I’ve spent much of the Christmas period testing out a few new controllers. You may think that one Xbox One controller is pretty much the same as any other Xbox One controller and to a point, you’d be right. Yes, the Xbox One Elite controller has torn up the rule book and introduced a whole host of new features, but not only are they in limited supply, they aren’t necessarily to everyone’s taste. That leaves the door open to others to come onto the market and occasionally a company comes along that begins to shake up the norm. Evil Controllers are one such team.
Evil Controllers are based in Phoenix, Arizona, but with the world becoming ever smaller by the day, they should still be one of your first ports of call if you are ever in need of a new gaming peripheral. With standard controllers in stock and pro-series controllers sitting around ready to be modded to the nth degree, there is little chance of you leaving without the exact controller for your needs. If you’re after an extension to your hands, then Evil can seemingly work wonders.
Some of the designs in place are out of this world and the mods which you can specify come with a multitude of options. Additional rear mounted buttons are available, LED’s can be amended to suit and if you so wish, you can even remove the rumble motors. With controller shells dropping with either the new style 3.5mm jack or the older Xbox One headset port, they are able to cater for both new Xbox One owners, or indeed veterans of the system equally.
If you’d prefer to run with your Gamertag or motto running the show, then a fairly in depth textual field allows for your own fine words to be seen adorning your stick. Whether you just need a rapid fire option for those Call of Duty sessions or a more tactical approach for the wonders that exist in the world of Fallout, you are quite easily covered from head to toe.
All these mods do however come at a cost to your wallet, but surely your kill/death ratio and chances of hitting a higher killstreak are near on priceless?
The three controllers that Evil have supplied us with are, without a shadow of doubt, of a superb quality. At first glance, each of the three may just seem to be running with a new skin and that definitely seems to be the case with a couple of them, but delve a little deeper and one of the three is just that little bit different to what we are used to.
The matte orange affair feels nice, but a little strange. With a rougher skin, it may not be to everybody’s taste, but personally, I just love the uncompromising nature that the rough paint effect brings. I make no bones that my favourite combination of two colours is quite easily orange and black and it is this combo that the controller has in plentiful supply. With standard black Xbox One thumbsticks, D-Pad, bumper and the usual coloured face buttons, it’s the shell itself which stands out above all else. With a hint of black edging where the face of the controller meets the rear, it’s most definitely a stand out option for times when you need to show the world that you mean business. With the new 3.5mm jack port available alongside the older style Xbox One headset port, the orange matte controller is ready for action no matter what your set up.
This orange treat has also been treated to a bit of a mod with additional A and B buttons found on its rear. These are much smaller than the standard face buttons and unless you fire up a game and test the controller out fully, then you’ll have no idea what they are for – but when in game, they work amazingly well. Well placed for your middle fingers to sit over, a quick press of these buttons means you can keep your right thumb firmly attached to the thumbstick when in the heat of the action, not needing to remove it for those quick jumps or power slides that require a press of either button. I have to admit to never really feeling the need to mod any controller, but after using this delightful orange offering with its extra two buttons, do occasionally find myself hitting them up. There is no scrabbling about as you try to reach something slightly out of place, and there is no need to think about what does what. They just work. Well. With an Xbox symbol glowing gloriously blue when on, I have nothing but good to say.
If you want a controller to wow the crowds even more, then the steel look sticker covered design or the biohazard liveried, red paint splashed, all yellow affair are a couple of real head turners. Both are shiny and neither have the addition of the 3.5mm jack that the orange one holds, but they are both in place to show off the stunning designs that Evil Controllers can create. Of the two, I personally prefer the feel of the splattering that is clearly felt above the glorious yellow paint on the biohazard one, as whilst it is something a little different, it is oh so delightful. It just delivers that extra little touch to remind you that you have something special in your hands.
The steel one is probably the best looking of them all though (especially from a distance) and with the sticker design reaching right round the back and over the battery compartment as well, it’s a joy to look at and show off.
I can only speak of the controllers that I’ve been able to go hands on with, but all are solidly made, with no sign of defect. Put them up against my creaking Day One Edition official controller and they seem a world away from that rushed affair. Admittedly they haven’t yet had a full two years of daily use behind them, but in the month or so I’ve had to play around with these controllers, I have nothing but good things to say. That is in stark contrast to the Day One which has felt like it is on its last legs from the moment that I took delivery.
So have Evil Controllers really shaken up the industry with their modded offerings? Well, whilst the price is certainly considerably higher than that of a standard wireless controller, and shipping outside of the US brings another cost to include, if you are one of those who wish to take your gaming to another level then you will need all the help you can get. Does price really come to the fore when you are debating such a thing? I’m not too sure it does you know.
…and with that in mind, a controller from Evil Controllers lets you do just that! Become a better gamer.
Price is irrelevant.
Related – Taking a look at the Evil Controllers
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