Cyberpunk 2077 PS5 DualSense Features Are Some of the Best We’ve Seen Yet

Cyberpunk 2077 PS5 DualSense

In case you missed the news, Cyberpunk 2077 launched today on the PS5 and Xbox Series, and while the next-gen version and the latest patch brings massive improvements to the title, perhaps one of the biggest game-changers is the inclusion of DualSense support on the PS5. So much so, that it may just be one of the best implementations in a third-party game yet.

Now, I’ve played titles such as Ghost of Tsushima, Returnal, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, (and most recently, Horizon Forbidden West) and if there is one thing I can tell you: the DualSense is no gimmick. Being able to feel how a weapon handles, the trigger resistance of something being pulled, or just the vibration that is felt from the tune of rain hitting the ground. It’s immersive — a feeling that has never been experienced in gaming until now.

However, looking at the listed titles above, you can see that the best experiences are on those titles developed from the hardware creator themselves. That’s not to say that third-party studios haven’t taken advantage of the controller, as we have titles like Call of Duty, Dirt 5, Control, and even Marvel’s Avengers that put it to good use. There are plenty of third-party games out there that demonstrate the value of the DualSense. However, with Cyberpunk 2077 now on the PS5, I would argue that CD Projekt Red may have used the feature to the utmost, embedding it into several of their world mechanics. 

With the arsenal of weapons that Cyberpunk 2077 has, one would expect there to be quite a bit of variations in how the haptic and adaptive triggers work, and there is — tons of it, in fact. While I initially booted Cyberpunk 2077 to see if the PS5 version really was in a better state than the last-gen versions (spoiler: it is), I soon found myself tinkering with the adaptive controller as I fired off a gun. My first tested weapon was a shotgun, and boy, does it have a kickback. The adaptive triggers have some of the highest level of resistance I’ve felt in a game thus far, and getting a slight kickback feeling followed by vibration from the haptics as a response to firing was sheer joy. 

The revolver’s haptic and adaptive responses were pretty similar, and was only shorter since the firing rate was higher. However, despite the similarities, they did feel very different as the sound emitted made the revolver feel like the quick shooter we know it for, whereas the shotgun had a bit of a long pause in between shots and its haptics. In contrast, the shotgun felt a bit as deadly as you would imagine it to be, and although I’m holding a controller, the resistance certainly made it feel heavier than it really was. 

Some unique weapons with charges or mods also acted differently, even if they were of the same class. One of my weapons had electricity, and while the adaptive was the same as the one without, there was added haptic feedback that provided vibration as the electricity surged. 

And these features go beyond just weapons. For vehicles, players can expect small clicks and audio cues as the gear shift, along with resistance on both the accelerator and reverse. What’s more, if you hit an object while accelerating the controller will respond with a specific vibration on the right side trigger. The same is true if you crash going in reverse, only it’s on the left trigger. Taking damage from gunshots and melee weapons has a bit of feedback, but nothing drastic. Actions such as entering a vehicle, opening a door even have some unique cues.

Honestly, it’s hard to describe, and as many would say, you need to experience it in order to know. But for PlayStation fans all familiar with the controller, trust me, Cyberpunk 2077 is one of those games that truly feel like it’s making  great use out of it. So much so that I would recommend playing on PS5 for the sole purpose of the haptics and triggers. It makes a world of difference, and despite beating and nearly hitting 100% Cyberpunk 2077 on PS4, the DualSense, along with the hefty amounts of improvements on the PS5 version, are giving me a reason to replay through the entire game again. 

The only disappointment is that in the overall campaign, as far as I can tell from the hour I played, the haptics and adaptive are turned off. So big moments, such as the opening where you get a view of the city from a craft, lack any noticeable haptic. We noticed in a scripted brawl from the intro it was the same. Hopefully down the road we see more updates around its implementations.

Regardless, Cyberpunk 2077 has easily become one of my favorite games to showcase the DualSenses’s features off. And luckily, there’s a free trial that everyone can play right now, so I urge PS5 owners to give it a go, come back, and tell me your own thoughts. 

2 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
MuslimBaconator
2 years ago

It’s still a bad game.

John
Reply to  MuslimBaconator
2 years ago

Sounds like someone that hasn’t played 1.5 themselves.

Top Games and Upcoming Releases