Collective Minds Strike Pack F.P.S. Dominator Controller Adapter with MODS & Paddles for PS4

As a person who adopted Scuf controllers back when they were first released back in the 360 days, I have gotten to the point where playing on a controller that does not have backside inputs feels foreign to me. Whether it is competitive gaming or casual, I have grown accustomed to the customizability that having rear inputs affords. It is a feature that I believe all gamers can benefit from, yet one that console makers have thus far refused to bring into the mainstream.Despite this, paying the exorbitant prices that custom controller manufacturers seek is sometimes a hard pill to swallow. When I came across the F.P.S. Strike Pack for Playstation 4 and saw that it offered essentially the same exact functionality as a Scuf controller, in addition to being detachable and replaceable—and, most importantly, that it only cost forty bucks—I was intrigued. So, I ordered one.In terms of design, the Strike Pack is fairly minimalistic. Aside from the little alien head on the back, there is no company branding. When the device is attached to the DualShock4, it flows well the original design contours and feels like an extension of the original design. It feels great in the hand, the paddles are positioned well ergonomically, and it doesn’t add much weight when you’re playing. The paddles are plastic, magnetically attached, and easily removable. Squeezing them provides a tactile click, and the effort required is just right. A small piece of protective foam rests on the inside of the paddles so that should you get a little too aggressive and force the paddles into contact with the body of the controller (under normal pressure there is about a millimeter of clearance between the two), you won’t cause any damage to the controller.Hooking the F.P.S. Strike Pack to the DualShock 4 is simple and straightforward. Plug the device into the DualShock 4’s USB input and fasten it with the plastic lever that runs up and under the controller. The lever snaps into the DualShock 4’s speaker grills and once everything is in place it feels surprisingly sturdy. If you want to attach a headset, there is a microphone jack on the bottom of the device that provides the same functionality as the native controller input. When you have everything set up to your liking, run the provided 6ft USB cable from the Strike Pack to the console and you should be good to go.Remapping the input to each paddle is equally simple. There are two square buttons on the upper portion of the device that correspond to the left and right paddles. Hold the button on either side down, press the corresponding button that you want to be mapped to the paddle, release the button, and you’re good to go. For the most part, once you map an input to one of the paddles, it will stay that way all through your play session and well into the next. But, on occasion, you will find that the device resets itself and your desired input goes back to default. It’s hard to pinpoint what exactly causes it, but it doesn’t happen often, and in my play time it isn’t obtrusive enough to be a major problem.There are a few caveats that are worth mentioning. First, the speaker on the DualShock 4 will no longer function with the Strike Pack attached. Secondly, you’ll have to use the controller in a wired state or the device will not function. Third, despite my best efforts, it seems that you cannot use the Strike Pack’s functionality in any PC games. I doubt any of these will be a deal breaker, but there you have it. Also, one caveat about this review: there are a number of built in mods that you can implement should you want to cheat a bit, but I haven’t experimented with those so I can’t comment.Overall, I am quite satisfied with my purchase. Considering the price point, I don’t think there’s any real way to beat it. If you want the functionality of a professional grade controller but are not professional enough to justify the purchase, I strongly you suggest you give the Strike Pack a look.

I think there are some people who gave up too easy when trying this product. I have purchased 2 scuf controllers ( current gen and previous gen) both had glitches within 24 hours of opening. Had to send first one back for repair after using for 2 days. 90 day Warranty expired before trouble resurfaced. 2nd scuf started glitching after 3 months also.I can't speak yet about the reliability of strike pack, hopefully it is better than scuf. For the price, I think the performance & value are exceptional. Admittedly the click-on attachment has a little play to it, so the paddles don't feel as solid & high quality as the scuf. However, the ergonomics of the strike pack design are superior in my hands. Comfort is very personal, but i think if you haven't already played on a controller with paddles you should give it a couple weeks to get used to it. Also, i found that i had to change my grip a little to use the scuf & it was uncomfortable after playing for seen hour. The strike pack paddles are in the perfect spot for my middle fingers, no adjustment of grip necessary for me. If you play with middle fingers always on L2 & R2 it might be tough to reach paddles with ring fingers.I did run into a little trouble with initial connection. A few tips...Usb plug can be difficult to get all the way in, don't force it but make sure it's all the way in.I have the best luck initially pairing a controller by first turning on the ps4 with the button on the front of the ps4, then turn on the controller, choose your login name with x button, then plug in controller, then push ps button. You should see your name choice screen again. Now choose your name again. You should be paired. After that, assigning buttons is cake. I don't mess with mods.I usually don't bother with writing reviews, but i feel this product is genius terms of it's design & function, & i hope this product can bring scuff some serious competition.4/1/17 Update... I've broken 2 of these units since November. Still love the concept and pricing of this product, and think it's great for introducing people to shortcuts on the back of the controller. However, if you play fps games everyday, the paddles probably won't last long. I just bought the Nacon revolution pro controller... So far it is superior to the strike pack.