Precision is everything in first-person
shooters; when even a millimeter or two can mean the difference
between a headshot and impotently hitting the wall behind your
target, dedicated deathmatchers need every advantage they can get. A
particularly brutal night of Halo 4 made me realize that I had simply
plateaued in my ability to use a stock Xbox 360 controller, so I
started looking for a way to gain that extra edge without shelling
out hundreds of dollars for a tournament-level controller. Amidst
the snakeoil promises of products like screen targets and illegally
modded controllers stood a constant recommendation: Kontrol Freek's
FPS Freek line of analog stick extenders. They sure seemed like an
attractive option given their sub-$20 pricetag and numerous positive
reviews but the important question remained: would they actually
work? The answer is a resounding hell yes.
FPS Freeks improve the control stick in
two basic ways: by adding length for an increased area of movement,
and a wider/grippier rubber surface for your thumb to rest on. This
allows players to use the higher sensitivity ratings on FPS games
without losing the ability to make minute aiming adjustments. Best
of all, they are tournament legal and work with both stock Xbox 360
and PlayStation 3 controllers and can be easily applied/removed
without damaging the control stick.
It took a while to get used to them but
HOLY HELL did the FPS Freeks make a difference! My first test was
Call of Duty: Black Ops II, and after snapping on the Freeks the
aiming sensitivity that I had been using seemed like wading through
molasses. Once I dialed in the correct aiming sensitivity it was
like playing a whole new game, letting me tactically maneuver around
hallway corners and respond to enemy ambushes like I actually knew
what I was doing. It was incredible; I dominated the top of the
scoreboard for three or four matches straight when I'm usually lucky
to make it out of the bottom half. This win streak was promising but
far from conclusive, so I fired up Halo 4 and dove into the SWAT
playlist. This was the FPS game mode that I have the most
experience/muscle memory with and requires surgically precise aim to
compete in: the perfect test for me to judge the Freek's
effectiveness. The results weren't as immediate as in Black Ops II
and required more menu tweaks but the end result was the same: an
unprecedented ability to survey the landscape and line up headshots.
I was finally 100% in-sync with the controller I was holding. No
more shoulder shots, no more terrible sniping, no more reasons to
bitch my buddy's ear off. I tested out a few more games (Gears of War
3, Killzone 3, etc.) for kicks and the results held: these things
actually work. They're not going to make up for poor tactics or a
laggy host but they will definitely improve your ability to put the
hurt on the opposing team.
Now despite all my bromantic gurglings
there are a few potential drawbacks to the current design of FPS
Freeks. The increased height added to the right stick can interfere
with pressing face buttons until you get used to it; there were
several instances where I inadvertently whipped my ingame crosshairs
toward the ground while attempting to reload/jump/etc. It is also
harder to click the sticks in, making actions like melee in Call of
Duty much more cumbersome. These issues will eventually pass with
practice but they do take an initial toll. There have also been
complaints that the current design doesn't seat properly on PS3
sticks, causing the Freeks to slip off in the middle of gameplay. I
was able to replicate this problem on my Dualshock but only after
applying far more force than required by normal play. Hopefully
Kontrol Freek can get this issue sorted out in a future revision but
as long as you aren't hammering on your stick during a game it should
stay secure.
There are seven different models of FPS
Freeks that Kontrol Freek offers, mostly differing in aesthetics.
The three basic models of FPS Freek (Classic, Ultra and Vipr) have a
concave surface with twelve small nubs and differ only in color. The
SNIPR model is tan and features a convex, nub-free surface
embellished with a sniper's crosshairs for players that prefer a more
Dualshock-like experience. The remaining three models are based on
major FPS franchises: Havoc for Black Ops II, Infinity for Halo 4,
and Elite for Modern Warfare 3. These full size models offer the
biggest precision boost but can be clumsy when used for movement or
aiming in third person shooters. This is where the Close Quarters
Combat (CQC) variants come in: they have the same large, grippy
surface as the standard model but are about half the height.
Although they are less precise than their bigger brothers they are
MUCH easier to use for movement and aiming in games like Gears of
War. There are two CQC models currently available: the standard concave nub model and the CQC Signature model, which features a convex
green surface embellished with Kontrol Freek's initials. I found
that using a CQC for movement and a full size model for aiming was
the ideal setup but you can mix and match as you see fit.
I cannot recommend the FPS Freek
add-ons enough. They produce immediate, quantifiable results and
after using them for a few weeks I refuse to play any shooter without
them. If you are serious about improving your first-person shooter
performance in an affordable way, then Kontrol Freek's FPS Freeks are
a no brainer.
buy it!
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