PlayStation Move Sharp Shooter Review
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Does Sony's new digital shooting accessory hit the target?
It may be surprising to hear, but the Sharp Shooter, Sony's new PlayStation Move shooting attachment, is actually kind of awesome. I know what you're thinking and you're right, the last thing anyone wants is another plastic peripheral cluttering up their living room, but this is one add-on you may want to take a closer look at.
Feel the might of my glowy-orb gun!
I've seen and used plenty of shooting attachments in my time as IGN's gear guru, and one factor always distinguishes the best from the rest: digital button mapping. Physical trigger mechanisms and button passthroughs, while effective to some degree, are prone to a variety of issues, the least of which are input delay, imprecise button depressions, and, of course, physical wear and tear. With an on-board processor and direct digital connectivity with the Move controller via its mini USB port, the Sharp Shooter is immune to a lot of these issues.
The Sharp Shooter, which looks to have been modeled after an MP5 submachine gun, locks the Move into the foremost part of the barrel and the navigation controller into a specialized holder that is suspended between the clip and the barrel. Once in place, users can access all of the Move's functions through buttons mapped along the grip and base of the gun. Just above the trigger on either side of the gun, you can find square and triangle action buttons, and a shot burst switch, which if a game supports it, will allow players to switch between single shot, multi-shot, and full automatic bursts on the fly.
Just below the trigger is a Move button, which a variety of functions depending on the game. If, however, the function is not frequently called for or can cause unwarranted game interruptions, there is a lock switch built into the grip to disable the Move button.
The functions of the navigation controller, however, are not digitally mapped, so games that require its use will have players gripping it within the holder. One cool addition to the navigation cradle and the associated grip along the barrel is that it can be cocked like a shotgun, which depending on the game will either fire or reload your gun. Vibration feedback and the adjustable shoulder stock are also nice additions, which make the experience more immersive and using the Sharp Shooter for extended periods more comfortable.
The build of the device is on par with SCEA standards, though not nearly as easy on the eyes as some of their other products. Constructed almost entirely out of gray matte plastic, with exception to the clear plastic panel that houses the Move controller and an orange grip just below it, the Sharp Shooter is not much to look at. The design seems capable of enduring the usual range of wear and tear, though there is one clear vulnerable area you should be aware of: the shoulder stock. Though solidly constructed, the shoulder stock mount is a little loose and the locking mechanism, if forced, could break fairly easily.
As far as performance is concerned, the Sharp Shooter is surprisingly effective. Although admittedly a little jarring at first, the Sharp Shooter starts to feel natural and fluid after awhile. In fact, I actually became a fairly skilled tactician in Killzone 3 after an hour or so of using the Sharp Shooter. With proper calibration and tweaking to the game's sensitivity and dead zone settings, I was able to successfully land headshots on many a Helghan footsoldier. Of course, I wouldn't go as far as to say it's as precise as a traditional controller, but it is easily one of the best shooting attachments I've used.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Is the Sharp Shooter a must-have? Hardly, but if you're a fan of shooters and you want to use the PlayStation Move, it is the only way to go, at least until someone comes up with something better. With digital button mapping, a solid design, and a game that implements it effectively, the Sharp Shooter can be a fun and surprisingly precise peripheral, and at $39.99, it's a pretty good value.
IGN Ratings for PlayStation Move Sharp Shooter
Build Quality 8.0
Not much to look at, but fairly well constructed.
Features 8.5
A solid peripheral with vibration feedback, a variety of shooter-specific controls, and an intuitive design.
Value 8.5
For those interested, at $39.99 the Sharp Shooter is a pretty great value.
OVERALL
8.5 Great
It may be surprising to hear, but the Sharp Shooter, Sony's new PlayStation Move shooting attachment, is actually kind of awesome. I know what you're thinking and you're right, the last thing anyone wants is another plastic peripheral cluttering up their living room, but this is one add-on you may want to take a closer look at.
Feel the might of my glowy-orb gun!
I've seen and used plenty of shooting attachments in my time as IGN's gear guru, and one factor always distinguishes the best from the rest: digital button mapping. Physical trigger mechanisms and button passthroughs, while effective to some degree, are prone to a variety of issues, the least of which are input delay, imprecise button depressions, and, of course, physical wear and tear. With an on-board processor and direct digital connectivity with the Move controller via its mini USB port, the Sharp Shooter is immune to a lot of these issues.
The Sharp Shooter, which looks to have been modeled after an MP5 submachine gun, locks the Move into the foremost part of the barrel and the navigation controller into a specialized holder that is suspended between the clip and the barrel. Once in place, users can access all of the Move's functions through buttons mapped along the grip and base of the gun. Just above the trigger on either side of the gun, you can find square and triangle action buttons, and a shot burst switch, which if a game supports it, will allow players to switch between single shot, multi-shot, and full automatic bursts on the fly.
Just below the trigger is a Move button, which a variety of functions depending on the game. If, however, the function is not frequently called for or can cause unwarranted game interruptions, there is a lock switch built into the grip to disable the Move button.
The functions of the navigation controller, however, are not digitally mapped, so games that require its use will have players gripping it within the holder. One cool addition to the navigation cradle and the associated grip along the barrel is that it can be cocked like a shotgun, which depending on the game will either fire or reload your gun. Vibration feedback and the adjustable shoulder stock are also nice additions, which make the experience more immersive and using the Sharp Shooter for extended periods more comfortable.
The build of the device is on par with SCEA standards, though not nearly as easy on the eyes as some of their other products. Constructed almost entirely out of gray matte plastic, with exception to the clear plastic panel that houses the Move controller and an orange grip just below it, the Sharp Shooter is not much to look at. The design seems capable of enduring the usual range of wear and tear, though there is one clear vulnerable area you should be aware of: the shoulder stock. Though solidly constructed, the shoulder stock mount is a little loose and the locking mechanism, if forced, could break fairly easily.
As far as performance is concerned, the Sharp Shooter is surprisingly effective. Although admittedly a little jarring at first, the Sharp Shooter starts to feel natural and fluid after awhile. In fact, I actually became a fairly skilled tactician in Killzone 3 after an hour or so of using the Sharp Shooter. With proper calibration and tweaking to the game's sensitivity and dead zone settings, I was able to successfully land headshots on many a Helghan footsoldier. Of course, I wouldn't go as far as to say it's as precise as a traditional controller, but it is easily one of the best shooting attachments I've used.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Is the Sharp Shooter a must-have? Hardly, but if you're a fan of shooters and you want to use the PlayStation Move, it is the only way to go, at least until someone comes up with something better. With digital button mapping, a solid design, and a game that implements it effectively, the Sharp Shooter can be a fun and surprisingly precise peripheral, and at $39.99, it's a pretty good value.
IGN Ratings for PlayStation Move Sharp Shooter
Performance 9.0
The digitally mapped buttons and triggers are fast and effective.
The digitally mapped buttons and triggers are fast and effective.
Build Quality 8.0
Not much to look at, but fairly well constructed.
Features 8.5
A solid peripheral with vibration feedback, a variety of shooter-specific controls, and an intuitive design.
Value 8.5
For those interested, at $39.99 the Sharp Shooter is a pretty great value.
OVERALL
8.5 Great
Comments
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looks hot....but i already tried playing RE5 with a differnet kind and a quickly went back to the regular controller
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The user and all related content has been deleted.
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It's pretty fun with the Move controller and navi stick but this beats having to hold two things at one time.
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The user and all related content has been deleted.
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vibration too. damn i might cop. wonder if they gon drop another colorway tho. All black everything would be dope
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Where is the video review?
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Where is the video review?
Check in here:
http://gear.ign.com/articles/115/1150370p1.html
Can't embed from IGN
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