The Razer Hydra has extreme accuracy and precision compared to a mouse and keyboard once you get used to it. The controller also comes with a plethora of buttons to customize and use so you don’t really ever need to come to the keyboard unless you plan on typing in something or need to save the game. The set up is pretty easy and once you plug-in the controller you just need to go to Razer’s website http://razerzone.com to get the drivers and program.
Presentation : A
The Presentation of this piece of hardware is amazing. The glowing orb in the middle where the electromagnetic field is from gives you that edgy pro gamer feel that you are looking for when playing with your friends in a Lan party or just cause you want a cool glowing thing in front of you while you play your favorite games. This is somewhat adjustable as well so if it gets on your nerves you can tone it down a little. The controllers that are connected to it fit in the palms of your hands quite easily and are easy to grip and use without any true struggle. The Cable that connects to them is a little small so you can’t get very far away from the base, but for most gamers this won’t be a problem since they tend to use their monitor on their desk. I use a TV and I like to be a bit further away from the screen, but it wasn’t bad enough to merit giving it a bad grade. The controllers have a ton of buttons all customizable to your comfort and the triggers on the front are really big so you have no problem distinguishing between which one is which and slipping off one and hitting another. All in all this piece is very well put together and the functionality of it is incredible. I can’t see anyone who plays a First Person Shooter not wanting to use one of these to give them the extreme accuracy they want.
Gaming Relevance: B
The Razer Hydra is an amazing FPS tool and can increase accuracy to an extreme degree. The motion detecting on this equipment is so high that it can even sense my hands move when I can’t even see them move. But when it comes to relevance for use in any other game it kind of begins to lack a bit. True the controller is like a virtual joystick and you can move the mouse on the screen around, but unless you truly want that kind of experience with your controller you most likely will pick up a mouse for those RPG or Strategy Games you play. But when it comes to FPS this controller is GOD! You can’t get any more pinpoint accurate than this and it appeals to all FPS games, I even played it with Skyrim and loved the use it gave me.I was able to hit with my arrows on the move easier and was able to hit with my spells for a quick pop around the corner fireballs. And for you console style gamers out there, there is a setting that lets you use both joysticks and use the motion sensing on the main controller for added long-range precision. They thought of everyone when they made this.
Functionality : A
This controller is truly functional and has so many different kinds of settings that you can use it for about anything you really want. Although you will probably only use this for gaming you can actually use it as your mouse for your computer if you really want to, so it doesn’t stop with just the ability to play games. There are a lot of different settings for this controller including a “Mouselook” where it lets you use the controller as a virtual joystick with a ratcheting function. (Ratcheting, for you who don’t know means that you can press a button and it stops the mouse where it is at while you move the controller back to what ever position you need, then you let go to continue on where you left off, much like a ratchet tool lets you unscrew or screw a bolt) You have a “free look” mode where your controller actually moves the screen without the need to ratchet and the closer you get to the edge of the screen the faster it moves. This was the best mode I found for Skyrim and Bioshock. The next mode is “Hybrid” which is a lot like free look, but instead you have a mouselook like ability until you get to a certain point on the screen then it goes into a free look mode, this was a really good mode for Call of Duty: MW3 because of the accuracy you had while zooming and you didn’t have to ratchet which gave you the maneuverability you needed between shots. Next you have “dual analog” mode which is designed for the console gamer. Both analog sticks are used to control your character but the controller also can be used to semi-mouselook to give you additional accuracy. And the final mode is “Akimbo” which allows those who are ambidextrous to use both controllers to move them around the screen almost like a double joystick.
So as you can see the functionality possibilities are endless and you can even lower and raise the sensitivity of everything for that added accuracy and customization. Don’t forget those buttons on the controller that allow you to do more stuff, I really didn’t need to use the keyboard other than to trash talk between matches or to save in Skyrim.
Learning Curve: B
This controller is truly innovative in its design and is a very powerful tool for any gamer but it’s true downfall is the fact it is hard to learn how to use it especially for those moving from console gaming to PC gaming. It can definitely be a tough experience to try to get your accuracy score high until you get used to the sensitivity of the controller. I can’t tell you how many times I accidentally jumped because I have a tendency to move when I kill an opponent. I don’t know if it was just a reaction that I didn’t realize I do but when I kill someone in Call of Duty, I move around and readjust myself to begin the next round of killing and this got me killed multiple times. I had to be very still when playing and sometimes it is hard to do. But once you get used to this controller you are unstoppable with very accurate shots and full immersion you become the game and you will kill anyone in your path!
If you truly love FPS gaming and you are an avid Precision PC gamer you shouldn’t be without one of these in your hands.
Overall : B
How long did it take you to get used too the controller?
Hmm, it probably took me a good week or so to start getting it down. The controller is great but can definitely take some time, it’s almost a lot like trying to fly a flight simulator game with a mouse when you’ve been playing with a joystick the whole time, or vise-verse. You just have to play with the settings for a while and get it to where it feels just right for you.
That is by far the best review i’ve read on one of these (mine is shipping). Good site and i think i’ll read more here.