I was pleasantly surprised with how quickly button presses and D-pad movements were recognized. While playing Guilty Gear Strive, I spent a lot of time in the practice area where you can test out combos while viewing a live list of recent inputs. However, the Touchpad and 3.5mm auxiliary port aren’t compatible with PC. Swapping between console and PC is simple too – just a quick toggle on the back and you’re good to go. Although it isn’t able to power the PS5 on by itself, you’ll need to use your DualSense or the power button on the console manually first before it’s recognized. Pairing the controller was simple enough, just plug-and-play. I spent most of my time testing the Fighting Commander Octa bouncing between Guilty Gear Strive and Mortal Kombat 11. An interesting choice, considering the Xbox version of this controller includes a profile button for on-the-fly switching. That said, the Device Manager app does allow you to save up to four profiles, but switching between them still requires connecting the controller to a PC. The app itself is pretty rudimentary, and not all that necessary since most of its functions can be done without the use of a computer.Īs previously mentioned, button remapping and D-pad adjustments can be made via the program button on the bottom of the controller. The Hori Device Manager is an optional PC application that allows you to adjust D-pad sensitivity, remap any of the controller’s buttons, and adjust headset volume and microphone sensitivity. On the rear of the controller there’s a toggle to change between PS5, PS4, and PC, and a separate toggle to disable the touchpad functionality, or all of the PlayStation-centric buttons at once, to ensure no accidental inputs are made in the heat of battle. There’s also a mute button if you’re using a wired headset with the controller’s 3.5mm auxiliary port. On the bottom of the controller’s face is a program button that allows you to quickly remap face buttons, bumpers, and triggers, as well as adjust the D-pad sensitivity to your liking.

It’s not until I realized the unique layout was intentional, allowing me to perform this ability with just my right hand. I kept trying to execute a Fatal Blow by pressing L2 + R2 simultaneously with no success, and was certain that there was something wrong with the controller. I will admit I had a bit of an embarrassing moment as I didn’t realize the shoulder button layout was different until I was deep into a few matches of Mortal Kombat 11. Thankfully, the Fighting Commander Octa supports local button remapping and can be done very easily. If this seems like a confusing layout at first, it is, but it allows you to theoretically press all four face buttons and both sets of bumpers and triggers all with one hand. By default, they are labeled 元/R3 on the left side and L1/L2 on the right side. They have a satisfying tactile click that feels very similar to clicking a mouse, and the audio feedback ensures you know that the button has been pressed.Īlong the top of the controller are two bumpers and two shoulder buttons, all with a relatively short travel distance and a clicky feel – although they don’t use the same micro switch input as the face buttons unfortunately. The six face buttons are all micro switch buttons, providing an extremely short travel distance and near-instant actuation. The buttons are arranged into two rows of three, allowing you to easily press the buttons with your thumb or fingers from your right hand, depending on your preference. Opposite the directional inputs are a set of six face buttons: Cross, Square, Triangle, and Circle, as well as R1 and R2. On the left side of the controller’s face is a slightly raised D-pad, as well as a short-throw analog stick with an 8-way gate designed to increase accuracy on inputs with a bit of tactile feedback. It’s also wired to ensure minimal input delay. The most notable difference is the absence of the right thumbstick, something not uncommon with fight pads as most fighting games don’t traditionally require its use. It features all the necessary elements of the modern DualSense controller, including the large touchpad as well as dedicated PlayStation, Options, and Share buttons. Similar to Hori’s Xbox Series X Fighting Commander Octa, this PlayStation 5 flavor is the first officially licensed fightpad for Sony’s latest console, while also being compatible with PlayStation 4 and PC.

This is partly due to its all-plastic construction and lack of rumble motors, but more so that Hori has distilled the fighting pad experience down to what matters most – blazing-fast inputs and on-the-fly customization that lets you jump right into the fight. On first pickup, you’ll find the Fighting Commander Octa to be extremely lightweight, to the point of almost feeling hollow. Hori Fighting Commander Octa – Design and Features

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