8 out of 8 people found this review helpful.
Make driving games worth playing again!
Date of Review: Dec 27, 2005
The Bottom Line: This is the best steering wheel on the market, and it works for PS2 and PC! What more could you ask for?
For anyone who likes the rush of sitting behind the wheel and doing 120 mph down crowded streets, dirt arenas, and closed courses, this accessory should be on your wish list. I've had this wheel for a few months now, and it's one of my favorite tools for wasting time. This wheel gets you both 180 and 900 degree steering modes (if you didn't already know), which means you can play it in games designed for both modes. 900 degree mode, though, which is available on most newer games, provides great realism and similarity to being behind the wheel of an actual car.
The force feedback on this wheel is great. The intensity level is appropriate based on the terrain and weather conditions, and makes driving much more engaging in all of my games. Midnight Club 3, for example, you can feel the slop of the turning when in rainy conditions, as the wheel is made to feel looser and more unresponsive. But then you can switch over to good tires and dry roads, and the handling is tight again. Both steering and pedal response are analog, or at least feel like it, as you can tap the brakes to get the slightest amount of deceleration necessary to make lighter turns. This wheel definitely changed the way I play driving games and sims, and actually made them fun again. I really enjoy FlatOut, Midnight Club 3, and the newer Need for Speed games, though Burnout 3 & 4 play better on a controller, to be fair. As for the rest, you'll have to get the wheel to discover just how much more enjoyable the experience is.
There really isn't a dead zone on this wheel, and it's very sturdily made. It has great clamps for fitting onto a coffee table or tray, and there's an optional lap attachment which I gather is fairly uncomfortable, though unnecessary. The pedals can grip onto carpet or lay flat on hard floors, so the setup can be customized to your living arrangement.
If you have a PC with driving games, you can also go onto Logitech's site and download their USB steering wheel drivers. I was able to get this wheel to work on my computer with little difficulty and full compatibility on the few games I tried, though I enjoy the console experience more.
Overall, this is a great addition to your Playstation 2 gaming arsenal if you have the money and the extra time you will undoubtedly spend playing all of your driving games again, or perhaps pick up to get the most out of this thing.
