Right from the start, the FPS Freek EPICs fit easily on the analog sticks of the controller and are also very easy to take off.  These add-ons make the analog sticks taller and based on my knowledge of physics, this provides better precision when aiming at your enemies.  They do feel a little uncomfortable at first and take some getting used to.  The pads feel quite nice and feel good on my thumbs.  On the pads themselves is what looks to be the trademark Gear of War cog and a skull inside of it.  Overall, the FPS Freek EPIC feels great and looks good too.

They may look good and feel good but did the FPS Freek EPIC change my performance at all?  I’m pretty bad at shooters in general so I really couldn’t tell.  The controller itself felt a lot more comfortable with the add-ons than without.  I felt like I did have more precision when aiming and running around.  I played a few matches in Gears of War 2 and according to my statistics, I did slightly better with the FPS Freek EPICs than without them.

For fun, I also tried out a first person shooter, Call of Duty: Black Ops with the accessory. I think when KontrolFreek said these were designed specifically for third person shooters, they actually were right.  I didn’t feel any improvements when playing a first person shooter.  Probably one of the most important features of the FPS Freek EPIC is that it is tournament legal so even when your competing in MLG or in any competition, these controller add-ons can act as great performance enhancers.

Conclusion: Overall, the FPS Freek EPIC controller add-ons only slightly boosted my performance.  They feel really good and you are guaranteed that your thumbs will not skip off the controller.  The design of it looks great and the add-ons are easy to slip on and off.  The fact that they are tournament legal makes them extremely appealing to competitive gamers.  For $13.99, I’d say it’s probably a little overpriced but for those looking for an easy way to get better precision out of their Xbox 360 controller for third person shooters, look no further than the FPS Freek EPIC.

Special thanks to KontrolFreek for providing us with the KontrolFreek EPIC accessory for review.

Elmsford, N.Y., August 9, 2011 – Beginning today, Turtle Beach, pioneers and market-leaders of the gaming headset category, will unveil additional details on the recently announced limited edition Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 3 Ear Force headsets.  Starting with the Ear Force FOXTROT, Turtle Beach will update their website each day with detailed web pages for each of the limited edition models. The final unveil will be on Friday with the Ear Force DELTA. These new pages will feature new photos, detailed specs and other information about the headsets and can be accessed by visiting: TurtleBeach.com/MW3.

Fans of Turtle Beach and MW3 will find updated information daily at 1:00 PM PT. Please see below for the schedule of updates:

• Tuesday Aug 9 – Ear Force FOXTROT
• Wednesday Aug 10 – Ear Force CHARLIE
• Thursday Aug 11 – Ear Force BRAVO
• Friday Aug 12 – Ear Force DELTA

These truly Limited Editions Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 3 headsets will deliver enhanced experiences for the year’s most anticipated entertainment launch.

• The Ear Force DELTA headset ships with custom voice prompts by Lt. Col. Hank Keirsey (ret.).  Army Ranger, master parachutist and decorated combat veteran, Keirsey served 24 years with the US Army and now serves as the principal military advisor for Call of Duty®.  It’s his voice that will lead you into battle, and inform you on your preset choices in the field.
• The Ear Force DELTA and Ear Force BRAVO wireless models feature Turtle Beach’s proprietary DSP headset technology that elevates these headsets beyond mere accessories with the inclusion of custom-designed presets.  These settings are specific to Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 3 and come stored in the headsets right out of the box.  Developed by Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer, these presets are tailored to Modern Warfare 3 gameplay, so by utilizing these presets, DELTA and BRAVO owners will hear and experience Modern Warfare 3 the way the developers intended.  No other headsets in the world can provide such a complete and immersive Modern Warfare® 3 experience.
• All of Turtle Beach’s Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 3 headsets feature special packaging.  The wireless DELTA and BRAVO models come packed in rugged hard plastic field cases for transport and storage or to showcase and protect your headset. The stylized design ID will match the military theme of the headsets and it will serve as the perfect carrying case for your headset.
• Delivering additional value, each package will also include access to special DLC, provided exclusively for Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 3 headsets owners. Specific details about the DLC will be released at a later date.

Pre-sale orders for the Turtle Beach Call of Duty®: Modern Warfare® 3 headsets are underway at many of Turtle Beach’s top retail partners’ online stores in the North America, Europe, Australia and elsewhere, including but not limited to: BestBuy.com, GameStop.com, Amazon.com, WalMart.com and others.

Turtle Beach revolutionized game audio with the industry’s first truly customizable headset, the acclaimed PX5, earlier this year and is the only brand capable of this offering.  Gamers interested in learning more about Turtle Beach’s lineup of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 headsets should visitwww.turtlebeach.com/MW3, and sign up for ongoing updates about special content, additional product details, on-sale info and other special news and alerts.

The full lineup of Turtle Beach’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 gaming headsets will ship to major retailers in October, 2011.

 

Need a new controller? Been meaning to get your hands on one of the new transforming D-Pads? Well, now you can have both, and save over $20 in the process. Amazon has discounted the accessory 32% off, giving you the new wireless controller with a play and charge kit for only $43.99. It’s unclear how long the sale will last, so head on over to Amazon now to pick one up.

(Amazon)

Now, at the time several people asked us if we had a release date and unfortunately we didn’t. However today this has all changed and we are able to bring you the news that the Onza will be available as soon as next month, the 28th of next month to be exact.

The controller is available to pre order here right now.

The Xbox team was well aware of the issue and has made a controller that will remedy those who have been having problems over the years.  Now we have the Transforming D-Pad controller, which is a completely revamped controller from the standard Xbox 360 controller that comes with the console.

The first thing you’ll notice about the controller is the look of it. Usually, the controller is a pearl white but this controller is a matte silver with gray A, B, X, and Y. The controller does look more elegant with the color change and it even feels that the grip under your palms has been improved as well.

Analog sticks have also received a bit of a transformation. The joysticks are now concave in the center as opposed to the four dots that are on the standard controllers. The dots that act as grips on the original controllers will fade and suppress over time. The new concave design allows the grip to be sustained substantially longer and ultimately, is much more comfortable to game on.

The main draw to the controller is the new transforming directional pad. A slight twist and you’ve gone from the original Xbox 360 directional pad to a traditional d-pad.  The twist recedes the spaces between the arrows, allowing the controller to give more direct controls to the gamer.The purpose of this is to make things easier of course and it does.

For example, summoning killstreaks in Call of Duty is made easier by simply  pushing down and twisting the directional pad in either a clock wise or counter clock wise: changing the Xbox 360 d-pad to a more traditional d-pad.

Typing messages, selecting killstreaks, playing classic games like Pac-Man, switching weapons in Gears of War or Borderlands and even browsing Netflix is significantly easier with the directional pad. That’s not to say the original Xbox 360 d-pad is rendered useless though. It’s still very useful and best for fighting games. The sections between the arrows on the d-pad make it easier to preform quarter circle and half circle combinations simpler and more efficient.

Is the transforming d-pad controller worth it? Yes, but only to those who consistently use the directional pad. Someone who primarily plays first person shooters or uses their Xbox 360 primarily for Netflix or purchasing movies off the Zune Marketplace may not see that this is as big of a game changer.  For those who are addicted to the d-pad, this is essential in their every day gaming habits.

The controller costs $64.99 and as a plus, it also comes with a play and charge kit and rechargeable battery pack.

PRODUCT OVERVIEW:

XBOX Zig-Zag

* Organizes your gaming gear
* Easy snap-together, no tools assembly
* Molded controller dock fits Xbox controllers
* Soft coated guitar hooks for gaming guitar controllers
* Ribbed shelves hold Xbox games and DVDs
* Recessed and ventilated Xbox 360 console storage bay
* Available in black or gray

The product line’s uniquely tailored design elements help users neatly store gaming gear, including consoles, controllers, and games, in one sleek and compact tower.

All products offer easy snap-together assembly and various ventilation designs to prevent your console from overheating and slowing performance.

The Zig-Zag towers’ key features include a molded controller dock and soft-coated guitar hooks for gaming guitar controllers used in Guitar Hero or Rock Band, as well as ribbed shelves for storing game or DVD cases.

Level Up products are now exclusively available in well-known national retailers, including Toys R Us, Bed Bath & Beyond, Kohl’s and JCPenney.

For more information, please visit www.LevelUpGear.com

Price: $49.99 (price from Toys R Us at time of review)

The Review:

The Zig-Zag tower comes packaged well, but the tower is plastic, so there’s not much danger of a lot of damage.

The storage tower is ‘some assembly required’ so there’s a lot of parts in the box.

There are two U-Shaped guitar clips that go onto the sides, the tops of them are rubber padded for protection. These two clips are the only part of the tower that require an actual tool, a screwdriver to put the screws in.

Getting it together only took about 15 minutes total, the instructions are easy to follow and the parts have letters on them that correspond to the instructions.

The tower is in two alternating sections, hence the Zig Zag name. The top is where you put your game boxes and the bottom is where the console goes, on the very top is storage spaces for controllers. The bottom part is open and the very bottom has ventilation holes for good airflow to keep your console cool.

This tower will be for my kids Xbox 360 as I have mine in my entertainment center, but I put some stuff of mine in here for some quick pictures for you. The black and green colors go very well together I think, especially once you get the game boxes in.

I had to do some rearranging before I got it setup for my kids system. Here it is though with my kids games, and Xbox 360 in it. They only have one guitar, but I did get them a remote for their Xbox and it fits perfectly into the second guitar holder. They also have a Playstation 2, and only two Xbox controllers so I figured their PS2 controller could go in the empty spaces.

As I said the tower is plastic so I was worried about it easily toppling over, but once you get the Xbox 360 console on the bottom the weight keeps things balanced. Once you get it put together you’ll find it does feel solid and well made, you can easily take it apart as well if you ever need to.

Conclusion:

The Level Up Zig-Zag storage tower works well to keep all of your stuff in one place. The colors work well together, but if you aren’t partial to black you could get it in gray.

I found the price to be about $50 on average, which I think is fine for it and the quality of it.

Really I like it, my kids really like it they just think it’s the greatest thing. If you’re a parent and your children’s things are scattered everywhere as mine where then you’ll appreciate this. If you’re not a parent and just a gamer, then I think you’ll like this as well it helps you keep things organized and neat.

Special thanks to Level Up for providing this content for review.

My first impressions of the controller were quite positive, judging by its looks and feel. The controller’s main shell is completely black with a Razer logo covering the lower portion on the right side of the controller. Whilst the skin is completely black it is also rubberised which feels nice in the hand and provides a much better grip to the controller overall.

To further improve the looks of the controller the buttons are lit, each of the 4 main Xbox buttons and the D-Pad buttons have their own individual light. One thing that I didn’t understand with this controller is that Razer has moved the start and back buttons to the bottom of the controller instead of either side the guide button. I didn’t feel as though they should be moved as nothing replaces them and I actually found them harder to use when placed at the bottom of the controller.

These buttons are also where the controller receives its first Razer adapted feature. The button mechanisms found on normal Xbox controllers have been swapped out for buttons with mouse click technology making them far more sensitive and responsive than ordinary controllers. However I would have liked for more feedback to be provided when you pressed a button, sometimes I wondered if I had actually clicked the button but I’m sure this issue would reduce If I used the controller over a longer space of time.

The second added feature are the adjustable analogue sticks, a small dial on each analogue stick can be twisted to increase or decrease the amount of resistance within the stick making it harder or easier to move. This feature works great for players who want different levels for different games, for example if I were playing a fast paced FPS I would lower the resistance allowing me to aim very easily or providing a high level of precision to line up the perfect sniper shot. Alternatively if I was playing a racing game I might increase the resistance providing a much more stable and smooth movement.

The third feature is in the form of two extra buttons, the controller has 4 shoulder buttons instead of the 2 on a standard controller. These buttons are programmable and any other button on the controller can be mapped to them helping to solve the issue of having to leave the right analogue stick to perform an action on one of the face buttons such as reloading. These are also very useful for actions mapped to the L3 and R3 buttons which are often a source of frustration as you have to hold in the stick and move it at the same time.

On the downside to this having an extra button on each side means that they are very thin which often resulted in me accidentally pressing the wrong button or both at once. Another issue is actually getting used to these buttons, I often completely forgot they were there or found them awkward to use and ended up reverting back to the standard buttons on the controller.

The controller is currently priced at 49.99 Euros and Dollars which makes it seem fairly priced for American users whilst others may see a substantial price hike. Personally I think it’s worth it for those seeking absolute precision, professional gamers, whilst many users will find it too pricey for features that are nice but not really necessary.

Mad Catz Interactive, a leading third-party video-game accessory provider and game studio THQ have announced an agreement to produce WWE All Star branded controllers and accessories, including WWE All Star themed controllers and fight sticks.

“World Wrestling Entertainment has produced many of the videogame industry’s most enduring and prestigious franchises, and we are thrilled to initiate this relationship with THQ to create a range of Arcade FightSticks and FightPads. We believe the spirit and excitement of WWE is a perfect fit for our range of market-leading fighting game controllers” Said Darren Richardson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mad Catz.

Level Up, a division of Slam Brands, Inc, unveils four of its officially licensed all-in-one gaming storage solutions: the Alloy for PlayStation, Zig-Zag for XBOX 360, Aperture for Wii, and Trideca for Wii.  The product line’s uniquely tailored design elements help users neatly store gaming gear, including consoles, controllers, and games, in one sleek and compact tower.

“The concept behind LevelUp is simple: gaming gear shouldn’t clutter the home,” said Jason , Lemelson, President of Level Up.  “Our line of affordable towers makes it easy for every day consumers to keep their accessories in a functional tower that looks cool in any entertainment or gaming environment.”

All products offer easy snap-together assembly and various ventilation designs to prevent your console from overheating and slowing performance.  The Alloy, Zig-Zag, Aperture, and Trideca towers’ key features include a molded controller dock and soft-coated guitar hooks for gaming guitar controllers used in Guitar Hero or Rock Band, as well as ribbed shelves for storing game or DVD cases.  They are available in a glossy black or white finish with silver, green or matte black accents, so as to complement each tower’s designated console.

Level Up products are now exclusively available in well-known national retailers, including Toys R Us, Bed Bath & Beyond, Kohl’s and JCPenney. For more information, please visit www.LevelUpGear.com or for the latest industry news and contests, visit their Facebook and Twitter pages.

Read more about the headsets after the jump.

The first and most expensive is set at $249.99:

For the professional gamer who demands the highest levels of audio quality, the Call of Duty: Black Ops Dolby Digital True 5.1 ProGaming Headset delivers uncompromised performance and a highly dynamic surround sound field.  Complete with fully braided cables and gold plated connectors, the True 5.1 ProGaming Headset connects to the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 console and through a total of eight drivers (4 in each ear cup), delivers a wholly authentic Dolby Digital 5.1 experience.  Each ear cup houses a front, rear, center and sub driver, which replicates a traditional 5.1 speaker configuration, immersing gamers in the action like never before and producing a 100% accurate audio environment.  Detachable boom microphone allows gamers to communicate via Xbox Live™ or PSN™, and a convenient backlit in-line audio controller, with ‘break away’ safety feature places audio controls within easy reach, allowing gamers to adjust in-game audio and chat levels. In addition, gamers can individually adjust the front, rear, center and sub channels to match their personal preferences.  Two sets of ear pads are included, allowing gamers to choose between leather and cloth textures.  Fashioned with authentic Call of Duty: Black Ops artwork, the True 5.1 ProGaming Headset features a stealth ‘backlit’ glow, illuminating both ear cups when in use.  Comes complete with an exclusive high quality padded Call of Duty: Black Ops Travel Case which allows for easy transportation for headset and cables.  When purchased in North America, the Call of Duty: Black Ops Dolby Digital .

The second headset is price at a more affordable, but still expensive $199.99

Designed for professional gamers everywhere, the Call of Duty: Black Ops Dolby Headphone 5.1 ProGaming Headset utilizes Dolby Digital and Dolby Headphone technology to deliver precision audio and crystal-clear in-game voice communication.  Complete with fully braided cables and gold plated connectors, the ProGaming Headset connects to the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 console and uses the included Dolby Digital set top encoder box to deliver a fully immersive 3D audio environment via the precision balanced 2-channel 40mm headset drivers.  Fully detachable boom microphone allows gamers to communicate via Xbox Live™ or PSN™, or simply detach the mic and use the headset as high quality headphones should they wish.  Convenient in-line audio controller, with ‘break away’ safety feature places audio controls at the fingertips, allowing gamers to adjust in-game audio and chat levels to create a personalized listening environment.  Two sets of ear pads are included, allowing gamers to choose between leather and cloth textures.  Fashioned with authentic Call of Duty: Black Ops artwork, the ProGaming Headset comes complete with an exclusive high quality padded Call of Duty: Black Ops Travel Case which allows for easy transportation for headset and cables.  When purchased in North America, the Call of Duty: Black Ops Dolby Headphone 5.1 ProGaming Headset will be available exclusively at GameStop®.

The third and least expensive is set at $149.99 but is only available for the PC, but could probably still work with the Xbox 360.

For the professional PC gamer who demands an authentic 5.1 surround sound experience, the Call of Duty: Black Ops True 5.1 ProGaming Headset delivers uncompromised performance and a highly dynamic surround sound field.  When used with gamers’ pre-existing 5.1 sound cards, the True 5.1 ProGaming Headset connects to the analog audio outputs on the gamers’ PC and delivers authentic surround sound reproduction via a total of eight drivers (4 in each ear cup).  Each ear cup houses a front, rear, center and sub driver, which replicates a traditional 5.1 speaker configuration, immersing gamers in the in-game experience.  Detachable boom microphone allows gamers to communicate with crystal clear accuracy when playing online and convenient in-line audio controller, with ‘break away’ safety feature places audio controls within easy reach, allowing gamers to adjust in-game audio and chat levels. In addition, gamers can individually adjust the front, rear, center and sub channels to match their personal preferences.  Two sets of ear pads are enclosed, allowing gamers to choose between leather and cloth textures.  Fashioned with authentic Call of Duty: Black Ops artwork, the True 5.1 ProGaming Headset features a stealth ‘backlit’ glow, illuminating both ear cups when in use.  Comes complete with an exclusive high quality padded Call of Duty: Black Ops Travel Case which allows for easy transportation for Headset and cables.

These headsets will be available this holiday season.