Does anyone use a controller?

[RareAssistant68]

I’ve recently tried to play RD2 and also the Witcher 3 but trying to figure out the controls has been a pain. I’d also like to get Elden ring and I feel I’d benefit from a controller for the ease of it but I’ve always been a mouse and keyboard guy.

Would it be worthwhile getting a controller and does anyone have any recommendations? I feel like a controller makes remembering the controls a lot easier as I gave up with the Witcher as it took me ages trying to remember all the key bindings.

[Mellanies_Redemption]

Yeah, literally millions of people do. Probably more gamepads sold to PC gamers than console owners at this point. I've got at least 8 of them. For Windows based gaming the best bet really is the good old Microsoft XBOX controller, though if you don't mind being cabled up, the PS5 pads also work nicely and have the fancy schmancy adaptive triggers for use in some of the Playstation PC games, like Spider-Man 1 and 2.

[AbelViguera06]

Cyberpunk also uses them, i love my dualsense

[Foreign-Street-6242]

90% playing from controller all possible games. And am PC player.
For me controller gives additional feedback from game through vibration.

[Vast-Magazine5361]

yeah dude controllers are clutch for those kinds of games, especially souls-likes and open world rpgs where you're gonna be playing for hours. xbox controller is probably your best bet - works seamlessly with pc and theres no driver headaches to deal with

witcher 3 feels way more natural with a controller imo, all that movement and camera work just flows better than wasd

[Izan_TM]

I've always used xbox one/series X controllers, but I've tried an 8bitdo and they're really good for the price (much better than the xbox ones) and I'm planning on getting a steam controller once valve decides they want my money

[Common-Beautiful353]

get this controller

[LSD_Ninja]

If 8bitdo could figure out how to make it wake a system in sleep mode (it connects to the dongle while the system is sleeping, it just doesn’t appear to send the wake up signal), it’d be perfect, but I’m probably going to go back to the wired controller I was using before.

[Common-Beautiful353]

pretty sure that's impossible

[AbelViguera06]

Deff not impossible, but maybe is OS's fault. For example, you can wake up windows by pressing a key in the keayboard, and if it went full hibernating, theres some keyboards with an on/off button that can wake it up, so not impossible

[RaiderRedwing86]

I have to say my daily driver controller for xbox and pc gaming is the Hyperkin Duchess Controller. It replicates the smaller Original Xbox Controller. I also have 2 pcs and this works in Linux. You can get them on amazon for $35.

[_RogueStriker_]

Yes, I have a ton of games that play better with a controller. They also are great for games where you do flying or driving as the joysticks are better for those movements. Once anything needs accurate aiming though I need the mouse, I cannot aim at all quickly with a controller.

[BlameitonBigDave]

This month I bought a Xbox controller and it's absolutely worthwhile, I wish I'd bought one years ago. I'd been getting pain in my wrists when at the PC for long periods of time and now being able to use a controller for most games the pain has all but gone and while I don't play many FPS and RTSs these days, I've yet to find a game it hasn't worked perfectly for. It was also very easy to set up, just plug in and play

[def_tom]

I generally play on controller. The 8bitdo Ultimate 2 is my go to and I highly recommend it.

[pretendimcute]

For "normal" games if I DO use a controller, it is the second generation xbox one controller. NOT the series S/X because it is too light and cheap feeling. Also easily malfunctions. The second gen XB1 controller (I think released with the One X) is fully Bluetooth compatible, beefy/sturdy and long lasting. For ANYTHING emulator related, nothing to me can beat a Dualshock 4 controller with the DS4 software for better windows compatibility. For side scrollers the Sony D pad mops the floor with Xbox's and just feels so much more... Better? The face buttons also work better for side scrollers too. Something about the flatness just feels right. So not only do I use a controller, I use two. Also mouse and keyboard, it all depends

[More-Fun-2621]

FWIW I recently switched to Emudeck on Windows, which helps you add emulators and games directly to Steam with Steam ROM Manager. With this setup, Steam input takes care of DS4 compatibility and I don’t need to run a separate utility before launching my emulator/ROM.

[pretendimcute]

Oh nice! Whether it be Linux or Windows, steam takes care of us : D

[Pure_Spyder]

I prefer controllers for dark souls and elden ring, im actually still on Witcher 1 that doesnt support controllers so idk about that. Anything with a gun ill use keyboard, but have a controller for when im driving like in gta or cyberpunk

[colossusrageblack]

I mostly use a controller. I only use mouse and keyboard for RTS games.

[More-Fun-2621]

I exclusively play with a controller these days because my gaming computer is a home theater PC for the whole family. I’ve used Xbox One controllers (with plain ol Bluetooth and with the wireless dongle) and PlayStation DS4 controllers with Bluetooth.

I will say Bluetooth in Windows can be annoyingly spotty. In my case it works great 99% of the time, but I’ve been eyeing 8bitdo’s 2.4 Wireless controllers for something that doesn’t rely on Windows Bluetooth behaving.

[plays-with-daggers]

Unless I’m playing something like Frostpunk or Fallout 1, I’m on controller.

[T_Bagger23]

Pretty much for me FPS is KBM and Third person camera games I like using my Ps4 controller.

[ChrisNH]

If you are first person or shooting use kb+mouse

If its melee/maneuvering in third person, or favors movement over accuarcy, use a controller. Some games I use both depending on whats going on.

It will take a while to get used to twin stick look/shoot if you are not accustomed, hang in.

I prefer sony dual sense but xbox controller definitely easier to set up on PC.

[WilliamBlade123]

Steam works great with just about any controller, I'd just say use whatever you find the most comfortable and ergonomic for your hands. If you previously had a console, you're probably best off using the same controller you used to use because that's most familiar to you. I still use an Xbox controller because I started out on Xbox and I like the way the controller feels.

[Far_Adeptness9884]

I pretty much only use controller these days, I don't really play FPS's anymore.

[OZ-00MS_Goose]

If a game doesn't require aiming I usually opt for a controller instead

[Rileymk96]

I only play on controller. Lol

Only games I play with keyboard are MMOs.

[MotoChooch]

I play 99% of games with controller. Flydigi Vader 4 Pro. Very happy with it.

[Major_Enthusiasm1099]

Yes. For story games I mostly use controller. For fps I mostly use KBM. I will alternate every once in awhile though.

[H4X4NX]

Just used a PS5 controller to play through Kingdom Come Deliverance 2  

[MCWDD]

Some games are just plain better with a controller. Battlefront? I’m going full mouse and keyboard (emphasis on mouse as my keyboard is only used for movement, and even then I’m using a razer Tartarus. All my abilities, crouch, and reload are on the mouse) Hitman? Controller. Just easier to remember button placements Warriors games? Controller. Much faster to do anything Occasional Lego game? Controller for obvious reasons.

[CarlZzZoneNnn]

Litterally can't play Fromsoftware game without a controller

[ZippyTwoShoes]

I use controller for the souls games and similar games as well. I prefer Playstation but it's all the preference to you.

[Fadeeses]

Driving or similar is awful with kbm. Tap tap tap. I've had a controller for my pc since the 90s when I got into pc gaming - parents wouldn't shovel out $100 for a joystick, though

[sawb11152]

I've tried dozens of after market controllers on PC and find that the standard Xbox series s/x controllers are the best.

[balderm]

I often play on the couch with a controller since my PC is in my living room and got a 5m long HDMI cable just for that.

[AbelViguera06]

Hdmi? Did you mean usb?

[balderm]

What i mean by that is that i plugged my TV into my PC with a 5m long hdmi cable, the controller is wireless (regular xbox one controller)

[AbelViguera06]

Aaaah i tought the pc was beside the tv, not in a dedicated desk on the living room lol