" ...Might be worth picking up from a clearance shelf..."

      Title: FPS Master by Gamester

      Format: Analog Controller for PS2

      Reviewing Monkey: Zimbu

      The Hype: Boasts that it offers "perfect control for first person shooters", a significant claim for games that require pinpoint accuracy.

      What This Monkey Thought...

      Ergonomics: Featuring pistol-type grips and actual triggers for the R1 and L1 buttons, the FPS Master is designed to emulate holding a pair of actual guns, but unfortunately curves them out at an awkward cant so they aren't the most comfortable things to hold. Four of the buttons are positioned on the grips, intended to allow a player to keep his thumbs on the analog sticks at all times, but they're placed too close to the front of the grips, making them easy to use for the 1% of the hardcore FPS population who has hands less than 5 inches long…and near impossible for the rest of us. The D-Pad is positioned right under the left stick and so is also awkward to reach, requiring that you reposition your whole left hand to reach it. Overall, it just isn't very satisfying to hold. 2 out of 5

      Aesthetics: Decked out with armor plating and scorch marks, the controller's designed to look like some futuristic battle-ravaged weapon. The grips have protruding magazine-esque shapes, supporting the whole pistol design. And the LCD screen in the middle of the controller will probably give pause to the casual observer, since most controllers don't have those sorts of fancy gadgets and gizmos. 3.5 out of 5

      Playability: When you're rushing into a horde of Nazi ninja zombies with a heavy machine gun, you need to count on good control so you're not wasting magazine after magazine on missed hits and flesh wounds. Sadly, the over-sensitive analog sticks aren't going to save you in that situation. Anything less than full automatic fire two feet from your target's brain stem probably isn't going to connect as your crosshair flies from side to side with the slightest touch of the sticks. The R1 and L1 triggers are ok, but they, contrastingly, have the tendency to be a little slow to respond. The rest of the button placement can be awkward but they can all be reconfigured with the built-in LCD screen, which stores up to three different control settings, so at least you can customize the controls so the most used buttons for a certain game are easy to access. This is also useful for any game that doesn't have a built-in button config option. 3 out of 5

      The Verdict:

Overall, the FPS Master just comes off as another gimmicky controller put out by a company desperate for a slice of the peripheral pie. It definitely isn't a choice for the diehard first-person shooter crowd but may be for the casual geek who digs funky toys.

      The Good: Looks slick and the LCD custom control screen is pretty useful.

      The Bad: The hard to reach buttons and D-pad plus loose analog control makes for frustrating shootouts.

      The Overall Ugly: Why buy this when you can get a Dual Shock 2 for less cash?

      What it's Worth: Might be worth picking up from a clearance shelf for 10 or 15 bucks.