Table of Contents
Ps4 Controller
Raion is an inquisitive Ps4 controller from Razer. Built primarily for fighting games, the pad has no analog stick.
And has six main buttons in positions similar to what you would find on a typical colonnade stick. The Raion is fundamentally a hybrid input device.
Bridging the gap between pad and stick, but is it worth your time? We have consumed more than 50 hours with the Raion to present a verdict to you.
How to Build quality and comfort In the ps4 controller?
The Razer Raion is lighter than it sounds, and this lack of weight makes it feel a bit cheap, at least initially.
The plastic case is slight, and the grips are slightly textured, but it’s not that kind of premium feel you’d expect from an expensive controller.
That said, the Raion is designed with practicality in mind – it’s not meant to be just another “pro” PS4 controller, and the price reflects this compared to the more expensive peripherals on the console.
When it comes to ease, the Raion feels good to hold. The controller’s ‘arms’ aren’t the longest, but the deep curves at the bottom of the pad allow it to sit quite well.
However, this comfort level only applies when you hold the Raion like an old-style supervisor. If you want to advance your right hand over the face buttons.
Like you would like an arcade stick, then it can be a bit awkward. Holding the Raion with only your left-hand doesn’t do your wrist any favors, although this could be why Razer opted for a frivolous design.
Luckily, resting the Raion on your leg or supporting the controller’s right side with your hand in a ‘claw’ position is much more manageable in long gaming sessions, even if it takes a little getting used to.
Face buttons:
- As mentioned, the Raion has six main buttons: square, triangle, X, circle, R1, and R2. R1 and R2 are there, so if you’re playing with an arcade stick style.
- You don’t need to concern about striking the standard R1 and R2 shoulder inputs. Of course, you too remap R1 and R2 in your favorite fighting game.
- The buttons themselves are deliberately oversized to make them easier to press. They are also very, very responsive. Similar to the buttons on an arcade stick, you can hit these things with multiple fingers in quick succession, and it feels great to do so.
- Positioning is the only thing that can stop you. If you’re secondhand to playing on a regular DualShock 4.
- Then adding R1 and R2 to the face of the controller can put you off as the square, triangle, X, and circle have all been pushed to the bottom of the deck. You get used to positioning with practice, but it’s undoubtedly weird at first.
Shoulder buttons and triggers:
- Around is not much to say about the L1, R1, L2, and R2 inputs of Raion. They are all easily accessible, assuming you put your index and middle fingers around the controller’s back, and they all have a right-click to them.
- Yes, even triggers click, so calling them “triggers” doesn’t seem accurate. However, once again, the Raion is a controller for fighting games – it doesn’t need the traditional L2 and R2 triggers.
Directional pad:
- Raion’s steering pad is where the controller shines. This circular d-pad rises above the controller’s surface and is incredibly powerful in the best possible way.
- Instead of having just four directional inputs: up, down, left, right, like a standard DualShock 4, Raion’s d-pad has eight. The additional four directions are diagonal. Instead of pressing up and getting a diagonal input to the right, this income presses the dedicated information to the right on the pad.
- Having access to dedicated sloping entrances can make a surprising difference. For example, if you’ve ever had trouble with quarter-circle or half-circle movements on a traditional d-pad, then you may find that Raion’s offering is much more accurate.
- And precision is the keyword here. We kicked off Tekken 7, trying out advanced movement techniques like wave waving and back canceling with the Raion, and the results left us very impressed.
- We would sometimes flip multiple scripts in a row with the d-pad on a regular DualShock 4. Also, we were hitting a lot easier on the Raion. Again, it feels a lot more accurate.
- The same is true for multiple join special moves and supers in 2D fighting games like Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2 and Street Fighter V.
- Feeling and hearing every click of every direction on the keyboard makes a huge difference. When trying to get more complex inputs consistently.
Functionality:
- The Razer Raion comes with all the rudimentary functionality you would expect. It has a PlayStation button, trackpad, a headphone jack, and a share button.
- It also has a pair of switches on either side of the headphone above the jack. The one on the left lets you change the function of the d-pad, assigning it as the left or right analog stick. It’s not especially useful in most fighting games, but it’s nice to have the option.
- Meanwhile, the switch on the left remaps the old-style R1 and R2 shoulder inputs as L1 and L2.
- In turn, L1 and L2 develop L3 and R3, two inputs that the Raion does not have otherwise.
But that is not all. On the obverse of the Raion, you’ll find two additional audio-related buttons near the bottom. - One mutes your microphone, while the other controls the volume. Nothing too crazy, but if you push them both simultaneously, you enable Raion’s ‘lock’ feature.
- It hinders the PlayStation button, the share button, and the options button, preventing you from persistent them by mistake. To be fair, they’re all attractive small buttons to start with, but we suppose disabling them could be useful if you’re struggling in a modest environment.
- It’s value noting that the Raion is a strictly wired controller, but this makes sense as it’s designed to be as responsive as possible.
Price:
- The Razer Raion currently sells for £ 99.99 at Razer’s Store. It’s more expensive than a regular DualShock 4, but it’s cheaper than a high-quality arcade stick.
- Like the controller itself, the price tries to find a middle ground.
Also Read: What is an Electric Hummer? – Excessive Power of CV, and More
Review Ps4 Controller – Build Quality and Comfort, Face Buttons, and More.