A Step In the Right Direction For Design-Your-Own Peripherals
With Sony offering so many colors in the spectrum for PlayStation 5 DualSense controllers, you may wonder why one should bother with letting other companies get a crack at it. Well, there’s something distinctive about crafting a gameplay experience to work better for you, through added features or more intuitive controller design that Sony just can’t offer. This, folks, is where Mega Modz comes in.
The company has been working for several years now on creating custom controllers for gamers to take their experiences to the next level, but they have only just begun working on creating something special for those that own a PlayStation 5. Recently, it gave us the opportunity to try out a specially made Macro Remap custom controller to see how well it works with the system. Honestly, it’s hard to go back to a regular peripheral with this bad boy around.
Functionality, Baby
First off, when you go to the Mega Modz site, you have the opportunity to build a controller from scratch. Is it costly? Sure it is, but you can choose what goes into this unit. We’re talking beyond just design, as you can add specialty buttons and other features that help improve performance.
The big feature here is the addition of a backplate on the underside of the controller. This adds additional functionality in terms of buttons that can be remapped. For first-person shooters, for example, you can use these to shoot and/or cover instead of wearing down the triggers. To some, these may feel like second nature; while others may take a little more time to get used to them.
Setting up the functions you want is a cinch with these buttons. It’s a matter of holding down the remap button and then putting the function you want in place. (The controller does come with a guide that breaks this down a little bit easier, in case you get confused.) Furthermore, it’s not limited to certain buttons, but any of the functions you want to use. It’s quite helpful, and you can change things up in case there are certain games you want to switch to – like FIFA 22, for instance.
Now, if you prefer to just get into a pre-set style of play instead of going through the trouble of putting together your own, the Mega Modz controller has you covered. You can set up different “sub-modes” with the controller, each indicated by little LED lights on top of the controller. It’s great once you figure out which modes work best with controllers, and completely optional if you prefer the traditional style of play. It’s very cool, to say the least – something Sony might learn from with future revisions of its DualSense models.
Some people might feel that the “default” setup is the best way to go, and that’s fine for them. It’s for those that really want to take their game to the next level, making it feel like “their own”, so to speak, and this is an excellent peripheral to turn to.
How Does the Build Hold Up?
When it comes to third-party controllers, there may be fears that some of the key components in general gameplay could be lost. We’ve seen controllers ship without rumble functionality and motion movement, two things that players like with certain systems – such as the Nintendo Switch. Not to worry, Mega Modz is well aware of what players want, and we’re happy to report that our custom build didn’t let us down.
First, the parts are similar to what Sony uses for their controllers. Not once did the Mega Modz controller we have tried out feel awkward or out of place. It adjusts properly into our hands, and everything from the mechanical buttons to the triggers and the D-pad feels as it should. Even the analog sticks haven’t run into any sort of drifting problem, producing excellent results in games like Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy and Call of Duty: Vanguard. It also holds a reasonably sized charge for several hours, so battery life isn’t an issue either.
It also utilizes the Haptic Feedback we’ve come to expect from Sony’s pad, and, if you use them, the adaptive triggers. That’s great, considering most third-party controllers don’t bother with these. (At least, not yet.)
As for the available designs, there are several combinations you can go with. For our review unit, since I’m a Denver Broncos fan at heart (sorry, haters), I decided to go with a solid orange appearance and midnight blue colored buttons, along with a light blue chameleon sheen for the backside and the macro remap plate. As you can see, the colors come together pretty nicely, though you can choose your combinations and features as you build your controller on the Mega Modz website. What’s more, you can save your design and come back to it, should you feel the need to experiment further or try for something more.
The only downside, again, is the price. Adjusted with features added, you’re likely to be paying somewhere around $200-$250 for the finished product, a steep step over the default price of $70. As always, you get what you pay for, especially when it comes to performance and quality. Furthermore, Mega Modz backs everything nicely just in case you need any further assistance.
A Controller Worth Savoring
If you don’t mind the steep price tag and the small-time to wait for a controller to be put together (depending on how busy the company can be), the Mega Modz PlayStation 5 Macro Remap Custom Controller is truly impressive. It’s a lot of fun to play with, and the added functionality and sub-modes are really cool, so you can get the most out of your library. It works great with backward-compatible titles as well, even if higher-end features aren’t used. The controller feels top-notch and holds a charge like a champ as well.
Not everyone needs a customized controller, but for those that want to get one with a passion, this is worth adding at the top of your list.
