Saros reminded me how great the DualSense is

The DualSense controller was one of Sony’s main selling points for the PS5. In addition to things like the stunning new design and adaptive triggers, the controller’s haptic feedback has provided truly great new gaming experiences. Rumble effects had been around for decades at that point, but the DualSense offered something entirely different: I’m still impressed by the sand crunching under Astro’s feet in Team Asobi. Astro games room Or the future beats of weapons in Housemarque Returning.

But there have been a few titles since the PS5’s release that have captured the same magic and showcased what made the console so special. this week, Housemarque has launched its next title, Sarosand it’s arguably the first game in a long time that makes the DualSense feel significant.

In most games, rumble and touch seem like an added bonus. It might help emphasize an explosion or gunfire here and there, but if I turn off the rumble in a game, I don’t usually miss it. But with SarosThe DualSense’s haptics are an important part of playing the game.

Here are some examples of how touches work. When blasting enemies with the shotgun, the touch score increases as a warning of running out of ammo. With a powerful hand cannon that fires three bullets at a time, the DualSense fires three short taps with each shot. When a loaded crossbow shot is ready, it touches a precise point in my hand that lets me know I can fire away. When my shield is about to wear off because I’ve had it too long, the controller vibrates in a way that matches the way the shield ripples on the screen.

Beyond combat, the DualSense’s haptics also make exploring the world more immersive. You’ll feel short pulses as protagonist Arjun runs through the world of Carcosa. When you use the grappling beam to shoot across gaps, the DualSense vibrates as you get closer to the grappling point. The console rumbles alarmingly as Arjun approaches the strange set of hands that trigger a world-altering eclipse.

Even some of Arjun’s interactions with other characters use the controller. In one late-game area, as a character’s hum filled my ears, I was surprised to feel my DualSense’s haptics hum along with it. And I loved having conversations with Primary, the company’s robot housed in the Arjun base, because of how the DualSense vibrates in sync with the device’s alarming sound. These moments add important new dimensions to the game.

The touch doesn’t just feel cool; They actually improve the experience in specific ways. In the midst of a frenetic battle where I’m trying to dodge waves of bullets and hordes of enemies, it’s often easier to rely on the DualSense’s haptic haptic indicators than trying to parse something on an overly cluttered screen.

More than five years into the PS5, only a few studios have managed to figure out what to do with the DualSense. What was once one of the console’s biggest selling points has been largely forgotten. Saros It shows that there’s still a lot of untapped potential in the DualSense’s various features – let’s hope it sparks renewed interest in the controller.