MegaModz makes custom Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo controllers. I recently had the pleasure of reviewing the MegaModz custom PS5 controller and also making one from scratch.
MegaModz takes a standard PS5 controller (Or the DualSense Edge) and allows you to change the way it looks and works completely. The customization isn’t limited to visuals either, it can also be in the form of mods. They use a standard PS5 controller as the base, the dimensions, size, and weight are more or less the same.
MegaModz Custom PS5 Controller Review
This is where the magic starts, reach the MegaModz website and you’ll see a simple PS5 controller. The website shows any changes you make in real-time, so you can see how you are molding your controller.
The main interface is designed to be used on your phone or desktop. All modifications and customization options are on the right side (if you are using a desktop browser). You start off with physical customization first, the most important of them all are the back buttons. They add a whole new dimension to how you control your games.
From there you can move on to changing the colors of the controller. The controller has plenty of options available, in fact, it is the most customizable controller I’ve seen.
You can change the face buttons, the triggers, and the front panels, and even have interchangeable thumb sticks on your controller. The colors available are also plenty, from standard to exotic hydro-dipped ones.
The controller also gives you the choice of changing the back material. I opted for a grippy texture so I can maintain a strong grip during tense gameplay sessions. You can select the standard or the soft back if you’d like.
Package
The MegaModz controller is a standard PS5 controller. I selected the red one as the base, so my controller came in a standard Cosmic Red package. It had a standard PlayStation controller booklet, thumb grips I ordered, and a USB Type C Cable.
My package was missing a controller guidebook, but the company is shipping one to me.
Physical Mods
The biggest reason why you’d want a custom controller is the physical mods that give you a tangible user experience upgrade. You don’t have to get all the physical mods, pick and choose what you’d love to have, and you’ll save a lot of money.
Back Buttons
The controller shines because of the physical back buttons. They are a premium-feeling addition to an already amazing controller. This physical mod lets you map any button on the controller to the extra back buttons. The process is fast and painless, once I learned how to do it, I was swapping back button functionality mid-matches.
The back buttons let me reload my guns, jump, bunny hop, crouch, crouch slide, and even melee without my thumbs leaving the sticks. This means I’m always aiming even when doing weird stunts in Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2.
This is just one example, I mapped the NOS to one of the back buttons in Need for Speed Unbound and had a lot of fun. Then I switched to manual transmission in Gran Turismo and mapped gears to the back buttons. The possibilities are endless.
Triggers
MegaModz also offered mechanical shoulder buttons. My custom controller didn’t have them but the website states they provide “precise in-game control and feedback” and “faster input and response time”.
They achieve this by being clicky and by having a shorter travel distance as compared to standard triggers. The stock R2 has a 7 mm travel distance before it’s fully depressed, the custom trigger on the other hand has just 1.6 mm.
Buttons
The controller also has mechanical face buttons. The buttons are clicky enough on the standard edition but if you want them to be more responsive to presses, this is one physical mod you should opt for.
Back Grip
I selected a rubberized back when making my own PS5 controller. The back is surprisingly well-made and feels great to the touch. I had a 6-hour Diablo IV session with the controller and the back didn’t make my palms sweaty. The small dots on the rubber grip are comfortable and don’t dig into hands, a big plus in my experience. You can also have original colors, soft touch, and chrome backs.
Indication Lights
Depending on whether you get in-controller/in-game mods and back buttons or not, your controller might come with a set of LED lights at the back of the controller. As I choose to have multiple mods and back buttons, so my controller had 8 different LED lights. These are multicolored and play an important role in letting you know what mods are active.
This is a neat way of indicating which mods are currently running. They also let you adjust mods on the fly. There is no need to connect the controller to your PC or run external software to have it set up.
Comparison with Stock PS5 Controller
The custom controller doesn’t have a lot of physical differences when compared to a regular stock PS5 controller. There are some key changes the company does that make the customizable controller stand out:
- Greater customization options
- The back can be textured
- Physical back buttons
- Mechanical Triggers
- Mechanical buttons
- Mods can be installed and activated
- Thumbsticks can be upgraded
MegaModz Custom PS5 Controller User Experience
The review won’t be complete if we skip on user experience. Having a controller that looks great but isn’t comfortable to hold for extended gaming periods is a flat negative in my books.
Feel and Comfort
The controller is a standard PS5 controller. So if you already love the excellent design of the stock controller, you’ll be right at home here. The back shape and design of the controller are intact here. There are no physical changes to the stick positions, face buttons, or even the trackpad. The controller feels natural and right in my long hands.
The controller is comfortable to hold, the middle fingers naturally rest on the back buttons. I accidentally pressed the back buttons for the first couple of hours simply because I wasn’t used to them being there. After that, it felt natural, and I was annoying my friends in Call of Duty by dolphin diving around every corner.
Build Quality
The build quality of the controller is impressive. Everything I installed on the controller feels like it came straight from Sony itself. The back buttons perfectly match the color of the controller. The button presses are as stiff as on the standard controller. The back buttons have a lovely click to them making them feel more tactile.
The red colored sticks work as intended, the trackpad functionality is the same, and the triggers are as responsive as ever. The additional physical changes fit the controller perfectly. The company did a great job with the LED lights as well, they are flush with the body of the controller and don’t jut out.
The only issue I noticed was the screenshot button being extra squishy. It just might be my unit, but I found it a little hard to press, especially double press to capture video clips. I also double-checked by testing a standard PS5 controller, which had a better and more responsive screengrab button.
Battery
The controller uses the same battery as the default PS5 DualSense controller. So it lasts around 8-10 hours. I only had to charge it twice over the weekend and I played Diablo IV Beta pretty much the whole time. Even with the haptics, microphone, and additional LED lights, there isn’t a significant change in the battery life of the controller. MegaMods did some wonders here.
MegaModz Custom PS5 Controller Gaming Mods
The custom controller can be configured to use mods. These mods are not modifying any game files or messing with the server. So they are completely safe to use in online games. Some tournaments might ban the use of these mods though. Here are some of the mods I liked.
Quick Scope
The quick scope quickly scopes in a sniper, shoots, and then de-scopes. This is called quick scoping in Call of Duty games and is a great way to run and gun with a sniper rifle. The mod automatically does quick scoping for you. The mod also allows you to adjust the time between scoping, shooting, and de-scoping.
It won’t auto-aim for you, but it’s a great tool to learn how to do quick scoping. I had a blast with it in Modern Warfare 2 and even managed to top the board. I was never great at sniping and now I’m looking forward to the next virtual meetup.
Zombie Auto Aim
As a huge fan of COD Zombies, the Zombie Auto Aim mod is a great addition. It only works in the zombie mode and it works really well. The controller rapidly uses L2 to trigger the soft target lock already in the game. This lets you quickly shoot zombies. I highly recommend using it with Deadshot Daiquiri.
Rapid Fire
Rapid Fire works flawlessly, it basically makes using tactical rifles a lot more fun. Want to make your rifle shoot like a submachine gun? This mod can help you do that. While the accuracy falls down drastically, you can have a ton of entertainment using rapid fire in close quarters.
More Mods
More mods can be added when you customize your controller. Usually, each mod cost $6.99 but you can also get a bundle. Here is the full mod list:
- Akimbo – Shoot dual-wielded pistols with one trigger
- Armor Repair – Repair armor effectively
- Auto Burst – Brust fire single shot weapons
- Auto Heal – Heal efficiently in COD games
- Auto Spot/Ping – Automatically spot enemies or ping their location
- Auto Sprint – Sprint automatically in-game
- Default Flipped – Interchange functionality of R1 and R2
- Dropshot – Immediately drop down and shoot
- Jumpshot – Jump in the air while shooting
- Dual Trigger – Shoot both hands and get rapid fire
- Fast Reload – Reload your weapon faster
- Layouts – All mods work with different buttons
- Sniper Breath – Hold your breath while sniping automatically
I also liked the Sniper Breath mod which automatically holds your breath when you scope in using a sniper rifle. No need to press the stick again and again. The Dropshot and Jumpshot mods are great if you want to annoy your friends. The Akimbo mod is amazing if you want to use pistols in multiplayer or in zombies.
How Mods Work
I did a little digging (by digging I mean playing videogames with the controller) to find out how the mods actually work. There is no internal/external software involved here, there is no tempering with the game files, and no additional mod chip you need to install. They don’t even work like Cronus Zen and are not considered cheating.
The MegaModz custom PS5 controller uses sequences of button presses to make mods work. They are essentially macro button presses and are undetectable.
The Quick Scope mod presses and holds L2 > taps R2 > and releases L2. That’s all it does. You are aiming yourself, there are no cheats involved here. This is why the mods are undetectable to the anti-cheat and are perfectly fine to use online.
The Sniper Breath presses the L3 stick. The Rapid Fire quickly presses R2, which by the way isn’t humanly possible to press that fast. The Zombie Auto Aim mod presses the aim button and uses the sticky aim already in the game.
Is MegaModz custom PS5 controller For You?
- If you love customizing every aspect of your controller, then yes the controller is for you.
- If you love extra features like the back buttons but don’t want to shell out for the DualSense Edge, then this controller is for you.
- If you need a couple of features or mods only, the custom PS5 controller will be the economical choice.
If you need customization support in the PlayStation 5, this controller isn’t for you. The DualSense Edge has that advantage. Here’s a thorough review of the DualSense Edge by MegaModz, so you can make a sound decision. They also offer the Edge with customization if funds aren’t limited, or you need the added functionality.
Conclusion:
The controller is a great way to make your controller your own. Sony doesn’t have a program like the Xbox Design Lab that lets you customize your controllers. MegaModz is offering an easy way to add to your gaming experience.
I recommend picking and choosing which features you really need and then purchasing a custom controller. You absolutely don’t need all the features and mods, I, for one, will be using a couple of mods and the back buttons only. However, that’s just my preference, yours may vary. The controller is a great quality product that exceeded my expectations, especially with its build quality.
