Highlights
- Premium feel and look, effectively well worth the worth, with clean, gentle, quiet switches for exact gameplay.
- Extremely-thin design with simply sufficient weight for stability, ergonomic and pure really feel for lengthy play periods.
- Customizable with proprietary switches that may be changed, however requires an adapter for PS4 compatibility.
I simply put 1000’s of hours into the combating video games, all with my trusty Qanba Obsidian, earlier than finally upgrading to the stunning Victrix Professional FS. Whereas gamepads by no means clicked with me, and I’m very comfy with utilizing a stick, I used to be at all times inquisitive about what leverless controllers have been like, which brings us to the Razer Kitsune Fighter’s Version: Akuma, my first ever all-button controller. After spending two weeks with it for overview, I’m glad to state that I’ve been transformed to the brand new age of combating sport peripherals.
Kind Issue
One of many notable options is simply how skinny it’s. It’s not too heavy both, neither is it too gentle, making it immensely transportable and straightforward to hold and pack away. The burden distribution of the Razer Kitsune Fighter’s Version: Akuma is good and feels great in your lap. And, all of the extra necessary, all the backside of the controller is a high-quality non-slip pad, making certain it gained’t slide out throughout intense encounters.
Except for its ultra-slim design, the button positioning is ergonomic and feels pure, even should you’re a newcomer to the all-button controller scene like I used to be. Whereas there’ll nonetheless be loads of rising pains in studying a completely new peripheral, how your fingers naturally relaxation on its floor will provide numerous consolation, leaving the one ache skilled coming from dropped combos and a slew of losses. Hey, at the very least you’re taking place in fashion!
Talking of poor gameplay, I used to be impressed by how shortly I tailored to this controller. Whereas I undoubtedly struggled throughout my first few days with it, I consistently made minor changes and landed an increasing number of complicated and sophisticated combos the extra I used it. I’m nonetheless removed from good, and even as competent, however I already really feel assured that it’ll doubtless be my major selection shifting ahead.
Delicate, Quiet, But Impactful Buttons
Proprietary something at all times makes me uneasy, as you by no means know if it will likely be good or how simple it will likely be to interchange issues if one thing goes incorrect. The excellent news right here is which you could, fortuitously, change these switches with any north-facing, low-profile, optical swap if one thing goes awry. This may be finished by merely popping the keycap off, eradicating the swap, slotting the brand new one in, and snapping the keycap again on. It’s that straightforward. There isn’t a must take away the underside of the controller, unplug wires, or any of that jazz. You may even change the keycaps should you like, although you’d want third-party add-ons for that.
Even higher information is that you’ll doubtless not have to interchange something, as these proprietary switches from Razer are rated at a staggering 100,000,000 presses. The resistance is simply sufficient that you just gained’t have any unintended button presses when resting your fingers, they usually really feel gentle and springy regardless of being optical switches. It’s additionally a particularly quiet controller, with nothing however a light-weight ‘click on’ sound from every press.
You’ve gotten your left, down, and proper buttons close to the left-center of the controller. Then, towards the right-center, you’ve gotten your eight motion buttons. The up button is positioned just under the primary motion button towards the bottom-middle of the controller, which takes a bit to get used to however makes a lot sense when you absolutely adapt to it, as inserting the left, down, and proper buttons immediately subsequent to 1 one other makes movement inputs trivial to execute. The Razer Kitsune Fighter’s Version: Akuma additionally gives numerous room on its floor, supplying you with tons of house to work with, which you like to see with any combating sport peripheral.
Options Galore With Some Dangerous Information
The Razer Kitsune Fighter’s Version: Akuma is a premium improve to an already premium product. It retails at a comparatively excessive $329.99, with the usual Razer Kitsune launched solely final 12 months at $299.99, providing the identical kind issue and format as what’s offered right here, however with barely fewer bells and whistles.
Unique to the Razer Kitsune Fighter’s Version: Akuma is a singular collectible field manufactured from artificial leather-based and a strong aluminum plate that serves because the controller’s floor. With splash artwork of Akuma dye-sublimated onto the aluminum, it’s not a mere vinyl wrapping or high-grade decal. Akuma is definitely a part of the metallic prime, making it look incredible and really feel premium if you take away it from the field.
Whether or not or not that’s well worth the close to $30 worth hike is as much as you, however each the usual and Fighter’s Version: Akuma variants of the Razer Kitsune characteristic a locking mechanism in your USB-C cable, making certain it gained’t by chance come unplugged throughout a match, and likewise contains a lock swap that turns off the highest row of the controller, making it so you can’t by chance pause or open menus whereas in a sport – essential should you attend locals or take part in tournaments.
Moreover, each fashions characteristic Razor’s Chroma RGB across the backside fringe of the controller, permitting you to customise it to your liking, whereas the faceplate can be replaceable, however you doubtless gained’t wish to change the Akuma one. I’d like to see a plexiglass prime for the usual mannequin that permits you to place your individual artwork within it nevertheless, very like what Razer provided with their Panthera Arcade Stick, as that might additional emphasize its customizability.
Sadly, there may be one large draw back to the Razer Kitsune, which applies to each the usual and Fighter’s Version: Akuma; they won’t work on a PlayStation 4. In Razer’s protection, it doesn’t market this compatibility, however seeing as they work on a PlayStation 5 and PC and have the official Sony stamp of approval, one may assume it will work with it, however alas, it doesn’t.
With most occasions and tournaments shifting to the PlayStation 5, it isn’t a giant deal, however some nonetheless use the PlayStation 4 as their major console. This implies you wouldn’t be capable of use this controller at these occasions until you personal a Brook Wingman Converter, which prices a further $45 on prime of the premium asking worth of the Kitsune.
It additionally gained’t work on the Xbox One, Xbox Sequence X/S, or Nintendo Change, as it’s an formally licensed PlayStation product and can solely work natively for PC and PlayStation 5.
General, the Razer Kitsune Fighter’s Version: Akuma is a strong controller that made me admire and perceive the attraction of leverless controllers. The packaging is premium and the parts that make up the product are phenomenal. When you’re searching for a strong all-button controller, that is pretty much as good because it will get in case you have the funds to drop on it. Except for the rising pains in your gameplay and your pockets, the Razer Kitsune Fighter’s Version: Akuma ought to serve you tremendously effectively for years to come back and degree up your sport should you hone your abilities with the brand new age of play.
Razer Kitsune Fighter’s Version: Akuma
The Razer Kitsune Fighter’s Version: Akuma is a premium, all-button controller appropriate with the PlayStation 5 and PC. It gives 12 low-profile optical switches for unmatched really feel and precision.
- Premium feel and look that makes it price its asking worth.
- Easy, gentle, and quiet switches that also have some give earlier than actuating.
- Extremely-thin design that has simply sufficient heft to make it really feel sturdy and strong in your lap.
- Feels pure to play on and is ergonomically sound, permitting you to play for hours on finish.
- Wonderful customizability choices, particularly contemplating the switches are proprietary and might nonetheless be swapped out for choose third-party choices.
- Doesn’t natively work on PlayStation 4 with out an adapter.
