Developer: KontrolFreek
Publisher: KontrolFreek
Platform: Xbox One, PS4
Tested on: Xbox One
KontrolFreek Destiny 2: Ghost for Xbox One – Accessory Review
We’ve all felt that twitch in our thumbs after long and extensive gameplay sessions on our consoles. Luckily there are accessories that can help reduce fatigue in your limbs while also increasing the precision and accuracy of your aim. KontrolFreek is at the top of the aforementioned market, providing the player with comfort and better control while accommodating the player at the same time in terms of customization.
Having added several thumbsticks in their range in the past year, KontrolFreek now offers over thirty different designs in four different categories; high-rise, mid-rise, low-rise and sports thumbsticks. Each design is unique in its own way in terms of colors, height, design and texture of the design. This allows the player to customize their rig to the fullest without it being a permanent solution. In this review, we’re taking a closer look at their newest addition to the mid-rise collection, namely the KontrolFreek Destiny 2: Ghost performance thumbsticks for Xbox One.
As the performance thumbsticks is inspired by Ghost, a levitating artificial intelligence used by Guardians, the design leaves little to our imagination. Even the tiniest detail is included in this iconic Ghost design. As for the color, KontrolFreek advertises it as cool-grey but some, if not most, will argue that the color scheme leans more towards white. We are actually one of those. Regardless of whether or not we agree on the actual color scheme of the extenders, the similarities end with the design. Of course, adding a tiny orange/brown-like dot on each edge would not have looked so good as a neutral cool-grey. That being said, the simple color scheme works perfectly on all colors so you can even add skins to your controller without the color schemes clashing.
The pack comes with not one but two mid-rise sticks, raising the height of your analog stick with a good 6 to 7 mm at the highest point. If you are not used to performance thumbsticks, the mid-rise sticks are a perfect start as they have a lesser adjustment period. These are also great for players with smaller hands. This does not mean that other players cannot use these unique sticks as they are perfectly playable for all types of players.
What sets the KontrolFreek Destiny 2: Ghost thumbsticks from the others you might ask yourselves and the question is simple; its design. Most thumbsticks have either a concave or a convex (domed) design but the Ghost thumbsticks have a hybrid surface, providing exceptional comfort. It also allows a better quickness and control of short-to-medium ranges which is perfect for first person shooters such as Destiny 2.
When it comes to the grip, we thought that the silicone felt far too smooth which might cause some trouble during extensive gameplay sessions. We also noticed that the grip felt less sturdy, which might be caused by the hybrid design but once we’ve played with the sticks attached, this feeling vanished quickly.
Installing the thumbsticks was abnormally easy. Much easier than all the other extenders we’ve tested before which left us with an odd feeling about these sticks. Anyhow, the Ghost sticks “slide” over the original analog sticks without causing any kind of damage to the sticks. Once installed, the sticks cannot be accidentally removed so they do attach quite firmly. However, they twirl around remarkably effortless. While this does allow you to align the design perfectly, we feared it might cause issues during gameplay. They did end up twirling around while playing but due to the hybrid design, it never felt like a reason to stop and set them straight. It simply wasn’t something that kept us from playing comfortably.
The KontrolFreek Destiny 2: Ghost sticks are designed to work well in first person shooters, specifically in Destiny 2 as it was designed in collaboration with Bungie, it also works well in Overwatch and Halo. As always, we tested these in other types of games as well and found out that these perform great in non-shooter games as well, except for racing games. For the latter, you should stick with the SpeedFreek Apex.
Conclusion
Initially, we were surprised by the unique hybrid surface and the fact that the package came with two mid-rise extenders instead of a mixed mid-rise and high-rise extender but in the end, we are really pleased with the Destiny 2: Ghost thumbsticks. The mid-height allows for a faster adjustment period for all types of players but it provided notable comfort during the sessions. At first, the grip felt lacking but once you’re used to the unique design and smooth edges of the extenders, you’ll have no issues with your grip. Although we will not highly recommend the sticks, it is worthy to look into them if the concave or domed surfaces are simply not cutting it for you. And let’s face it, the clean and sleek design looks astonishing.
KontrolFreek Destiny 2: Ghost for Xbox One - Accessory Review,
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