At the time of writing, I’m playing Cyberpunk 2077, and besides all its other issues – and there are many of them – one thing that bothers me is the lack of DualSense support. Obviously it’s a PlayStation 4 game, so I never expected it to take advantage of the PlayStation 5 path, but here I am: it’s hard to go back to basic features once you’ve experienced what Sony’s new controller can do.
I’ve been noticing this for a while now, to be honest. A few weeks ago, I was playing Resident Evil 3, which was good in itself – but getting no resistance from the triggers when Jill Valentine’s weapons were shot was disappointing, and the rumble had no nuances. Again, this is a PS4 game, so I had no real expectations, but the point I’m trying to make is that it’s really hard to go backwards once you’ve experienced what the DualSense can do.
Take racing games, for example: I recently fired up Burnout Paradise and enjoyed buzzing around the sandbox, but racing games just do not look right without the triggers fighting back under your fingers. These older games lack the added dimension of feedback that PS5 offers, and while still on their own merits, it feels like you’ve lost one of your senses; it’s like eating Spaghetti Bolognese without being able to smell the aroma of the sauce.
To be clear, this observation does not only apply to backwards compatible titles; I even think a game like Sackboy: A Big Adventure, which uses some of the DualSense features but does not go crazy, feels flat compared to Astro’s Playroom. And there are not many first-person shooters on the PS5, but I simply could not imagine playing one without the texture that Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War adds. Even sports matches no longer feel correct to me without resistance to the triggers that illustrate fatigue.
You have to acknowledge Sony here: I liked the DualShock 4 a lot, but to be honest, it feels pathetic once you use a DualSense. This is not only because of the improved ergonomics of the PS5 road, but also because it adds so many nuances to games when implemented correctly. Of course, I can still play and enjoy PS4 games, but I can not help feeling that there is something missing in everyone right now. PS5’s controller has literally changed the game.
How do you feel about playing games now without proper DualSense integration? Do you feel that something is missing since you used the controller, or do you think the unique features and functions of the road are overrated? Feel things differently in the comments below.