Dragon War Dragon Shock 4 – Hardware Review
Dragon War is clearly stepping up its game again by releasing an impressive amount of products, which are available for a fixed amount of platforms. Only a short while ago we took a look at the Dragon Shock Ultimate controller, which proved to be a great asset for PC gamers, but we were also rather curious about the actual successor to the Dragon Shock controller for PlayStation, as with a new generation there should be a new controller. The Dragon Shock 4 eventually ended up in our hands, and while the neon-like sticks were removed, we were still treated with something very sleek and beautiful, which immediately felt like a good start.
Design
Even though the Dragon Shock 4 isn’t completely the same shape as a PlayStation 4 controller, the contours remain fairly the same, albeit smoothened out. The most prominent features are probably the matte coating around the controller, which makes the glossy buttons, with abstract interpretations of the PS symbols, stand out.
As mentioned earlier, the very neon-like blue accents on the previous controller have been removed, but the color blue is still properly represented on this device. This time we get a more classy blue to accentuate the bumpers and triggers and the logo and the sticks have their fair share of blue as well. The usage of color in this controller does not make the device look cheaper, and it actually makes it a lot more pleasing to the eye, instead of having yet another black brick lying on your desk.
Comfort
As is the case with many of Dragon War’s controllers, they are coated with a soft rubberlike padding, which feels very cushy, and also adds some extra grip. While this is one of the controller’s most comfortable features, it’s also the one that asks for the most maintenance, as fingerprints are easily seen on this type of exterior. A small cleaning cloth for glasses can do wonders, albeit after a fair amount of scrubbing.
The sleek shape of the device will allow people with smaller hands to have a comfortable time as well, making sure the grips aren’t too thick, and all of the buttons easily reachable. Comfort-wise the device has been properly taken care of by the creators of this next-gen controller.
Specs
- 2 Vibration motors
- Non-slip thumbsticks
- 3M braided cable
Overview
We’ll immediately start off with the bad news, to properly dive into the good later on. The Dragon Shock 4 does not work on your PlayStation TV (or Vita TV, depending on where you live), even though Sony’s tiny flopped console normally supports a PS4 controller. We assume either Dragon War did not develop their controller with the PS TV in mind, or Sony simply doesn’t care about their semi-functional Vita for TV anymore, as it didn’t end up being profitable. Either case, you’ll just be able to use this device for your PS4.
As this is a wired controller, a few of the issues of the original PS3 controller are resolved, such as the controller shutting down after only a few moments of inactivity, or the fact there was sometimes a bit of ‘input lag’, thus making this controller ideal for fighting games now said issues are no longer on the table. The device itself is just a matter of plug and play which will allow you to dive right into the games you’re eager to play.
Even though, just like the Dragon Shock Ultimate, the device still feels a bit less solid than the plastic used for Sony’s official controllers, this piece of hardware is actually very sturdy, not too light and same can be said about the buttons, which all feel like they were placed and developed with care. Triggers have a nice resistance to them, which doesn’t make them too flimsy, and the D-Pad is made out of one solid piece, rather than Sony’s D-Pad which is still made out of four pieces (even though the underlying plastic connects said pieces). Again, the D-Pad will also make this controller a lot more suitable for fighting games that still function with the D-Pad, or even simple platformers prove to be a delight. The sticks are a bit smaller, but also have a proper amount of resistance to them.
Conclusion
Dragon War’s new PlayStation 4 controller proves to be up to the task of competing with the original device. While the matter cover may deteriorate a tad quicker than the hard plastic of Sony’s official controller, it still is sturdy, solid, responsive and affordable, with a good looking exterior added to the mix. If you’re looking for a controller that doesn’t need much upkeep in terms of charging, this one might be a decent asset to your console set-up.
Dragon War Dragon Shock 4 - Hardware Review,
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