If you spend most of your game time staring at a respawn counter or as road kill for other drivers to flatten, then it might be time to look for a little help. KontrolFreek wants to provide that help in the form of the FPSFreek and the SpeedFreek, economical plastic attachments for your controller. Using physics, algebra, a little English and presumably some alien technology, these accessories promise to save your game. And we all know the rewards of playing like a champ. You’re sure to get chicks (or dudes), money and more chicks (or more dudes). But can improving your game really be all that simple?

FPSFreek

When you initially look at the FPSFreek, you’re probably going to wonder how these joystick extensions improve your accuracy. The basic concept is, with the added height of the joysticks, your thumbs are provided more leverage for more precise aiming. Putting it simply, more leverage = more pwnage. At least, that’s the theory. I threw this theory right into the fire, popping in Left 4 Dead and Call of Duty 4 for the Xbox 360. After a couple of hours with both games, I felt the amount of pwnage I dealt was only slightly greater than or equal to the amount of pwnage I normally dish out. I didn’t notice any true improvement in my game, but in truth I’ve always been a fairly good FPSer.

The good news is, the stick accessories are comfortable, and the adjustment period is very brief. I figured making the transition from the face buttons to the taller joysticks would cause more of a delay than normal, and would result in more deaths. This concern was unfounded. My hands and fingers are tiny (can’t-handle-a-double-cheeseburger tiny), so any normal human being shouldn’t have any troubles. I also tested the extensions on the PS3 controller, playing Resistance and Brothers in Arms, and had similar results. The items were comfortable, I didn’t notice a difference in accuracy and my hands got used to them quickly.

I think my biggest gripe with the FPSFreek is that it’s such a nuisance to put onto the controller. It felt like I could have snapped the joysticks off the PS3 and 360 controllers with the amount of pressure I was exerting. Otherwise, I didn’t experience the payoff the FPSFreek was touted to provide. My aim was no better or worse than normal. But since this product doesn’t impact the functionality of the controller (the face buttons are still easily accessible and clicking the joystick isn’t a problem), FPSFreek might help those who are having serious aiming issues. It’s only a $10 investment, so it might be something to consider if you’re tired of seeing your name at the bottom of the scoreboard. But if you’re satisfied with your skills now, you probably won’t see much improvement with the FPSFreek.

Our Score: