Developers working on a handful of PS5 games have revealed some of the ways they're implementing DualSense controller features to incrį¦ease immersion.
The PS5's DuaālSense controller uses haptic feedback and adaptive tź¦riggers to mimic different sensations – popular early examples were pulling back the string of a bow and trudging through mud. We've already seen a number of PS5 games utilize the DualSense to varying degrees, and we've now heard from the makers of six games on how they're using the new tech.
Insomniac Games says you'll feel the effects of the DualSense all over the place in ę¾³ę“²å¹øčæ5å¼å„å·ē åå²ę„čÆ¢:Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, whether that's in the raš w power of a big explosion, the subtle pulse of a Lombax's footstep, or even the feel of boltš“s being looted from an enemy.
"Although firing weapons and striking different surfaces with your wrench were no-brainers for haptics, we found that we could also use many more subtle cues that make the haptic canvas feel full," Insomniš¦©ac says.
In Subnautica: Below Zero, the DualSense's advanced rumble features serve a more practical purpose. Your metal detector will guide you toļ·ŗ your target with varying levels and speeds of vibration in the controller, and the RGB strip in the center will blink at different rates to indicate how close you are.
ę¾³ę“²å¹øčæ5å¼å„å·ē åå²ę„čÆ¢:Ghostwire: Tokyo's DualSense features sound downright unnerving. Tango Gameworks explains that you'll hear "othešÆrworldly voicšes" coming from the controller's speakers, giving you a sixth sense to solve mysteries. Likewise, elemental powers – water, fire, wind – will each have their own distinct feedback.
Life is Strange: True Colors, naturally, changes the color of your controller's RGB strip to refź§lect your character's mood – red for anger, purple for fear, blue for sadness, and so on. You'll also feel the tension increase in the triggers as your character's supernatural power gš¹rows in intensity.
ę¾³ę“²å¹øčæ5å¼å„å·ē åå²ę„čÆ¢:Bandai Namco took a unique approach to using rumble in ę¾³ę“²å¹øčæ5å¼å„å·ē åå²ę„čÆ¢:Scarlet Nexus by having vibrations move from one side of the controller to the other to track moving in-game objects. Finally, Ember Lab's darling indie game ę¾³ę“²å¹øčæ5å¼å„å·ē åå²ę„čÆ¢:Kena: Bridge of Spirits uses adaptive triggers to make you feel the resistance as you pļ·½ull back your wooden bow, similar to what we've seen in games like Astro's Playroom and Assassin's Creed Valhalla.
These are all the ę¾³ę“²å¹øčæ5å¼å„å·ē åå²ę„čÆ¢:upcoming PS5 games we can't wait to experience with the DualSense.
After earning an English degree from ASU, I worked as a corporate copy editor while freelancing for places like SFX Magazine, Screen Rant, Game Revolution, and MMORPG on the side. I got my big break here in 2019 with a freelance news gig, and I was hired on as GamesRadar's west coast Staff Writer in 2021. That means I'm responsible for managing the site's western regional executive branch, AKA my home office, and writing about whatever horror game I'šm too afraid to finish.
