Fight Sticks have always been the main choice for fighting game purists due to their superior button layout and responsive joysticks that elevate performance and gameplay.
Hori are releasing a reimagined version of the DualSense controller that’s aimed at the fighting game community.
Hori’s Fighting Commander Octa has an exceptional build quality that’s more compact and lighter than the DualSense controller.
It features all of the DualSense’s core function buttons including the touchpad, home button, option button and more.
The controller has modified the original design by making the R1 and R2 part of the main button layout instead of being a trigger. They have been replaced with R3 and L3 buttons increasing the player's options.
Having a 6 button layout on the face of the controller is great as it matches the style found on a fight stick.
Hori has also included a plethora of extra buttons such as the lock function and console switcher on the back of the controller
Even with all these additional buttons, the controller doesn’t feel cluttered with everything being positioned in accessible locations, increasing its overall functionality.
Due to the extra buttons, the controller has forgone the second analogue stick, only including one analogue stick and d-pad.
Not having a second analogue stick meant that the controller didn’t really function as well as the Dualsense when not playing fighting or arcade games.
The short analogue stick is built with an 8-way gate that ensures precision and quick response speed.
However, the concave top is a tad small and doesn't include any kind of grip like the one found on the DualSense.
The controller also didn’t always feel secure in my hands due to its body being made of smooth plastic and lacking any form of textured grip.
It also does not include any rumble function which can limit its functionality when playing with non-fighting games.
That being said, Hori's Fighting Commander Octa is a splendid-looking controller that manages to compact the aesthetics of a fight stick.
The new layout might throw some gamers off as having R1 and R2 buttons on the front of the controller rather than being on the shoulder is a far cry from what players are used to.
However, the controller comes with Hori’s new companion app that will allow players to remap the buttons to layouts suited for specific games.
Players will also be able to fine-tune the sensitivity of the d-pad which helps to grant players some extra finesse when trying to execute moves.
The app is very easy to navigate and use making it very accessible to newcomers. The only drawback is that it's only available on PC, making the process slightly tedious having to go back and forth between console and PC.
But the controller also allows players to reassign buttons without using the app. The process can be slightly tedious during the first attempt but it's a fully welcomed feature.
The controller comes with a lock switch that will disable certain features such as the home, option and share buttons. This is a great feature that will stop players from accidentally pressing certain buttons.
The Fighting Commander OCTA can be connected to the two consoles and PC with ease through the 10ft USB cable.
It performed perfectly with the different speeds and styles of gameplay, I didn’t experience any input lag either.
That being said I wished the controller came with Bluetooth or included a dongle for wireless play.
Verdict 4 / 5
Hori’s Fighting Commander Octa is a great controller that has taken all the best features found in fight sticks and transferred them over amazingly.
Its great design makes it a great lightweight alternative for fight sticks that fighting game enthusiasts will simply adore.
However, due to its design, the controller has some functionality that would’ve made it accessible for titles outside the fighting game genre
