been vocal about wishing Marvel “would invest more in Drax.”
It’s a new week, and that means Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption II is getting a fresh wave of missions and discounts for its Red Dead Online mode. Rockstar announced everything on its website, and we’re rounding up the key takeaways here.
The new Opportunity this week calls on players to find and collect a precious diamond known as II Sovrano. It’s currently in Rhodes, where rich people are deciding what to do with it next. Naturally, your job is to steal it. “It’s been suggested that a representative of Senator Ricard will collect Il Sovrano and you’ll need to find information as to the jewel’s whereabouts,” reads a line from the mission’s description. “Whether you distract the guards, sneak your way in, or make an explosive entrance, you’ll need to track down and take the jewel.”
Red Dead Online’s latest weekly update is out now
Those who complete the Opportunity will get a reward that gives them a free weapon component of their choosing. Beating it on the Ruthless difficulty comes with the Duplessis hat from Madam Nazar as a reward.
A new contract is available too. The Saloons contract requires players to collect money from saloon owners. Some will be agreeable, while others won’t, and that’s where things will get violent–which is in keeping with the spirit of the Blood Money update that this is all part of. Players can speak to Sean MacGuire, Anthony Foreman, Joe, or Langton kick off this new contract.
Rockstar also reminded players that Red Dead Online’s new battle pass-style Quick Draw Club No. 1 is now available through August 9. Everyone who buys the pass gets a Rushworld t-shirt and other rewards, including 50% off role items and rewards. The Quick Draw Club No. 2 launches on August 10 with more items to unlock and collect.
Elsewhere, players who take part in any of the Nominated Series events this week will get 40% off a multi-horse of their choosing. And looking ahead, Rockstar said is plans to launch a new horde-style survival mode called Call to Arms on August 10.
In terms of discounts, the following sales are live this week in Red Dead Online:
Turkoman horses — 30% off
Shotguns — 30% off
Role Weapon Variants — 30% off
Melee Weapons, The Bow, and Improved Bow — 40% off
Hats — 40% off
In other news, Rockstar’s parent company just announced that Red Dead Redemption II has now shipped 38 million copies, while Red Dead Online posted big gains for total players and money from its various microtransactions. Take-Two said it continues to see growth for Red Dead Online thanks in part to launch of its standalone edition.
The first ever ticketed Facebook film premiere is set to take place this month. The documentary The Outsider will debut exclusively on Facebook on August 19.
The Outsider will be available globally on Facebook Live for just 12 hours, starting August 19 at 8 PM ET until August 20 at 8 AM. Tickets cost $4, which includes access to a Q&A with the filmmakers following the film. Following this, the film will be available on distributor Abramorama‘s on-demand platform, before hitting selected theaters in September.
The Outsider is directed by Pamela Yoder and Steven Rosenbaum and focuses on the challenging and controversial construction of the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum in New York, which opened in 2014. It follows the experiences of Michael Shulan, a writer and photographer who documented the aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks and was appointed creative director of the 9/11 museum.
While The Outsider will be the first movie to premiere on Facebook, the company continues to develop its own original programming for its Facebook Watch on-demand service. The animated horror series Woman in the Book was released in June, and in September last year, Facebook claimed that the service reaches 1.25 billion viewers a month. However, the company counts anything over one minute as a view.
The Fortnite Week 9 Alien Artifacts are coming up soon. They’ll appear in-game starting on Thursday, August 5 at 7 AM PT / 10 AM ET, which is the same time the Epic Quests will go live. As always, these Artifacts will only stick around for a few days, so make sure you grab them within one week. But with our guide, you’ll not need to worry. Here’s where to find Week 9 Alien Artifacts in Fortnite.
Week 9 Alien Artifacts
There are five Alien Artifacts on the island this week, as is almost always the case. Each canister actually adds four Artifacts each to your cache, meaning you can find 20 Alien Artifacts on the island in specific places, not to mention the bonus Artifacts you may find by opening Cosmic Chests throughout the week. You’ll find Alien Artifacts at the following locations:
Under the floor of Unremarkable Shack on the central northern mini-island (smash through the wood to see it)
Inside Gas N’ Grub gas station just east of The Aftermath
Atop the satellite dish at Defiant Dish, east of Weeping Woods
Inside the small hut beside the mini-spire within Weeping Woods
Inside the shack on a small island offshore from Holly Hatchery
All Week 9 Alien Artifacts
With Alien Artifacts, you can unlock new cosmetics for Kymera. The Tier 1 Battle Pass alien character can be customized across a variety of features, including armor color, skin color, armor underglow, eye color, head shape, and more. Each category of Kymera’s features includes a tiered list of options ranging from 2-17 Alien Artifacts per item, including a full set of free options which act as the default Kymera style. To unlock the most expensive item in any category, you’ll need to first unlock all the others before it in the same category.
That’s why collecting all Fortnite Alien Artifacts each week is so important if you’re hoping to unlock the full range of features. Unlike past customizable Battle Pass cosmetics like Chapter 2 Season 2’s Maya or Chapter 2 Season 3’s ‘Brella, Kymera can be restyled whenever you feel like it.
There’s no permanent locking-in of his look. You could even make multiple Kymera characters for different presets. It’s like amassing an alien army for your loadouts. But you have to get Alien Artifacts during the week in which they debut, as they’re replaced the following week with new ones. Also new this week is a quality-of-life feature that puts Alien Artifacts on your map when you’re nearby.
You’re unlikely to grab all Alien Artifacts in one round since they’re spread out–though you could with a UFO and a little Storm luck. But don’t worry, so long as you get them all before they disappear next week, you’ll be all set.
After a generation of premium peripherals expanding the range of features and options to look for in a controller, the well has gone dry for PS5 players. With no sanctioned third-party controllers, players who want features outside the DualSense’s standard loadout still have one place they can turn: Specialty gamepad modders, who add and/or replace parts to make custom versions of the DualSense.
HexGaming’s customizable DualSense model, the Rival, adds rear buttons and replaceable thumbsticks, plus a handful of other optional features and tons of cosmetic options to your specifications. For a controller that’s been chopped up and reassembled, it looks and feels incredibly well-made, and its added features feel right at home with the DualSense’s standard offerings. Picking up a custom DualSense is a big step – It’s much more expensive than your average controller – but HexGaming’s modifications rise to meet the DualSense’s high bar for quality.
HexGaming Rival – Design & Features
Despite its new name, the Rival is a modified version of the original DualSense, so much of its design feels identical to the original… Because it is. The basic shape and button layout is the same. It has the same long handles and that big clicky pad in the center. Despite the fact that HexGaming replaces the PS logo with its own round home button, you wouldn’t mistake the Rival for anything other than a DualSense.
The Rival has a few core upgrades that come with every controller. It has replaceable analog sticks, and comes with three different lengths, all of which seem to be taller than the standard DualSense model. HexGaming’s sticks are held on magnetically, which makes it easy to pull them off and switch options without any risk of the sticks flying off during intense play.
There’s also a large rear panel strapped to the back of the Rival, which affixes two wing-like rear buttons that curve into place right under your middle fingers. They’re comfortable, with a nice tactile click, and easy to pull. The large panel that houses the buttons, however, can crowd your hands a bit, depending on your grip.
You can map almost any button to the rear buttons – only the PlayStation button and Touchpad are off-limits. Pairing is easy, but takes a little bit of time: You have to hold a button to turn on pairing mode, then hold the rear button and the button you’re mapping for a few seconds, then turn off pairing mode. It’s quick enough so that you won’t hesitate to remap buttons at the start of a new game, but you might think twice about changing them on the fly mid-session.
Beyond the core “Rival” upgrades, you can customize almost every part of the DualSense in some way or another. In a made-to-order build, you can replace the face buttons, d-pad, menu buttons, bumpers, triggers, touchpad, front panel, rear panel, and more. Most of these replacements are primarily cosmetic: Instead of Sony’s standard clear-on-white face and d-pad buttons, you can get shiny chrome red or matte purple (like mine). While they are mostly for show, it’s worth noting that the changes do alter the feel of the controller a bit. If you get a controller face and/or touchpad with a pattern, for example, it’s printed on shiny, smooth plastic panels, rather than the smooth matte material on the standard DualSense.
There are also a couple of optional upgrades that offer more substantial changes. There’s a black textured rear panel, which adds a rubberized back with paint-drip pattern bumps along the backs of the handles. The biggest optional feature is “FastShots,” a permanently installed low-profile trigger lock for the bumpers and triggers that significantly limits the travel on all four buttons. According to HexGaming, L1 and R1 bottom out at 0.5mm, down from 1.2mm. L2 and R2 are cut more dramatically, 7mm to 2mm. The difference between the two is stark, especially on the triggers: On a normal DualSense, the triggers press all the way down to the base of their housing: With FastShots, there’s a tactile click, but the button barely moves. Likewise, the bumpers have a more pronounced tactile click when you press them, but they move significantly less.
As with AimControllers’ modified DualSense, which has a similar optional feature, FastShots has pros and cons that skew heavily toward competitive players. Reducing travel cuts down on the time it takes to push the bumpers and pull the triggers, which is great in a high-reflex shooter. On the other hand, removing travel cuts out some of the unique immersive features of the DualSense’s smart triggers; specifically, you lose the capacity to feel any resistance when pulling down the triggers. It enhances your competitive experiences, but at the expense of your single-player ones.
There’s one crucial DualSense component that doesn’t come with HexGaming Rival – a charging cable. Finding a USB-C charging cable isn’t exactly a hardship given how many devices use USB-C. (Fun Fact: I charged it with my Macbook Air charger one time). Still, given the Rival’s hefty price tag, it feels a little chincy to leave out a cord that you’ll need to keep your controller running.
HexGaming Rival – Gaming
Setting aside the pros and cons of trigger locks for just a moment, every facet of the Rival mod works incredibly well. While the smooth plastic panels and matte buttons don’t feel exactly like a DualSense, the experience is fundamentally the same. (That’s a very good thing). The build quality of the controller holds up, and none of the modded parts feel cheap or flimsy. The rear buttons have a quick pull, which makes them great for snappy, reflexive inputs like rolling in Demon’s Souls, or aiming down sights in Destiny 2. And, as with most rear buttons, they’re very comfortable. I find them especially useful when you need to hold a button for an extended period of time, like when fixing generators in Dead by Daylight.
FastShots is one of the most comfortable, well-implemented trigger-locks I’ve used. They successfully cut down on the time and distance of each trigger pull and bumper press. (Though that’s a given, really). The tactile clicks of the bumpers and triggers compensate for the lack of travel, which effectively hides the “jammed” sensation you feel with most locked buttons. While it prevents trigger resistance, it doesn’t impede the smart triggers’ precision rumble and other immersive features, allowing single-player games like Returnal to retain most of their controller-based immersive quirks.
The smaller gameplay-relevant touches also feel good in-game. If you’ve ever held a DualSense and wished that its microscopic textured grip was larger and more pronounced, the rubberized grip really makes it feel stable in your grasp, even with sweaty hands. The replaceable analog sticks are easy to swap quickly, even on the fly. As someone with short fingers, I don’t really need longer sticks so they weren’t that appealing to me, but I admit that having actual adjustable sticks beats buying stick extenders or other makeshift add-ons that compromise how the stick feels just to add length.
