Sony has always stuck to the same basic controller design since the original PlayStation adding an extra analog stick for PS2 and motion control for PS3. The DualShock 4 controller has the same general button layout with a clickable touchpad in the center and a light bar which the PlayStation Camera can track. The slate of PlayStation 4 launch titles don’t utilize these aside from some swipes in Killzone: Shadow Fall and the AR Hockey in the The Playroom.
The DualShock 4 still is an upgrade because it’s comfortable to hold. The PS4 controller is more ergonomic than the Dualshock 3 and is also significantly lighter. That makes motion controlled games like Flower, which was ported to PlayStation 4, more enjoyable. Arguably, the DualShock 4 is more comfortable than an Xbox 360 controller and if proper drivers are created I can see it replacing my PC gamepad. While you can connect a DualShock 4 to a computer using a USB cable, it’s seen as a generic controller. The L2 and R2 triggers extend out a bit too making them easier to tap and I like how the analog stick has a divot in the center so you can feel where your thumb is.
Another neat feature is the headphone jack at the bottom. This streams audio from the PS4 straight into headphones so you can play games on a your TV at night without waking up your roommate. There’s also a speaker in the middle which Resogun makes good use of.
