Sony Reveals How PS5's DualSense Controller Works With Ratchet & Clank, Returnal, Scarlet Nexus, And More

One of the most exciting and innovative elements of the PlayStation 5 is the DualSense controller, which has haptic feedback that allows for all manner of possibilities. Following the announcement of two new PS5 DualSense controller colors, Sony has now announced how the DualSense controller will be used to provide unique experiences in a number of upcoming games, including Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Subnautica: Below Zero, GhostWire: Tokyo, Life is Strange: True Colors, and Scarlet Nexus.

Beginning with Rift Apart, picking up bolts after you defeat an enemy will trigger a "tiny impulse" that you'll feel in your hands, accentuated by a "subtle controller sound," Sony said in a blog post. The game also provides a unique feel in the controller depending on what weapon you're using. Additionally, striking different surfaces will yield unique haptic feedback with the controller.

In Subnautica: Below Zero (which releases May 14), the controller aims to help you feel more "connected" to the in-game tools. "You'll feel like you're actually turning on the Flashlight's switch, or feel the coil of the cable in your PrawnSuit as it launches from your Grappling Arm. The drilling sensation as you drill for resources with your Drill Arm also adds to the immersion," the developer said in the PlayStation Blog post.

The game also uses the RGB strip on the DualSense controller to pulse faster when you get closer to a resource objective. "Driving both the directional vibration and the RGB pulse is the actual data that the in-game tool is receiving in real-time, so it's always dynamic and accurate to what the player is seeing and feeling while playing," the studio said.

In GhostWire: Tokyo, the haptic feedback includes "otherworldly voices" that come out of the controller's built-in speakers. And when in combat, the adaptive triggers will have their own distinct feel based on what weapon you're using.

"Even with your eyes closed, you can tell the difference between wielding snappy, precise bursts of wind; the destructive rush of water; and the raw devastation of fire. Attempting risky exorcisms at close range is even more intense, as the triggers help simulate the act of pulling a spectral enemy’s core out with your own hands," the studio said.

Additionally, the feedback from the controller will become "stronger" as you level up your capabilities in the game. This creates a "noticeable sensation of real progress that we cannot wait for GhostWire players to experience themselves," according to the developer.

For Life is Strange: True Colors, you can trigger the main character Alex's powers with the left trigger. The trigger will get tougher to pull as Alex becomes more powerful. This is meant to demonstrate that Alex is losing control of the "volatile, supernatural sense" that she has.

In Bandai Namco's Scarlet Nexus, the DualSense controller uses haptic feedback and adaptive controllers to heighten the sense of immersion for using the game's psychokinetic abilities.

"When you lift and toss objects, you will feel the flow of the hero's power, no matter if it's from left to right, or front to back. When the object moves from left to right on-screen, the sensation is achieved by having the left motor vibrate then move along to the right motor," the studio said.

Explaining the trigger features, Sony said: "Moreover, adaptive triggers provide players with a more realistic game experience. Just like you sense weight and resistance while picking up objects in real life, you’ll feel like you're lifting an in-game object with your own strength."

For Mobile Suit Gundam Battle Operation 2, the DualSense controller replicates the feel of each weapon in a unique way. The controller will also give you haptic feedback when you hit a target.

"When using L2 or R2 for attack, pilots will notice a resistance to simulate the pulling of an actual trigger. For example, with the bazooka the resistance will cause the trigger to catch at the input position just before the bullet is fired, and as you continue to pull the trigger, the bullet will fire and release the tension," the developer said. "We have also created a stronger rumble at the time of discharge, and a longer trail (the rumbling will last longer) to recreate the discharge of a larger caliber bullet."

In Kena: Bridge of Spirits, the DualSense controller's adaptive triggers are used to make you feel the difficulty of drawing back the character's bow. And finally, Returnal's use of the DualSense controller pulses subtly when it's raining. These pulses are "procedurally synthesised at runtime," the studio said, meaning they can be changed on the fly depending on what's happening in the game. "The end result of that approach is that along with the visuals and audio, the haptic sensations produced by the DualSense controller give your subconscious brain yet another indication that it really is in the world of Atropos, standing in the rain," the studio said.

Be sure to check out the full PlayStation Blog post, which contains video examples of the new DualSense functionality, to learn more about how each game uses the DualSense controller.

And for more, check out GameSpot's preorder guide for the new Cosmic Red and Midnight Black PS5 DualSense controllers.