Besides a powerful gaming PC or a console, input devices are also important for many gamers. Our tech author Jan Hartmayer is an avid PC gamer and therefore only plays with a mouse and keyboard, but there are 3 rare exceptions…
Since we had a computer at home first and years later then an Xbox, I discovered gaming with a mouse and keyboard for myself. For me, it just feels right to control games like that to this day.
I can’t imagine playing RPGs like the Gothic Remake or The Witcher 3 with a controller. While I understand how the individual control schemes work, it just feels wrong in my head.
For years, I also thought that outside of a console or at friends’ places I would never choose a controller voluntarily, but then I encountered three game genres that changed my mind forever.
Soulslikes not only broke my soul
My first turnaround came about 12 years ago when I started Dark Souls for the first time. I only knew the tough games fleetingly and wanted to try out the “cool knight game”. But even in the first hours, I noticed how hard it was for me.
This was partly due to the unusual difficulty level and partly because I had problems with the controls. I could move my character and dodge in one direction, but functions like weapon switching, quick slots, or targeting enemies were extremely difficult for me.
That same evening, I watched a YouTube video with beginner tips that explained that Dark Souls is more intuitive with a gamepad and better suited for newcomers. Once I heard it, I immediately tried it with an Xbox controller, and lo and behold, it works! I did die dozens of times to even the simplest enemies, but I had a chance.
The controls were no longer my enemy, and I slowly but surely fought my way through the game. Later through Dark Souls 2, 3, Sekiro, and Elden Ring, until I ultimately unconsciously decided to play every From Software game only with a gamepad.
Purely an emotional matter
But there are two more game genres for me that I now only play with a controller:
- Party games are, in my opinion, social games that must always be played together in front of the TV or as a group on the PC with a gamepad, because it’s tradition.
- I rarely play racing games, but they are better controlled with the stick of a controller, and I feel like I have more control over the vehicle.
Nevertheless, I prefer my gaming keyboard when it comes to shooters. I will probably never understand how someone could voluntarily reach for a gamepad.
Because I can barely hit a target with mouse and keyboard controls, but with a gamepad, even the best aimbot can’t compensate for my poor aiming skills. My colleague Benedict has also pondered which input device is best for a shooter: Controller vs. Mouse – Which plays CoD Modern Warfare better?
What do you prefer? Do you prefer gaming with a mouse and keyboard or a controller? Do you use different devices depending on the game? Can you aim well with a gamepad? Please write it in the comments.
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