Do you like using shoulder buttons for melee?

[Septimus Prime]

I picked up Sekiro because I heard its combat is similar to Fallen Order, and in the half hour or so that I've played so far, it is, and I like it.

But one thing I don't like? Using R1 for sword attacks. It just doesn't feel right.

I know there are lots of good games that map primary actions to the shoulder buttons, like MGS4 and God of War, and I can even understand the reasoning for it--so you can free up your thumb to control the camera--but it's just not for me. I switched God of War to classic controls immediately, and the game felt soooo much better.

So my answer to my own question is no, I don't like this control scheme. Do you? If so, did you previously prefer using the face buttons and then come around to this?

As an aside, I'm perfectly content to use the shoulder buttons to fire guns and projectiles and stuff. But for melee, I strongly prefer the face buttons.

 

[WarAdept]

I'm fine with both.

Action games like DMC require remapping multiple attacks to both the shoulder and face buttons anyway to play optimally.

 

[Mechaplum]

I actually prefer shoulder buttons for melee, which is why Nioh was a disappointment in this regard. I can understand why one would prefer the face buttons though. The thumb is more comfortable at spamming actions.

 

[Chaos2Frozen]

I don't mind either

if the default setting is shoulders then I'll use shoulders, if the default setting is face then I'll use face.

The one exception is in DMC where Nero's and V's playstyle requires you to constantly hold down buttons. It's easier to switch those from face to shoulders

 

[Septimus Prime]

I'm fine with both.

Action games like DMC require remapping multiple attacks to both the shoulder and face buttons anyway to play optimally.

Click to shrink...

Aside from V, pretty much all the action takes place on the face buttons, though. Nero has revs, phantom punches, and maybe guns (if you remap it) on the shoulders, but his primary drivers should still be triangle and circle.

 

[WarAdept]

Aside from V, pretty much all the action takes place on the face buttons, though. Nero has revs, phantom punches, and maybe guns (if you remap it) on the shoulders, but his primary drivers should still be triangle and circle.

Click to shrink...

Nero is probably the prime example of this actually, both in DMC4 and 5.

By default, both the gun and sword attacks are on the face buttons.

Remapping either gun or the sword to one of the shoulders allows the player to hold a charged gun shot with one of the buttons while attacking with the sword with the other, without the need to do the crazy claw grip.

It really comes down to how long it's been since I've played the last action game. I played Sekiro right before Fallen Order, so due to muscle memory, I remapped everything to Sekiro's control scheme, but if there was a big enough time gap from when I played these games, I'm sure I would've just left whatever the default setting was for Fallen Order.

 

[NediarPT88]

I picked up Sekiro because I heard its combat is similar to Fallen Order, and in the half hour or so that I've played so far, it is, and I like it.

But one thing I don't like? Using R1 for sword attacks. It just doesn't feel right.

I know there are lots of good games that map primary actions to the shoulder buttons, like MGS4 and God of War, and I can even understand the reasoning for it--so you can free up your thumb to control the camera--but it's just not for me. I switched God of War to classic controls immediately, and the game felt soooo much better.

So my answer to my own question is no, I don't like this control scheme. Do you? If so, did you previously prefer using the face buttons and then come around to this?

As an aside, I'm perfectly content to use the shoulder buttons to fire guns and projectiles and stuff. But for melee, I strongly prefer the face buttons.

Click to shrink...

I'm fine with them.

That said I was not fine with parrying on L1, pressing that button for long periods of time feels uncomfortable to me and you need to do that to keep your posture in check.

You can costumize the button layout completely so it shouldn't be a problem if you don't like to attack with R1.

Personally I used square for attack, triangle for prosthetic, R1 for parrying, L1 to use items, R2 for grappling hook and L2 as the use button (it's square by default).

 

[Ravelle]

Yes, in fact I changed the face buttons to shoulder buttons in Fallen Order, it felt way more natural.

 

[Modest_Modsoul]

I have no problem.

 

[Field]

I don't have a problem with that. I guess I'm used to it from all the Souls games.

 

[elenarie]

Yes. I find them more comfortable than using the face buttons.

 

[Blade Wolf]

But one thing I don't like? Using R1 for sword attacks. It just doesn't feel right.

Click to shrink...

What? Have you not played the Souls games?

 

[Mirage]

Not having camera control readily accessible would have been a pain for me in a game like God of War. I don't mind shoulder buttons for melee at all though, some of my favorite games go that route like Dark Souls, and like you said Sekiro.

 

[Glio]

Games with combos and quick attacks like Bayonetta = Face buttons

Games where you do two or three attacks before you have to retire = Shoulder buttons.

 

[.exe]

Hate it. I remap Dark Souls to use light and heavy attacks on the face buttons, while moving the dodge roll to the right bumper. I find having roll on the bumper is way more useful, as it's nice to be able to roll and use the camera at the same time. I don't find having the camera accessible while attacking to be that useful, especially in games with strict/long attack animations. Also a Monster Hunter habit, I guess.

 

[Kapryov]

I'm not a huge fan, it feels less precise to me.
Keep in mind I only played Dark Souls for a few hours around launch, so not enough time to really get used to it, otherwise my experience with this is more from AC: Origins. It feels wrong, but I can put up with it.

 

[Jimnymebob]

I don't mind it, but I much prefer square and triangle.

 

[Artdayne]

I'd say they are pretty objectively superior when you need to control the camera with the analog sticks.

 

[Pearljam and Earl]

No. To me, they automatically make any game feel clunky and fudgy.

 

[The Devil]

Bumpers and triggers everyday.

If a game has a camera that you use to move with the right stick, there's no logical reason to put the combat moves on the button as you'll be taking your thumb off the stick to to press them.

Bumpers and triggers make more logical sense.

 

[Septimus Prime]

What? Have you not played the Souls games?

Click to shrink...

Not really. Just Demon's Souls and Bloodborne, and I didn't really like them.

 

[Pyro]

I like both schemes so I typically go with the default option.

 

[Deleted member 8860]

Having primary actions on the triggers/shoulder buttons makes for a less enjoyable experience, but is necessary for games that require constant manual camera management.

That said, IMO, requiring the player to manage the camera is generally a failure of game design.

 

[L Thammy]

The main attack buttons should be L3 and R3.

 

[viral]

Yes, I prefer the shoulder buttons to the face buttons since Dark Souls.

 

[Sorel]

The souls game started the trend but multiple games do that such as the new god of war. You'll get used to it, it allows for control of the camera while still attacking.

 

[Orayn]

Yes, I really like Souls style control schemes, they keep your fingers where they need to be more of the time. This was one of the first things I changed in Jedi Fallen Order as well.

Coincidentally, I also like RB for melee in shooters that use it a fair amount of the time, such as Destiny and Halo.

 

[MysticGon]

Yeah I don't like it. In my mind it's for shooting or blocking or grabbing.

 

[Fadewise]

Dislike it on the bumpers/triggers. Bumpers are too awkwardly placed to be the primary input, and triggers have too wide a range of motion of rapid firing that's more associated with melee-based attacks (versus ranged). Underside paddles, on the other hand, are the best place for it, since face buttons still suffer from the exclusion of camera control.

 

[HiLife]

Having attacks bind to the shoulder button is the best thing ever for action games like Souls. It made Fallen Order playable. It felt smooth on GoW. And it feels amazing in games like For Honor.

 

[banter]

I don't mind it in games like this but if you had said for melee in fps I'd have said hell no!

 

[Sean]

Depends on the game and how it's implemented. Both work for me when done well.

 

[senj]

The main attack buttons should be L3 and R3.

Click to shrink...

I respect this incredibly chaotic take

 

[Kyoufu]

I like it, yeah. It allows for camera control without taking the thumb off the analogue stick in a 3rd person game, but it doesn't make sense in every game, like for example Monster Hunter wouldn't control as well if the attack actions weren't on the face buttons.

 

[NightShift]

I don't really have a preference. Just make your control schemes nice and intuitive and I don't care what button's where.

Remapping DMC made me realise that any button you need to hold MUST be on the shoulder buttons though.

 

[dedge]

I picked up Sekiro because I heard its combat is similar to Fallen Order, and in the half hour or so that I've played so far, it is, and I like it.

But one thing I don't like? Using R1 for sword attacks. It just doesn't feel right.

I know there are lots of good games that map primary actions to the shoulder buttons, like MGS4 and God of War, and I can even understand the reasoning for it--so you can free up your thumb to control the camera--but it's just not for me. I switched God of War to classic controls immediately, and the game felt soooo much better.

So my answer to my own question is no, I don't like this control scheme. Do you? If so, did you previously prefer using the face buttons and then come around to this?

As an aside, I'm perfectly content to use the shoulder buttons to fire guns and projectiles and stuff. But for melee, I strongly prefer the face buttons.

Click to shrink...

I actually moved attack to RB (and heavy to RT/block LB) in Fallen Order to mimic Sekiro/Souls as closely as possible.

 

[lovecatt]

I'll tolerate it but I don't love it to be honest

 

[MAX PAYMENT]

I hate it.

 

[Faenix1]

I prefer face buttons, but I'm not picky regardless. I'll adapt if I need too.

 

[Firmament1]

Bumpers and triggers everyday.

If a game has a camera that you use to move with the right stick, there's no logical reason to put the combat moves on the button as you'll be taking your thumb off the stick to to press them.

Bumpers and triggers make more logical sense.

Click to shrink...

Can you imagine trying to pull off DMC, or input Ninja Gaiden combos with the shoulder buttons? Trying to input the Underworld Drop with R1, and R2 sounds pretty awful.

I can handle it for Dark Souls, but just about nowhere else. Sekiro included. And for Bloodborne... Well, I'd change the attacks to Square, Triangle, and Circle if it actually had in-game remapping, and not system remapping. Face buttons simply allow for faster attacks.

Also, if a game has attacks on face buttons, dodge has to be on shoulder buttons. Only exception is Nioh.

 

[Nephtes]

Fallen Order only became playable when I remapped the attacks to the shoulder buttons to be more like Dark Souls/Sekiro.

It takes a lot of getting used to as I recall from my time with the original dark souls... but once it clicks its magic.

 

[Vaser]

Yes, R1/R2 are always my action buttons. Mashing the face buttons for an extended period of time puts you at risk for RSI.

 

[zeitgeist]

Yeah I have grown to like it and combat with the face buttons feels weird now.

I think a cool idea would be using L2 and R2 to control left and right hooks/punches. Maybe for something like Batman or Infamous.

 

[banter]

The main attack buttons should be L3 and R3.

Click to shrink...

I do hope you're joking as this sounds absolutely horrible.

 

[RestEerie]

yes,

i was playing dmc5 using the default and i kid you not, my thumb was hurting after all the combos that i had to take a break after each chapters (especially dante's)

 

[meph]

I actually changed Fallen Order's control scheme to match Sekiro's shoulder attack button as I played Sekiro first. The importance of parrying/attacking means you generally want to access those buttons at all times, hence the shoulder placement rather than using face buttons.

 

[SmokedSalmon]

Both styles are good, it really depends on how the game is made.

 

[Pyccko]

Games with combos and quick attacks like Bayonetta = Face buttons

Games where you do two or three attacks before you have to retire = Shoulder buttons.

Click to shrink...

Yeah, this

 

[affeinvasion]

I find that shoulder bumpers wear out a lot faster than face buttons, so for that reason alone, I prefer face buttons.

 

[ghibli99]

Yes, I like it. It's like this in AC Odyssey too. R1 for regular, R2 for strong, L1 for alt weapon abilities, L2 for aim, combos of them do different things (like L1+R1 to parry, R1+R2 for overpowers, etc.). Works quite well!