Personalization is a growing trend in the gaming community at large. What started with modded computers and customized characters has finally led to the advent of modded gaming controllers. While the Scuf Infinity1 professional gaming controller doesn’t offer the complete range of buttons as a keyboard, it does provide a level of innovation that hasn’t been experienced in years.
In all honesty, it wasn’t until I had traded in my PlayStation 2 for the next generation that I even knew what the now obsolete “Select Button” was intended for. The power of the rear paddles of the Infinity1 controller, however, can be felt immediately. Whether utilized for comfort or for combos, the design of the controller is what creates a new type of experience for gamers. An experience which, in the not too distant of a future, game designers may utilize in order to tailor all new experiences to the new controller.
Similar to the Xbox Elite controller, the biggest new feature are the four rear paddles. Once programmed using the magnetic key, these paddles can be used for any buttons except for the shoulders buttons and the up and down buttons on the D-pad. The four paddles sit comfortably beneath your fingers, and will never run the risk of accidentally being pressed. The firm plastic casing provides a respectable level of resistance that feels much the same way the joysticks do when you press L3 or R3.
The fair amount of customization available to the paddles offers an immense amount of choice. The one and only draw back is the learning curve. As life long gamers, we’ve gotten used to the classic design, and changing things up will always take a while for us to get used to. For me, this amounted to about an hour. After an hour or so of trial and error, I had found the perfect combination that I felt worked best for any specific game. Every genre of game works differently than the rest and will require some remapping, but in that vein, each genre has different ways through which to take advantage of the new features.
In standard first person shooters, reloading with one of the rear paddles allows you seamlessly reload your weapon while continuing to track your opponent – a method that becomes extremely useful when they are jumping around the room and trying to avoid your crosshairs. The Scuf Infinity1 helps players control their split-second timing. Timing which often means the difference between winning and losing. In your top down dungeon crawlers, like Diablo III or Van Helsing, I enjoyed the left and right D-pad options being moved to the rear left paddles, with L3 and R3 placed on the rear right paddles. Positioning your lesser used functions to an out of the way place on the controller allows you to focus on chaining together attacks or even just not worry about them. Either way, should you feel something isn’t working, or simply want to switch games, a complete remap of the paddle functions can be done in under a minute once you know the input command.
After replacing the D-pad with the exclusively designed Scuf Control Disc, I’ve seen no reason to ever take it off. Even with the reduced resistance of sliding your thumb across a smooth surface, it can still stand a good button mashing in the heat of a fighter like Killer Instinct. The learning curve is virtually non existent, as the disc can be used the same way as a classic D-pad, except with an increased level of precision.
Despite its usefulness and innovation, the controller’s flaws can be felt in its design. The lack of incorporation into everyday gaming is what makes the Infinity1 controller difficult to truly envision and utilize. As of now, the controller’s modded nature is sort of a double edged sword. While on the one hand, gamers have access to the incredibly comfortable design, the use of the paddles results in giving up other parts of the controller that they are already used to.
Despite it’s intentions to revolutionize Pro-Gaming, the upgraded design of the Scuf Infinity1 controller is the revolution that gamers need. The new paddles and Control disc provide an unparalleled level of control over games, while the unique color schemes set the controller apart other Elite gaming options. While I’ve discovered that the combinations mentioned may work best for me, the true beauty is that everyone is given the chance to figure it out for themselves, making the Infinity1 truly your own personal controller, unlike anyone else’s.
You can customize your Scuf Infinity1 today from the Scuf Professional Gaming online store, and are available for $149.95 and up.
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