FPS Freeks CQC – The Review

After being thoroughly impressed in the SteelSeries Desmo gaming glasses, I was on a gaming accessory high. My wish for more gear was kindly granted when I got my hands on the FPS Freek CQC analog stick extenders. These covers add about a quarter of an inch to the analog sticks to increase sensitivity and reduce thumb fatigue, and by golly they keep to their word! I tested these covers in two different situations, on an FPS (what they are designed for) and on an RPG (because why not right?).

My FPS experience was quite splendorous – yes, I said splendorous. I played the PS3 classic Resistance, as the Freeks claim to fit both the PS3 and Xbox 360 controllers. Aiming felt more fluid and took less effort.  By raising the analog sticks you need less force to make movements, making aiming and movement more precise with less work.  I could move between enemies with ease and my accuracy increased, causing the game to go by much faster.

The only issue I ran into was that once in a while one of the covers would pop off. The PS3 controller has a soft rubber coating. The Freeks did not want to stay on and the clips did not go all the way over the rubber, causing them to pop off when too much force or a swift motion was applied.  I would say for the PS3 controller, make the clips a little longer, that way they won’t come off the thumb sticks. I do love the feeling they gave the PS3’s analog sticks. They felt more like the Xbox controller which I find far superior for shooters. I also had fun with an RPG for this test.

I have been engrossed in Batman: Arkham City for a few weeks and I thought I would give the Freeks an Xbox 360 test alongside the PS3 trials. This test made me exceedingly happy. If you haven’t had the chance to play Arkham City, you may not know about its fluid fighting system. You basically build up a combo meter by hitting enemies consistently without missing a punch, but you also have to punch in the direction of the next enemy you want to hit, which can be difficult at times. The Freeks really pulled through when I was aiming for the next hit. Batman flew across the screen effortlessly, knocking out every enemy in my path and building an absurdly large combo. I was very pleased.

The button covers did not have the same problem on the Xbox controller as they did on the PS3 controller. They stayed firmly in place throughout the entire experience, never slipping or popping off. I can say with confidence that my game improved, both in the speed in which I play, and accuracy. The CQC models that I used are only $9.99 off of the KontrolFreek website and would make a fantastic little stocking stuffer for your favorite gamer this holiday. You can check out all of the models at http://www.kontrolfreek.com/.  Step your game us this season!

Final judgment: 4.50/5.0