Saros reminded me how great the DualSense can be

The DualSense controller was one of Sony’s main selling points for the PS5. Beyond things like a striking new design and adaptive triggers, the controller’s haptic feedback offered genuinely cool new experiences for games. Rumble effects had been around for decades at that point, but the DualSense offered something very different: I’m still blown away by the sand crunching under Astro’s feet in Team Asobi’s Astro’s Playroom or the futuristic pulses from weapons in Housemarque’s Returnal . But there have been few titles since the PS5’s release that have captured that same magic and showed off what made the controller so distinct. This week, Housemarque launched its next title, Saros , and it’s arguably the first game in quite a while to make the DualSense feel important. In most games, rumble and haptics feel like an added bonus. They might help emphasize an explosion or gunfire here and there, but if I turn rumble off in a game, I don’t usually miss it. But with Saros , the DualSense’s haptics are a critical part of playing the game. Here are some examples of how the haptics work. When blasting enemies with a rifle, the pitch of the haptics ticks up as a warning that I’m running out of ammo. With a powerful handcannon that fires three bullets at a time, the DualSense peppers three short taps with each shot. When a charged crossbow shot is ready, the haptics make a fine point in my hands that lets me know I can fire away. …