Razer Kishi V2 review: Just as good as the Backbone

Prefer it or not, console-quality cellular gaming is on the rise. Not solely are titles like Diablo Immortal displaying that video games don’t must be pared down as a lot from their console counterparts, however Netflix is closely investing within the area, and providers like Google Stadia, Amazon Luna, and Xbox Recreation Move will let you actually play console video games in your cellphone.

However until you need to use lackluster contact controls, an excellent cellular controller is important to make console-like gaming on cellular value it. The unique Razer Kishi was already among the best cellular controllers on the market, but it surely had a number of flaws. Razer wiped away lots of these points with the Razer Kishi V2, which was launched earlier this month.

By taking some design cues from its competitor, Spine, the Razer Kishi V2 improves upon a stable design to create a tremendous cellular recreation controller that’s practically console high quality. Though it’s a bit larger than the unique Kishi, which isn’t one of the best for portability, I’m already positive this shall be my go-to cellular gaming controller going ahead.

No extra stretching and squashing

The unique Razer Kishi was a wonderful cellular gaming controller, but it surely could possibly be a ache to insert your cellphone into it. You needed to maintain down launch latches so a stretchable assist band might floppily fall again earlier than you could possibly insert the cellphone into the controller. It was a trouble to stretch out and squash again into place when you took the cellphone out. The Razer Kishi V2 does away with this concern by changing that assist band and latch system with an extendable bridge.

To place a cellphone into the Razer Kishi V2, one merely has to drag one aspect of the controller to increase the bridge and place the cellphone inside. It’s approach simpler to make use of and has inspired me to make use of the Razer Kishi V2 extra steadily for cellular and cloud gaming on my Google Pixel cellphone than ever earlier than. Whereas the extra uncovered bridge does go away me a bit fearful that this can break in half if left floating round in a bag, its sturdy construct high quality does make that unlikely.

This isn’t an unique idea, even when it’s the most important draw of this new {hardware}. The Razer Kishi V2 may be very related in design to the opposite main cellular gaming controller, the Spine One. That controller launched this extendable bridge and even has a really related button structure. Whereas I’m content material with the Razer Kishi V2 copying many facets of the Spine One’s design as a result of it makes the controller simpler to make use of, its similarities imply the Razer Kishi isn’t as distinctive of a controller model anymore, and the V2 shouldn’t be value it should you already personal a Spine controller. But it surely does cement the extendable bridge as by far one of the best setup for cellular gaming controllers going ahead.

Buttoned up

Concerning button structure and really feel, the Razer Kishi V2 isn’t too dissimilar from the unique Razer Kishi, however makes some key enhancements. The microswitch face buttons (laid out like an Xbox controller) and the D-pad really feel far more satisfying to click on and use than on the unique Razer Kishi. Whereas the D-pad nonetheless isn’t fairly nearly as good because the one on the Xbox Sequence X controller, that is undoubtedly among the best third-party controller D-pads I’ve ever felt. Its analog triggers and microswitch bumpers are well-built, making enjoying first-person shooter video games like Doom Everlasting really feel higher to play than they usually do on cellular controllers.

Like the unique, you’ll be able to even plug in a charger to the bottom-right and cost your cellphone whereas enjoying. In contrast to the unique, the Razer Kishi V2 not solely has a seize button, however even lets gamers remap two programmable microswitch buttons close to the triggers. These buttons are wonderful alternate options for gamers who wrestle with urgent the analog thumbsticks for L3 and R3 inputs, so it’s an excellent accessibility and utility characteristic.

The one huge flaw of the Razer Kishi V2’s structure is the menu and Razer Nexus button placements. This button takes you to Razer Nexus, a brand new free app that organizes downloaded cellular video games and recommends new ones for Razer Kishi homeowners, unlocking the complete potential of the controller’s button remapping and display seize functionalities. It’s frustratingly positioned proper above the beginning/menu button, which is utilized in virtually each recreation, so I typically discovered myself unintentionally hitting the Razer Nexus button and going to that app after I simply wished to pause or begin a recreation.

Technically, I can remap these buttons, but it surely doesn’t take away from the truth that this can be a irritating ergonomic design selection that might’ve simply been solved by flipping these two buttons. In its present state, the Razer Nexus app isn’t that helpful until you will have many video games put in in your cellphone and haven’t grouped all of them collectively. Nonetheless, because it’s free to make use of and is required to remap button controls, it’s value putting in when you’ve got a Razer Kishi V2. Simply remember that you may unintentionally open this app as a substitute of utilizing the menu button quite a bit while you first begin to use the Razer Kishi V2.

Good gaming

I examined quite a lot of native and cloud-based video games on cellular to place the Razer Kishi V2 via its paces and bumped into nary a problem. Video games like Stardew Valley and Shatter Remastered natively working on my cellphone instantly acknowledged the controller and performed easily afterward. As extra complicated and console-quality cellular video games like Diablo Immortal proceed to emerge, you’re going to want a controller that may deal with them. The Razer Kishi V2 seems to be like among the best controllers to do this with as there’s no noticeable latency and it feels good to make use of.

In the meantime, TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge on Xbox Recreation Move, Bloodrayne 2 on Amazon Luna, and Doom Everlasting on Google Stadia all proved that this can be a nice cloud gaming controller that received’t add a lot extra noticeable latency. When you’re an Xbox Recreation Move Final subscriber and need to see what the cloud-supported video games look and play like on Android, the Razer Kishi V2 is a cushty controller to do this with. It’ll now be my most popular controller for cloud gaming going ahead, and I take advantage of many cloud gaming providers steadily.

Whether or not you’re enjoying natively in your cellphone or via the cloud, the Razer Kishi V2 is a helpful cellular gaming controller. It’s exceptionally well-built too, so I don’t anticipate the damage and tear that comes with frequent controller use to set in for fairly a while.

Our take

The Razer Kishi V2 loses a bit little bit of its individuality by intently copying the Spine One. Nonetheless, it’s an especially well-built and extremely customizable cellular gaming controller that can assist your gaming habits, whether or not they’re taking place natively in your cellphone or within the cloud.

Is there a greater different?

The Razer Kish V2’s design is sort of just like the Spine One, and you may’t go unsuitable selecting both of them.

How lengthy will it final?

The Razer Kishi V2 feels very robust and durable, so I believe this cellular gaming controller will final you a few years (or at the least till the Raser Kishi V3 inevitability comes out).

Do you have to purchase it?

Sure, should you plan to begin enjoying extra video video games in your cellphone, take into account choosing up the Razer Kishi V2 to reinforce that have. It’s a transparent enchancment over the unique Razer Kishi, so it’s value upgrading.

The Razer Kishi V2 for Android is out there now. A model of the controller for iOS is within the works and will launch later this yr.

Editors’ Alternative