Type - USB Keyboard Manufacturer – Logitech MSRP - $69.95
Of all the gaming peripherals out there, a keyboard/controller hybrid was probably the last thing on anyone’s mind that they wanted to see made, unless of course, they’re a fan of massively multiplayer online RPGs (MMORPGs). Playing these games online with your console requires only a controller, though typing via the game’s soft onscreen keyboard is a real pain, and takes forever to send the simplest of messages, but adding a keyboard adds one more tool to fumble around with, forcing you to constantly go from your controller to keyboard and back again. How do you solve the problem? With Logitech’s NetPlay Controller!
Once you think about the product’s intent, and what it can do for your online gaming, it really is ingenious. Take what you need in a controller, split it in half, placing one half on each side of a keyboard. Simple concept really, but the design is anything but. The point of the product’s ergonomics is to keep the player immersed with the controller and keyboard without having to constantly switch from one side of the unit to the other. Although it looks like it would be nothing more than a cumbersome mess, it in fact works extremely well.
The ergonomic design of the NetPlay fits very comfortably in the lap, and its smooth curves only add to that comfort when the controller is in heavy use. The unit maps its buttons very well too, largely simulating the Dual Shock 2 layout. The face buttons are located on the right side of the unit, along with the Select and Start buttons. On the left side is the D-pad, which is pressure sensitive in eight directions, and the Mode and Vibration buttons and with their respective LED indicators. (If you’ve ever wondered what force feedback on a keyboard peripheral would feel like, the NetPlay can show you). The shoulder buttons are located on the controller portions of the unit, and not only conform very well, but feel very solid in design too. The NetPlay even comes with dual analog sticks. While the sticks feel looser than the Dual Shock 2’s, oddly enough, they also feel much more solid when clicking down on them, almost like they’re slightly cushioned.
The NetPlay Controller is very ergonomic all around. The buttons are logically placed, and the keyboard keys are an appropriate size and distance from one another, meaning that the NetPlay is a joy to use. The force feedback effects are equal to that of the Dual Shock 2, and the whole unit is very solidly built. The keyboard can be removed for protection (or any other reason you can think of), and is a must-have for text-heavy online games on your PS2. Just for fun, we even hooked the NetPlay up to play Red Faction 2, and used the NetPlay like we would a standard controller. And even though it’s completely pointless to do so, the NetPlay worked surprisingly well, which is a testament to just how ergonomic the NetPlay really is. And no matter what game you’re playing, the NetPLay feels comfortable on a desk, table, your lap, and for a limited time, being held in your hands.
The Logitech NetPlay Controller is just what you’ve been looking for if you’re into text-heavy online titles like EverQuest Online Adventures and Final Fantasy XI. It’s on the pricey side, but once you start using the NetPlay, there will be no going back. A product of this type is definitely niche, and to some gamers, unnecessary. But after using the Logitech NetPlay Controller, serious fans of MMORPGs will look at this as a godsend. And they won’t use anything less.
