After months and months of searching, I finally got lucky and got my hands on a PS5. I, like many others, had been dying to get one for quite some time. But if you asked me what specifically I was looking forward to if I ever did get my hands on one, I’m not sure I would have answered that question definitively. 

I knew I wanted to play Spider-Man, and I’m excited for some other titles that are coming out soon, but outside of that, there isn’t one specific thing that was making me itch. After a week of playing Returnal, Housemarque’s newest title exclusive for PS5, I can easily say the PS5’s controller is its best feature by far.

Returnal shows off the DualSense’s ability to become a major part of the next-gen gaming experience. Every moment of the game is guided by the controller's ability to bring physical feelings to the rainy atmosphere of Returnal. The DualSense doesn’t just enhance the experience of the game, but actually makes it an entirely new experience in gaming altogether, and creates a game that truly does feel “next-gen”. 

Damn, the DualSense controller + 3D audio functionality in Returnal is some of the best on PS5 yet. When those features work in unison they really create something magical. Bravo, @Housemarque pic.twitter.com/pJfndjrA6S

— Brian Altano (@agentbizzle) April 30, 2021

Just finished the first boss of returnal and this game is phenomenal. Its pure fun from the start and has the best usage of the DualSense in all the games i played, the sound design is amazing and the game is stunning as well. Cant wait to play more the next biome! pic.twitter.com/YO3BRGgfkv

— Krey #HokagoTeaClub (@metaverse_salt) April 30, 2021

The DualSense allows every single interaction to be satisfying. From the slight clicking from holding down the X button in menu screens to the feeling of rain crashing into the ground, to the eclectic sounds of the pixel-style enemies. The DualSense also enables something I hadn’t come across before: The adaptive trigger buttons allow for some tricks to be pulled in-game. Weapons have a secondary firing ability depending on how hard you pull down the aim trigger. The trigger's ability to create different tension levels is remarkable, and the seamlessness this function was integrated into Returnal creates an awesome gameplay experience.

Ooooo-eeeee. Returnal is soooo good, and I can't believe how much the haptic feedback in the PS5's controller enhances the experience. I'm entirely sold on the DualSense, and I can't wait to experience more games that take advantage of this technology.

— Larry Matovina (@larrymatovina) May 5, 2021

Everyone is talking about Returnal and it's lack of save feature and it's difficulty. What we should really be talking about is the amazing utilization of the DualSense and the dark beauty of the biomes. Such a great game so far and I'm not even halfway through!

— Not Ideal Gaming (@NotIdealGaming) May 2, 2021

The DualSense experience in Returnal has me seriously excited about future exclusive PS5 games. It’s going to be interesting to see how Sony’s first parties will handle the functionality of the DualSense, as the controller has an insane amount of potential to create some great gameplay experiences.

The DualSense is the one unique feature the PS5 has up on the Xbox and the Switch, and I think that it would be wise for Sony to guide their game devs in a direction where they take all the risks they can with making the DualSense the main focus of their design.